Show HN: Open-source low-code email editor

github.com

121 points by chandlercraig 17 hours ago

Hey HN, Chandler from Dittofeed (https://github.com/dittofeed/dittofeed).

We just added low-code functionality to our open-source email template editor. The editor features a Notion-inspired “/” command interface for inserting new blocks.

You still have the option of using MJML or HTML, but we wanted to give everyone an easier option for creating primarily text-based emails.

We have a live demo of the editor which you can access here (just hit the “Create Template” button): https://demo.dittofeed.com/dashboard/templates

Since this is the first iteration of the feature, we’d love to hear your thoughts and feedback on how we can improve it.

You can reach us anytime at:

founders@dittofeed.com

If you’d like to self-host Dittofeed and want help from us and the community, you can join our Discord: https://discord.gg/HajPkCG4Mm

z3ugma 16 hours ago

Your submission link goes to https://github.com/dittofeed/dittofeed/tree/main/packages/em...

Would you put a README in there in GitHub? No idea what I should look for in this subfolder in GitHub

  • maxthegeek1 15 hours ago

    Hi z3ugma! Yah we'll add a README. To clarify the emailo package is not (currently) intended for consumption outside of Dittofeed, but it'd be great to document nonetheless!

efficax 10 hours ago

I was not aware that I needed any code at all to edit emails...

  • chandlercraig 10 hours ago

    Code is great for creating HTML-based email templates with things like template variables for personalization and responsive design! Of course, templates are mainly useful if you're sending large quantities of emails and don't have the time to individually craft each one.

0x7265616374 10 hours ago

Humbly suggest using a superior framework to MJML such as https://jsx.email

MJML is a relic

  • shortformblog 9 hours ago

    Humbly suggest you’re wrong.

    EDIT: Rather than drive-by disagreement, my case is that MJML is highly flexible and has broad enough use at this point that it’s seeing pickup in mainstream clients. (I like what Keila[1] is doing.) From a creative standpoint, it is easy to hop in an editor and build a template, and it solves the problem of email breakage while not being a significant departure from actual HTML layout.

    I don’t think JSX makes sense for the email format unless literally all your tooling is built around it. And the fact is, so much tooling in both email and content management is still built around stuff like PHP.

    [1]: https://www.keila.io

  • throwaway77385 an hour ago

    Using jsx for email is an interesting approach. If these work in ancient versions of Outlook and on proprietary, obscure mobile email programs, the way MJML does, I could be swayed.

  • o1o1o1 9 hours ago

    Why do you think it is and what makes JSX Email better in your opinion?

remolacha 7 hours ago

Congrats guys, this looks great. Definitely would've used Dittofeed for some previous projects.

  • chandlercraig 6 hours ago

    Thanks so much! Hope to be included in future projects :)

KRAKRISMOTT 13 hours ago

Do you mind removing the Segment requirement for usage? I think many users would be fine with just a standard http endpoint.

Onavo 14 hours ago

I wish Dittofeed is cheaper, $75 is quite steep to get started with.

On an unrelated note, I suppose congratulations is in order. The laudspeaker product (your fellow YC competitor) doesn't seem to be successful at all (they are even more pricey). I think Brevo and Klaviyo are gobbling up all the oxygen in the room for most marketing departments, they are basically the next mailchimp.

  • chandlercraig 14 hours ago

    Hi Onavo, we'll have a free cloud tier for lower volume in the near future. If you'd like to self-host for free but need help with setup, we'd love to see you in our #help-and-questions Discord channel!

    Thanks for the kind words as well. With regards to the state of our product category, it's definitely a crowded space. One of our main goals is to help companies save money as they scale their messaging, so it's great to hear your input on pricing.

  • mcharawi 12 hours ago

    No congratulations is necessary the Laudspeaker project (https://github.com/laudspeaker/laudspeaker) is doing perfectly fine.

    $75/mo is not particularly expensive, Braze's starter plan is close to $35k/year

    • chandlercraig 10 hours ago

      I appreciate the vote of confidence on our pricing from the founder of our competitor! lol

geocar 15 hours ago

I pressed "/" (shift-7) on my Macbook (Portuguese) and nothing happens.