How do you configure SendGrid API in Spring Boot?

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Steps to Configure SendGrid API in Spring Boot
  • 1. Add SendGrid Dependencies
  • 2. Create an Account on SendGrid
  • 3. Configure SendGrid API Key in application.properties
  • 4. Create a Service Class to Send Emails
  • 5. Create a Controller to Trigger Email Sending
• Testing the Email Sending API
  • Example cURL Command:
• Conclusion

Introduction

Configuring SendGrid API in Spring Boot allows you to easily send transactional or marketing emails through a reliable email delivery service. SendGrid offers an API that integrates seamlessly with Spring Boot, making it an ideal choice for applications that require automated email sending. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to configure SendGrid in your Spring Boot application, including setting up API keys, integrating the service, and sending emails.

Steps to Configure SendGrid API in Spring Boot

1. Add SendGrid Dependencies

The first step is to add the SendGrid Java SDK to your project’s dependencies. This can be done by adding the sendgrid-java dependency to your pom.xml file if you're using Maven:

This dependency provides access to SendGrid's API methods and makes email sending seamless within your Spring Boot application.

2. Create an Account on SendGrid

To start using the SendGrid API, you need a SendGrid account. Follow these steps:

• Go to SendGrid’s website.
• Sign up for an account if you don’t already have one.
• Once logged in, navigate to Settings > API Keys and create a new API key with full access.
• Copy the generated API key; you’ll use it in your Spring Boot application to authenticate API requests.

3. Configure SendGrid API Key in application.properties

To keep your credentials secure and easily configurable, store your SendGrid API key in the application.properties file of your Spring Boot project.

This allows you to use the API key throughout the application, keeping sensitive data centralized and easy to manage.

4. Create a Service Class to Send Emails

Next, you’ll need to create a service class that interacts with the SendGrid API to send emails. This class will manage the email construction and API request handling.

SendGridService.java:

In this service:

• The sendEmail method creates a new email with sender, recipient, subject, and content.
• The SendGrid API key is injected via @Value from the application.properties file.
• The Mail object is built and sent using SendGrid’s API.

5. Create a Controller to Trigger Email Sending

Once the service is created, you can expose an API endpoint to trigger email sending. This endpoint will accept parameters such as recipient, subject, and body for the email.

EmailController.java:

In this controller:

• The @PostMapping("/send") endpoint triggers the sendEmail method when a POST request is made with parameters for recipient, subject, and body.

Testing the Email Sending API

You can test the email sending functionality using tools like Postman or cURL by making a POST request to the /email/send endpoint.

Example cURL Command:

This sends an email to [email protected] with the provided subject and body.

Conclusion

Configuring the SendGrid API in Spring Boot enables you to send emails directly from your application, whether for transactional purposes or notifications. By adding the SendGrid dependency, storing the API key securely, and creating a service to manage email sending, you can easily integrate email functionality into your Spring Boot applications. This setup ensures that you can send simple text emails, HTML emails, or even emails with attachments using the reliable SendGrid platform.