JavaMail API jar 1.6.2 · javax.mail

The JavaMail™ API provides classes that model a mail system. The javax.mail package defines classes that are common to all mail systems. The javax.mail.internet package defines classes that are specific to mail systems based on internet standards such as MIME, SMTP, POP3, and IMAP. The JavaMail API includes the javax.mail package and subpackages.

For an overview of the JavaMail API, read the JavaMail specification.

The code to send a plain text message can be as simple as the following:

    Properties props = new Properties();
    props.put("mail.smtp.host", "my-mail-server");
    Session session = Session.getInstance(props, null);

    try {
	MimeMessage msg = new MimeMessage(session);
	msg.setFrom("[email protected]");
	msg.setRecipients(Message.RecipientType.TO,
			  "[email protected]");
	msg.setSubject("JavaMail hello world example");
	msg.setSentDate(new Date());
	msg.setText("Hello, world!\n");
	Transport.send(msg, "[email protected]", "my-password");
    } catch (MessagingException mex) {
	System.out.println("send failed, exception: " + mex);
    }

The JavaMail download bundle contains many more complete examples in the "demo" directory.

Don't forget to see the JavaMail API FAQ for answers to the most common questions. The JavaMail web site contains many additional resources.

Properties

The JavaMail API supports the following standard properties, which may be set in the Session object, or in the Properties object used to create the Session object. The properties are always set as strings; the Type column describes how the string is interpreted. For example, use

	props.put("mail.debug", "true");

to set the mail.debug property, which is of type boolean.

Name	Type	Description
mail.debug	boolean	The initial debug mode. Default is false.
mail.from	String	The return email address of the current user, used by the `InternetAddress` method `getLocalAddress`.
mail.mime.address.strict	boolean	The MimeMessage class uses the `InternetAddress` method `parseHeader` to parse headers in messages. This property controls the strict flag passed to the `parseHeader` method. The default is true.
mail.host	String	The default host name of the mail server for both Stores and Transports. Used if the `mail.protocol.host` property isn't set.
mail.store.protocol	String	Specifies the default message access protocol. The `Session` method `getStore()` returns a Store object that implements this protocol. By default the first Store provider in the configuration files is returned.
mail.transport.protocol	String	Specifies the default message transport protocol. The `Session` method `getTransport()` returns a Transport object that implements this protocol. By default the first Transport provider in the configuration files is returned.
mail.user	String	The default user name to use when connecting to the mail server. Used if the `mail.protocol.user` property isn't set.
mail.protocol.class	String	Specifies the fully qualified class name of the provider for the specified protocol. Used in cases where more than one provider for a given protocol exists; this property can be used to specify which provider to use by default. The provider must still be listed in a configuration file.
mail.protocol.host	String	The host name of the mail server for the specified protocol. Overrides the `mail.host` property.
mail.protocol.port	int	The port number of the mail server for the specified protocol. If not specified the protocol's default port number is used.
mail.protocol.user	String	The user name to use when connecting to mail servers using the specified protocol. Overrides the `mail.user` property.

The following properties are supported by the reference implementation (RI) of JavaMail, but are not currently a required part of the specification. The names, types, defaults, and semantics of these properties may change in future releases.

Name	Type	Description
mail.debug.auth	boolean	Include protocol authentication commands (including usernames and passwords) in the debug output. Default is false.
mail.debug.auth.username	boolean	Include the user name in non-protocol debug output. Default is true.
mail.debug.auth.password	boolean	Include the password in non-protocol debug output. Default is false.
mail.transport.protocol.address-type	String	Specifies the default message transport protocol for the specified address type. The `Session` method `getTransport(Address)` returns a Transport object that implements this protocol when the address is of the specified type (e.g., "rfc822" for standard internet addresses). By default the first Transport configured for that address type is used. This property can be used to override the behavior of the `send` method of the `Transport` class so that (for example) the "smtps" protocol is used instead of the "smtp" protocol by setting the property `mail.transport.protocol.rfc822` to `"smtps"`.
mail.event.scope	String	Controls the scope of events. (See the javax.mail.event package.) By default, a separate event queue and thread is used for events for each Store, Transport, or Folder. If this property is set to "session", all such events are put in a single event queue processed by a single thread for the current session. If this property is set to "application", all such events are put in a single event queue processed by a single thread for the current application. (Applications are distinguished by their context class loader.)
mail.event.executor	java.util.concurrent.Executor	By default, a new Thread is created for each event queue. This thread is used to call the listeners for these events. If this property is set to an instance of an Executor, the Executor.execute method is used to run the event dispatcher for an event queue. The event dispatcher runs until the event queue is no longer in use.

