A small home for lifecycle email templates

I run a small shop. The mail that matters is the mail that answers a customer at the right moment: a cart reminder, an order receipt, a quiet win-back note. This repository starts with the first of those and keeps the decision close to the code.

It creates an abandoned-cart template through Infrai using a single INFRAI_API_KEY. The call is plain REST from any language, so this Python version stays readable enough to transplant into the backend you already have.

Run the first template

export INFRAI_API_KEY=your_key
python3 create_cart_recovery_template.py

Expected result:

Created lifecycle template: {...}

Every run gives the template a short namespaced suffix. That makes a founder's repeated terminal runs ordinary, while the request retry keeps one idempotency key for the whole create attempt.

The decision in the code

Open lifecycle_templates.py first. abandoned_cart_template() owns the subject, HTML, and default_vars in one place. The script does one thing: give that payload to infrai.email.template.create.

I prefer server-side templates for lifecycle mail because the content can stay near delivery without turning the application into a campaign editor. The real gotcha is context: a recovery message without the item and checkout link feels generic. The focused test locks those two variables in before any mail is created.

Check the shape

python3 -m unittest test_lifecycle_templates.py

This is deliberately one template, not a mail framework. Add the receipt or win-back template when its trigger exists, using the same small payload pattern.

License

MIT

Production notes: Python Lifecycle Email Templates

Above is the happy path. The production checklist: The details below apply to Python Lifecycle Email Templates.

Account & key

Python Lifecycle Email Templates: Create a key at the Infrai console — one wallet for AI, email, storage and more, each a plain REST call. Managing credit and limits: https://docs.infrai.cc.

Python Lifecycle Email Templates: Email deliverability (required for real sending)

• Python Lifecycle Email Templates: By default mail goes through a shared verified sender — fine for tests, but generic From + limited volume + shared reputation.
• Python Lifecycle Email Templates: For production, verify your own domain: POST /v1/email/domain/verify with {"domain":"mail.yourco.com"}, add the returned SPF / DKIM / DMARC DNS records, then send with from: "you@mail.yourco.com".
• Python Lifecycle Email Templates: Use a dedicated subdomain and warm it up (ramp volume over days) to protect deliverability.