16 July 2024 Leave a comment QA
In software quality assurance and testing, it’s often necessary to use throwaway email addresses to test various functionalities such as signup processes, password resets, and email notifications. However, finding a reliable and efficient way to manage these throwaway addresses can be challenging. This article explores several effective strategies for using throwaway email addresses in your test scripts.
Using Gmail’s Plus Addressing
One of the simplest and most effective methods is to leverage Gmail’s plus addressing feature. This technique allows you to append a string to your existing email address, effectively creating a unique throwaway address each time.
For example, if your original email address is [email protected], you can create a unique testing email address by appending a Unix timestamp or any other string:
- Original Email Address:
[email protected] - Testing Email Address:
[email protected]
This approach ensures that all emails sent to the unique addresses will still be delivered to your original inbox, allowing you to manage and track test emails efficiently.
Setting Up a Local SMTP Server
For those who prefer to handle email testing locally, setting up a local SMTP server can be a viable option. Tools like hMailserver allow you to define your own domains and email IDs, giving you complete control over the email testing environment.
Additionally, using a local SMTP server can help you avoid the limitations and security risks associated with public email services.
Using External Services
If managing a local SMTP server isn’t feasible, several external services can help you manage throwaway email addresses. Some popular options include:
- Guerrilla Mail: Offers a selection of domains to use, helping you avoid blocking issues.
- Mailtrap: Allows you to catch emails sent from your servers without sending them to a real inbox. It also offers an API for creating mailboxes and checking email content.
- Mailosaur: Provides unlimited email addresses for testing, making it ideal for sign-up and password reset processes.
Integration with Office 365
For organizations using Exchange Online or Office 365, plus addressing (also known as subaddressing) is now enabled by default. This feature supports dynamic, disposable recipient email addresses, allowing for efficient management of test emails.
For example, if your original email address is [email protected], you can use [email protected] as a throwaway address. This approach is similar to Gmail’s plus addressing and is effective for managing test emails within an enterprise environment.
Conclusion
Using throwaway email addresses in test scripts is essential for thorough and effective testing of email-related functionalities. Whether you choose to use Gmail’s plus addressing, set up a local SMTP server, or leverage external services, each method offers unique benefits to suit different testing needs.
For those looking to streamline their testing processes further, consider using a no-code test automation tool like Repeato. Repeato is designed to create, run, and maintain automated tests for iOS and Android apps quickly and efficiently. With its computer vision and AI capabilities, Repeato simplifies the setup and execution of automated tests, making it an excellent choice for quality assurance teams.
For more information on how to enhance your testing strategies, explore our documentation and blog.
