It’s time for the thrilling conclusion of our journey into one of the well-liked electronic mail frameworks obtainable: MJML (Mailjet Markup Language). Okay, so it wasn’t an enormous cliffhanger or something. However we’re undoubtedly excited to share the second half of this interview with you.
Once we final left Nicole Hickman, she simply completed exhibiting us the fundamentals of use MJML to shortly and effectively code responsive HTML emails. This time, we’re diving just a little deeper to find superior MJML methods.
I requested Nicole a number of the commonest questions that I’ve seen electronic mail geeks questioning concerning the MJML framework. That features darkish mode, picture swapping, and overlapping content material in emails.
A part of the great thing about MJML is its simplicity, as we noticed in Half 1 of this interview. However what occurs when it’s essential take issues just a little additional that the framework permits? Try Nicole’s ideas within the video beneath. And don’t overlook to subscribe to E-mail on Acid by Sinch on YouTube to catch new episodes of Notes from the Dev: Video Version.
(Go to our Useful resource Heart to view the total transcription of this episode)
Introducing the <mj-raw> tag
In relation to superior MJML methods and conventional HTML electronic mail growth, there’s a means you will get the perfect of each worlds.
I’ll reduce to the chase right here. The <mj-raw> tag is what you’ll want when it’s important to “get away of the field” of MJML, as Nicole put it. Mainly, at any time when she desires to code one thing for which there’s no easy answer with MJML markup, Nicole makes use of <mj-raw> to incorporate uncooked, responsive HTML.
Within the first installment of our exploration into MJML, you’ll recall how Nicole defined that parts like textual content, buttons, and tables all the time get enclosed in <mj-section> and <mj-column> tags.
Using <mj-raw> is an exception. It’s an ending tag that gained’t embrace any MJML parts. As an alternative, you employ it to code the identical means you’d in a traditional HTML file.
“There are a number of issues that MJML can do all by itself. However if in case you have the necessity to do one thing that will be just a little extra cumbersome to attempt to do inside the MJML itself, you may definitely bust out and simply wrap issues in
<mj-raw>. That’s what it was developed for.”Nicole Hickman, Direct Advertising and marketing Developer, Fishawack Well being
To place it one other means, you’re not utterly tied to the MJML framework whenever you use it to develop responsive emails.
Darkish mode and MJML
When Nicole confirmed us how she creates emails with darkish and lightweight variations, she defined that a number of it takes place up within the <mj-head> part.
If you happen to’ve seen any tutorials on code darkish mode emails, you’ll acknowledge the meta tags which might be used to let electronic mail shoppers know that your code gives each mild and darkish mode variations:
<mj-raw>
<meta title="color-scheme" content material="mild darkish">
<meta title="supported-color-schemes" content material="mild darkish">
</mj-raw>
Beneath the usual CSS styling in Nicole’s boilerplate for this electronic mail format is the place she continues including and defining darkish mode types, utilizing a root selector and the media question (prefers-color-scheme: darkish).
<mj-style>
:root {
color-scheme: mild darkish;
supported-color-schemes: mild darkish;
}
@media (prefers-color-scheme: darkish) {
...darkish mode types right here...
}
</mj-style>
Inside the <mj-style> tag above, Nicole contains darkish mode CSS courses and tells electronic mail shoppers to cover mild mode photos.
Nicole says it’s vital to know specify CSS selectors when coding with MJML. That’s what permits the e-mail to change to darkish mode preferences (background coloration, textual content coloration, and so forth.) inside an <mj-section> based mostly on what you outlined within the types inside the pinnacle part.
That’s why, for instance, Nicole used a right-angled bracket in her darkish mode types when defining the background coloration for tables in darkish mode.
.dark-mode-bg>desk {
background: #1E1E1F;
background-image: linear-gradient (#fec800, #fec800) !vital;
}
Later, in an <mj-section>, you’d embrace the CSS class for the darkish mode background:
<mj-section background coloration="fff" css-class="dark-mode-bg">
When this will get parsed to HTML, the category goes right into a <div>, however the colours truly get utilized to the primary <td> in order that it seems within the cells of the desk. That’s why Nicole focused desk in her darkish mode types. In any other case, it wouldn’t override the backgrounds on her tables, which implies they might nonetheless present a light-weight mode background.
Watching the way in which different builders work is superb! Nicole had me rethinking the way in which I goal darkish mode. However we’ll have to avoid wasting all that for one more episode.
