Send Emails with Windsurf and Mailtrap

This article provides a comprehensive guide based on Mailtrap's official tutorial on how to send emails in Windsurf.

Before we start

Required accounts

• Windsurf account - to access the AI-powered development environment

• Mailtrap account - to send emails

• Node.js - latest version installed for MCP server functionality

Prerequisites setup

1. Verify your email sending domain - Mailtrap requires domain verification before you can send emails. This process takes approximately 5 minutes and ensures optimal deliverability rates. Follow Mailtrap's domain setup guide for detailed instructions.

2. Get your API Token - Navigate to your Mailtrap dashboard and obtain an API token with appropriate permissions for your sending domain and email operations.

3. Install Windsurf - Download and install the latest version of Windsurf from windsurf.com to ensure compatibility with all MCP features.

4. Update Node.js - Ensure you have the latest Node.js version installed, as the Mailtrap MCP server runs as a Node.js command line utility.

Important Note: The integration uses Mailtrap's MCP server, which provides a seamless interface between Windsurf's AI capabilities and Mailtrap's email infrastructure.

Configure Mailtrap Integration with Windsurf

Step 1: Add Mailtrap MCP to Windsurf

Begin by configuring the MCP server connection in Windsurf:

1. Open Windsurf Settings

   • Launch Windsurf application

   • Navigate to Settings → Windsurf Settings

   • This will open the main configuration panel

2. Access MCP Configuration

   • Look for the Manage MCPs button in the settings panel

   • Click on it to open the mcp.config.json file

   • This file controls all Model Context Protocol integrations

3. Add Mailtrap MCP Configuration

   Insert the following configuration into your mcp.config.json file:

{

  "mcpServers": {

    "mailtrap": {

      "command": "npx",

      "args": ["-y", "mcp-mailtrap"],

      "env": {

        "MAILTRAP_API_TOKEN": "your_mailtrap_api_token",

        "DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL": "your_sender@example.com"

      }

    }

  }

}

This configuration establishes the connection between Windsurf and Mailtrap's email services through the MCP protocol.

Step 2: Configure Mailtrap API Credentials

Replace the placeholder values in your configuration with your actual Mailtrap credentials:

1. MAILTRAP_API_TOKEN Configuration

   • Navigate to your Mailtrap dashboard

   • Go to Sending Domains → Integration → API

   • Copy your API token from the credentials tab

   • Ensure the token has appropriate permissions for email sending

2. DEFAULT_FROM_EMAIL Setup

   • Use an email address from your verified sending domain

   • The domain must match exactly with your verified domain in Mailtrap

   • Format: sender@your-verified-domain.com

3. Verify Domain Matching

   • Check your Sending Domains tab in Mailtrap

   • Ensure the email domain you're using is verified and active

   • Mismatched domains will result in delivery failures

Important: After updating your credentials, restart Windsurf to ensure all changes take effect properly. This prevents any caching issues with the MCP server connection.

Step 3: Enable Mailtrap MCP in Windsurf

Activate the Mailtrap integration within your Windsurf workspace:

1. Open Cascade Sidebar

   • Locate the Cascade panel in the upper-right corner of Windsurf

   • This is where you'll interact with AI assistance and MCP servers

2. Enable Mailtrap MCP Server

   • Look for Customizations section in the Cascade sidebar

   • Find the Mailtrap MCP server in the available integrations

   • Toggle it to enabled status

   • This allows Windsurf to perform email actions through Mailtrap

3. Verify Connection Status

   • The enabled MCP server should show as connected

   • You may see a green indicator or status message

   • If connection fails, double-check your API credentials

Send Your First Email with Windsurf and Mailtrap

Step 1: Basic email sending

With your integration configured, you can now send emails using natural language prompts. Example Prompt:

Send an email to john.doe@example.com with the subject 'Welcome to our service' and a message thanking them for signing up.

Windsurf will interpret this prompt and execute the email sending through Mailtrap automatically.

Step 2: Advanced email features

Leverage more sophisticated email functionality with detailed prompts. HTML Email Example:

Send an HTML email to customer@example.com with the subject 'Monthly Newsletter' including a header with our company logo, a welcome message, and a call-to-action button linking to our website.

Multiple Recipients Example:

Send a notification email to team@company.com and manager@company.com with the subject 'Project Update' and a status report about the current development progress.

Step 3: Verify Email Delivery

After sending emails through Windsurf, confirm successful delivery:

1. Check Windsurf Confirmation

   • Windsurf will display a success message after email execution

   • Review the prompt response for any error messages

2. Monitor Mailtrap Dashboard

   • Navigate to Email Logs in your Mailtrap account

   • Verify the email appears in the sent logs

   • Check delivery status and any bounce notifications

3. Test Email Receipt

   • Check the recipient's inbox for successful delivery

   • Verify email formatting and content accuracy

Windsurf Email Integration Best Practices

Environment Management

• Store sensitive API tokens securely in the MCP configuration

• Regularly rotate your Mailtrap API tokens

• Never commit API credentials to version control systems

Domain Verification

• Always use verified sending domains to ensure high deliverability

• Monitor your domain reputation through Mailtrap analytics

• Keep DNS records updated and properly configured

Sender Reputation

• Use consistent sender addresses from verified domains

• Monitor bounce rates and spam complaints in Mailtrap dashboard

• Maintain clean recipient lists to avoid delivery issues

Content Quality

• Craft clear, relevant subject lines to improve open rates

• Use proper HTML structure for formatted emails

• Include both HTML and plain text versions when possible

• Avoid spam trigger words and excessive promotional content

Prompt Engineering

• Start with simple email prompts and gradually increase complexity

• Be specific about recipient, subject, and message content

• Use descriptive language for HTML formatting requirements

• Test prompts iteratively to refine email output

Summing up

This comprehensive guide demonstrates how to integrate Mailtrap Email Delivery Platform with Windsurf using MCP server. The integration enables developers to send transactional emails through natural language prompts without complex coding.