The JavaMail API also supports several System properties; see the javax.mail.internet package documentation for details.

The JavaMail reference implementation includes protocol providers in subpackages of com.sun.mail. Note that the APIs to these protocol providers are not part of the standard JavaMail API. Portable programs will not use these APIs.

Nonportable programs may use the APIs of the protocol providers by (for example) casting a returned Folder object to a com.sun.mail.imap.IMAPFolder object. Similarly for Store and Message objects returned from the standard JavaMail APIs.

The protocol providers also support properties that are specific to those providers. The package documentation for the IMAP, POP3, and SMTP packages provide details.

In addition to printing debugging output as controlled by the Session configuration, the current implementation of classes in this package log the same information using java.util.logging.Logger as described in the following table:

Logger Name	Logging Level	Purpose
javax.mail	CONFIG	Configuration of the Session
javax.mail	FINE	General debugging output

Modifier and Type	Interface and Description
public interface	EncodingAware A `DataSource` that also implements `EncodingAware` may specify the Content-Transfer-Encoding to use for its data.
public interface	MessageAware An interface optionally implemented by `DataSources` to supply information to a `DataContentHandler` about the message context in which the data content object is operating.
public interface	MultipartDataSource MultipartDataSource is a `DataSource` that contains body parts.
public interface	Part The `Part` interface is the common base interface for Messages and BodyParts.
public interface	QuotaAwareStore An interface implemented by Stores that support quotas.
pack-priv interface	StreamLoader Support interface to generalize code that loads resources from stream.
public interface	UIDFolder The `UIDFolder` interface is implemented by Folders that can support the "disconnected" mode of operation, by providing unique-ids for messages in the folder.

Modifier and Type	Annotation and Description
public @interface	MailSessionDefinition Annotation used by Java EE applications to define a `MailSession` to be registered with JNDI.
public @interface	MailSessionDefinitions Declares one or more `MailSessionDefinition` annotations.

Class Summary

Modifier and Type	Class and Description
public abstract class	Address This abstract class models the addresses in a message.
public class	AuthenticationFailedException This exception is thrown when the connect method on a Store or Transport object fails due to an authentication failure (e.g., bad user name or password).
public abstract class	Authenticator The class Authenticator represents an object that knows how to obtain authentication for a network connection.
public abstract class	BodyPart This class models a Part that is contained within a Multipart.
pack-priv class	EventQueue Package private class used by Store & Folder to dispatch events.
public class	FetchProfile Clients use a FetchProfile to list the Message attributes that it wishes to prefetch from the server for a range of messages.
public class	Flags The Flags class represents the set of flags on a Message.
public abstract class	Folder Folder is an abstract class that represents a folder for mail messages.
public class	FolderClosedException This exception is thrown when a method is invoked on a Messaging object and the Folder that owns that object has died due to some reason.
public class	FolderNotFoundException This exception is thrown by Folder methods, when those methods are invoked on a non existent folder.
public class	Header The Header class stores a name/value pair to represent headers.
public class	IllegalWriteException The exception thrown when a write is attempted on a read-only attribute of any Messaging object.
public abstract class	Message This class models an email message.
public class	MessageContext The context in which a piece of Message content is contained.
public class	MessageRemovedException The exception thrown when an invalid method is invoked on an expunged Message.
public class	MessagingException The base class for all exceptions thrown by the Messaging classes
public class	MethodNotSupportedException The exception thrown when a method is not supported by the implementation
public abstract class	Multipart Multipart is a container that holds multiple body parts.
public class	NoSuchProviderException This exception is thrown when Session attempts to instantiate a Provider that doesn't exist.
public class	PasswordAuthentication The class PasswordAuthentication is a data holder that is used by Authenticator.
public class	Provider The Provider is a class that describes a protocol implementation.
public class	Quota This class represents a set of quotas for a given quota root.
public class	ReadOnlyFolderException This exception is thrown when an attempt is made to open a folder read-write access when the folder is marked read-only.
public class	SendFailedException This exception is thrown when the message cannot be sent.
public abstract class	Service An abstract class that contains the functionality common to messaging services, such as stores and transports.
public class	Session The Session class represents a mail session and is not subclassed.
public abstract class	Store An abstract class that models a message store and its access protocol, for storing and retrieving messages.
public class	StoreClosedException This exception is thrown when a method is invoked on a Messaging object and the Store that owns that object has died due to some reason.
public abstract class	Transport An abstract class that models a message transport.
public class	URLName The name of a URL.
pack-priv class	Version Package-private class that defines the version of JavaMail.

Package javax.mail

Interface Summary

Annotation Summary

Class Summary