Picture swapping and MJML
One other query individuals have about extra superior MJML includes picture swapping. Many occasions, you’ll need a picture that’s one measurement for desktop viewing and a unique measurement that’s optimized for cellular gadgets.
By the way in which, Nicole takes a “cellular first” method to electronic mail growth. For picture swapping, which means she finally ends up doing one thing that will seem to be counterintuitive.
Within the first grouping of types, she contains something that will have to be utilized inline to the tag. Nicole does this as a result of GANGA (Gmail App with Non-Google Accounts) doesn’t help media queries, that are used for focusing on totally different display screen sizes.
So, by making use of the next code, she will inform electronic mail shoppers to point out a sure picture on desktop however not cellular:
<mj-model inline="inline">
.present {
show: none;
}
.conceal {
mso-hide: all !vital;
}
</mj-style>
Nicole additionally applies these courses to the media question as you’d count on. Nevertheless, by including !vital; to the tip (see beneath) it overrides something within the desktop view.
@media solely display screen and (min-width:480px) {
.present {
show: block !vital;
}
.conceal {
show: none !vital;
mso-hide: all !vital;
}
}
Lastly, right here’s a have a look at the MJML code within the physique of Nicole’s electronic mail wherein she contains each a 600 x 400 placeholder picture for desktop and a 320 x 400 placeholder picture for cellular gadgets whereas making use of the suitable courses:
<mj-section>
<mj-column>
<mj-image src="https://through.placeholder.com/600x400" css-class="present” />
<mj-raw>
<!—[if !mso]><!---->
</mj-raw>
<mj-image src="https://through.placeholder.com/320x400" css-class="conceal" />
<mj-raw>
<!--<[endif]-->
</mj-raw>
</mj-column>
</mj-section>
When Nicole switches over to the parsed HTML, we see that the inline class is show: none. However as a result of she used show: block together with !vital; that overrides the inline setting.
Additionally, discover that Nicole makes use of the <mj-raw> tag above so as to add conditional statements within the MJML that conceal cellular content material from Outlook’s desktop shoppers for Home windows.
Overlapping content material and MJML
One other method that skilled electronic mail builders use usually is overlapping components in a design. For instance, it’s your decision reside textual content overlayed on high of a graphic. That means, the e-mail is accessible for display screen reader utilization, and essential copy will present up even when the recipient has photos turned off.
To make this occur in MJML, the <mj-raw> tag as soon as once more involves the rescue.
Nicole used some superior types, which electronic mail super-geeks Mark Robbins, Steven Sayo, and Rémi Parmentier shared with the neighborhood. You’ll be able to study extra about these strategies for overlay and absolute positioning from Steven Sayo on Medium and from a submit on Good E-mail Code by Mark Robbins.
When you’ve found out use these code snippets to realize the type of overlapping you need, it’s so simple as putting it into both an <mj-style> or <mj-raw> tag.
Nicole informed me she selected to make use of <mj-raw> with an everyday <model> tag for organizational functions as a result of she needed to maintain it as its personal separate string.
Let the experimentation start
Now that you simply’ve been launched to the fundamentals of this electronic mail framework and a few superior MJML coding methods, it’s time to start out enjoying round.
Nicole talked about a couple of occasions that she did should experiment with issues a bit to get all of this to work. However should you ask me, that’s a part of the enjoyable of being an electronic mail developer.
And right here’s some excellent news… Nicole says that the MJML Group on Slack is tremendous pleasant and useful. So, as you begin making an attempt out superior MJML methods and hit roadblocks, head over there to ask questions and make connections.
Talking of connecting… we’re simply getting began with Notes from the Dev: Video Version. There are extra nice ideas, tips, and tutorials coming your means quickly. Ensure you subscribe on YouTube so that you aren’t neglected.
Writer: Megan Boshuyzen
Megan is a graphic designer turned electronic mail developer who’s labored on all features of electronic mail advertising and marketing. She believes good emails for good causes make a optimistic distinction on the earth. Megan is at the moment working as an electronic mail developer for Sinch E-mail. Go to her web site and study extra at megbosh.com.
Writer: Megan Boshuyzen
Megan is a graphic designer turned electronic mail developer who’s labored on all features of electronic mail advertising and marketing. She believes good emails for good causes make a optimistic distinction on the earth. Megan is at the moment working as an electronic mail developer for Sinch E-mail. Go to her web site and study extra at megbosh.com.
