# Outbound email

> What switches on when you configure a transport, what happens when you do not, and which transports are accepted.

Source: https://baalda.com/docs/email
Site: Baalda, https://baalda.com

Email is optional. A server with no transport configured is fully usable, it simply does not send anything.

## What email enables

| With email | Without email |
|---|---|
| Forgot password sends a reset link | Password reset is not offered |
| Sign-up verification is sent | Accounts are usable without verification |
| Invitations are mailed to each address | Invitations are shared as a link you send yourself, or people join by code |

## Configuring it

Set `EMAIL_FROM` plus exactly one transport.

- `SMTP_URL` for any SMTP server, as `smtp://user:pass@host:587` for STARTTLS or `smtps://user:pass@host:465` for TLS.
- `RESEND_API_KEY` for the HTTPS alternative, if outbound SMTP is blocked where you host.

`EMAIL_TRANSPORT` forces a choice rather than inferring it from the credentials present. Its `log` and `memory` values print or capture messages for development and are refused in production.

> Set `BETTER_AUTH_URL` to the URL people actually use before you turn email on. It is what every link in those messages is built from.