/react-email

name: react-email
description: React Email renderer for json-render that turns JSON specs into HTML or plain-text emails using @react-email/components and @react-email/render. Use when working with @json-render/react-email, building transactional or marketing emails from JSON, creating email catalogs, rendering AI-generated email specs, or when the user mentions react-email, HTML email, or transactional email.
metadata:
  tags: react-email, email, json-render, html email, transactional email

@json-render/react-email

React Email renderer that converts JSON specs into HTML or plain-text email output.

Quick Start

import { renderToHtml } from "@json-render/react-email";
import { schema, standardComponentDefinitions } from "@json-render/react-email";
import { defineCatalog } from "@json-render/core";

const catalog = defineCatalog(schema, {
  components: standardComponentDefinitions,
});

const spec = {
  root: "html-1",
  elements: {
    "html-1": { type: "Html", props: { lang: "en", dir: "ltr" }, children: ["head-1", "body-1"] },
    "head-1": { type: "Head", props: {}, children: [] },
    "body-1": {
      type: "Body",
      props: { style: { backgroundColor: "#f6f9fc" } },
      children: ["container-1"],
    },
    "container-1": {
      type: "Container",
      props: { style: { maxWidth: "600px", margin: "0 auto", padding: "20px" } },
      children: ["heading-1", "text-1"],
    },
    "heading-1": { type: "Heading", props: { text: "Welcome" }, children: [] },
    "text-1": { type: "Text", props: { text: "Thanks for signing up." }, children: [] },
  },
};

const html = await renderToHtml(spec);

Spec Structure (Element Tree)

Same flat element tree as `@json-render/react`: `root` key plus `elements` map. Root must be `Html`; children of `Html` should be `Head` and `Body`. Use `Container` (e.g. max-width 600px) inside `Body` for client-safe layout.

Creating a Catalog and Registry

import { defineCatalog } from "@json-render/core";
import { schema, defineRegistry, renderToHtml } from "@json-render/react-email";
import { standardComponentDefinitions } from "@json-render/react-email/catalog";
import { Container, Heading, Text } from "@react-email/components";
import { z } from "zod";

const catalog = defineCatalog(schema, {
  components: {
    ...standardComponentDefinitions,
    Alert: {
      props: z.object({
        message: z.string(),
        variant: z.enum(["info", "success", "warning"]).nullable(),
      }),
      slots: [],
      description: "A highlighted message block",
    },
  },
  actions: {},
});

const { registry } = defineRegistry(catalog, {
  components: {
    Alert: ({ props }) => (
      <Container style={{ padding: 16, backgroundColor: "#eff6ff", borderRadius: 8 }}>
        <Text style={{ margin: 0 }}>{props.message}</Text>
      </Container>
    ),
  },
});

const html = await renderToHtml(spec, { registry });

Server-Side Render APIs

| Function | Purpose | |----------|---------| | `renderToHtml(spec, options?)` | Render spec to HTML email string | | `renderToPlainText(spec, options?)` | Render spec to plain-text email string |

`RenderOptions`: `registry`, `includeStandard` (default true), `state` (for `$state` / `$cond`).

Visibility and State

Supports `visible` conditions, `$state`, `$cond`, repeat (`repeat.statePath`), and the same expression syntax as `@json-render/react`. Use `state` in `RenderOptions` when rendering server-side so expressions resolve.

Server-Safe Import

Import schema and catalog without React or `@react-email/components`:

import { schema, standardComponentDefinitions } from "@json-render/react-email/server";

Key Exports

| Export | Purpose | |--------|---------| | `defineRegistry` | Create type-safe component registry from catalog | | `Renderer` | Render spec in browser (e.g. preview); use with `JSONUIProvider` for state/actions | | `createRenderer` | Standalone renderer component with state/actions/validation | | `renderToHtml` | Server: spec to HTML string | | `renderToPlainText` | Server: spec to plain-text string | | `schema` | Email element schema | | `standardComponents` | Pre-built component implementations | | `standardComponentDefinitions` | Catalog definitions (Zod props) |

Sub-path Exports

| Path | Purpose | |------|---------| | `@json-render/react-email` | Full package | | `@json-render/react-email/server` | Schema and catalog only (no React) | | `@json-render/react-email/catalog` | Standard component definitions and types | | `@json-render/react-email/render` | Render functions only |

Standard Components

All components accept a `style` prop (object) for inline styles. Use inline styles for email client compatibility; avoid external CSS.

Document structure

| Component | Description | |-----------|-------------| | `Html` | Root wrapper (lang, dir). Children: Head, Body. | | `Head` | Email head section. | | `Body` | Body wrapper; use `style` for background. |

Layout

| Component | Description | |-----------|-------------| | `Container` | Constrain width (e.g. max-width 600px). | | `Section` | Group content; table-based for compatibility. | | `Row` | Horizontal row. | | `Column` | Column in a Row; set width via style. |

Content

| Component | Description | |-----------|-------------| | `Heading` | Heading text (as: h1–h6). | | `Text` | Body text. | | `Link` | Hyperlink (text, href). | | `Button` | CTA link styled as button (text, href). | | `Image` | Image from URL (src, alt, width, height). | | `Hr` | Horizontal rule. |

Utility

| Component | Description | |-----------|-------------| | `Preview` | Inbox preview text (inside Html). | | `Markdown` | Markdown content as email-safe HTML. |

Email Best Practices

• Keep width constrained (e.g. Container max-width 600px).
• Use inline styles or React Email's style props; many clients strip `<style>` blocks.
• Prefer table-based layout (Section, Row, Column) fo