How to use the command pop (with examples)

The pop command is a powerful tool that allows you to send emails directly from your terminal. It provides a text-based user interface and supports sending emails with rich content, including attachments. In this article, we will explore three different use cases of the pop command and provide code examples, motivations, explanations, and example outputs for each.

Use case 1: Launching the Text-based User Interface

Code:

pop

Motivation: Launching the Text-based User Interface of the pop command allows you to compose and send emails interactively from your terminal. This feature is particularly useful when you don’t want to open a separate email client or prefer to work in a terminal environment.

Explanation: The command pop without any arguments will open the text-based user interface, where you can enter the necessary details for your email, including the sender, recipient, subject, body, and attachments. This interactive mode provides a streamlined way to compose and send emails without leaving your terminal.

Example output: After executing the command, a text-based user interface will open, prompting you to enter the necessary information for your email. You can navigate through the interface using the arrow keys, and once you’ve filled in all the required details, you can send the email.

Use case 2: Sending an email using the content of a Markdown file as the body

Code:

pop < path/to/message.md --from me@example.com --to you@example.com --subject "On the Subject of Ducks..." --attach path/to/attachment

Motivation: If you have a pre-written email message in a Markdown file, you can use this use case to send it to your desired recipient. This is particularly useful when you want to reuse an existing message template or compose a complex email with formatted content.

Explanation: In this use case, you provide the path to a Markdown file using the < symbol to redirect its contents as the body of the email. The --from option specifies the email address of the sender, the --to option specifies the email address of the recipient, the --subject option sets the email subject, and the --attach option allows you to include an attachment with the email.

Example output: The command will read the contents of the provided Markdown file and use it as the body of the email. It will also attach the specified file at the given path to the email. The email will be sent from the specified sender to the specified recipient with the provided subject.

Use case 3: Displaying help and exiting

Code:

pop --help

Motivation: If you need assistance or want to understand the available options and functionalities of the pop command, this use case allows you to display the help documentation.

Explanation: By executing the pop command with the --help argument, the command will display the help documentation, which includes information about how to use the command, its available options, and examples of different use cases.

Example output: Executing the command will display a detailed help message, which explains the usage, options, and examples of the pop command. This information can be used as a reference to understand the functionality and capabilities of the command.

Conclusion

The pop command provides a convenient way to send emails directly from your terminal. Whether you want to compose emails interactively or automate the process by providing email content from files, the pop command offers a versatile set of features. By understanding and utilizing the different use cases, you can leverage the power of the pop command to streamline your email communication workflow.