/OpeninAppAssg

Primary LanguageJavaScript

Gmail Auto-Reply Bot

Automate the process of replying to first-time emails and labeling them in Gmail.

Table of Contents

Introduction

This project is a Gmail Auto-Reply Bot designed to identify and respond to first-time emails received in your Gmail mailbox. The bot sends automated replies with customizable content and labels the threads for better organization.

Features

  • Automatically replies to first-time emails.
  • Labels the threads in Gmail for better organization.
  • Uses local authentication for secure access to Gmail APIs (Login with Google).
  • Periodically checks for new emails at random intervals.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

  • Node.js installed
  • Gmail API credentials (credentials.json)
  • npm or yarn package manager

Installation

  1. Clone the repository:

    git clone https://github.com/your-username/gmail-auto-reply-bot.git
cd gmail-auto-reply-bot

  2. Install Dependencies

    npm install

Configuration

  1. Obtain Gmail API credentials:

    • Follow the Gmail API Quickstart guide to obtain the credentials.json file.

  2. Configure constants:

    • Open the constants.js file and update selfMail, replyContent, and labelName with your email address, desired reply content, and label name.

  3. Create a credentials.json file

    • store your obtained gmail credentials in this file

Usage

Run the application using the following command: npm start

The bot will check for new emails, reply to first-time emails, and label the threads at random intervals.

Technologies and Libraries

1. Google APIs (googleapis)

Description: The googleapis library is a collection of Google APIs client libraries. It provides a set of APIs for interacting with various Google services, including Gmail.

Purpose in Code: Used for creating the Gmail API client and accessing Gmail-related functionalities.

2. Local Authentication Module (@google-cloud/local-auth and ./auth module)

Description: Local authentication module provides a mechanism for authenticating the application locally, usually during development. It helps in obtaining OAuth 2.0 tokens without the need for a web server.

Purpose in Code: Used for authenticating the application to access Gmail APIs locally.

3. Constants Module (./constants module)

Description: A module containing constants used throughout the application, such as email addresses, reply content, and label names.

Purpose in Code: Provides a centralized location for managing constants used in the application.

4. Services Modules (./services/labels and ./services/threads modules)

Description: Modules that encapsulate functionalities related to Gmail labels and threads. They abstract away the complexity of API interactions and provide methods for common operations.

Purpose in Code: Improves code organization and maintainability by modularizing functionalities related to labels and threads.

5. ThreadsService and LabelsService Instances

Description: Instances of ThreadsService and LabelsService classes are created to encapsulate methods related to threads and labels, respectively.

Purpose in Code: Improves code organization and adheres to the principles of object-oriented programming by encapsulating related functionalities into separate instances.

6. Async/Await Syntax and Promises

Description: The code extensively uses async/await syntax to handle asynchronous operations. Promises are utilized for handling asynchronous tasks and improving code readability.

Purpose in Code: Ensures non-blocking behavior, making the code more readable and maintainable when dealing with asynchronous operations, such as API requests.

7. Arrow Functions and Template Literals

Description: Arrow functions are used for concise syntax, and template literals are employed for string interpolation and improved readability.

Purpose in Code: Enhances code readability and provides a more modern and concise syntax.

8. Random Interval Calculation and Timeout Handling

Description: The code calculates a random interval between 10 and 30 seconds for checking emails. It uses setTimeout to schedule the next email check and handles the process interruption with process.on('SIGINT').

Purpose in Code: Ensures periodic and random checking of emails and provides a mechanism to gracefully handle the interruption of the checking process.

9. SIGINT Signal Handling

Description: The code listens for the SIGINT signal (Ctrl+C) and clears the timeout, ensuring a clean exit when the process is stopped.

Purpose in Code: Provides a graceful way to stop the periodic email checking process.

10. Error Handling (try/catch blocks)

Description: The code utilizes try/catch blocks for error handling, capturing and logging any errors that occur during the execution of asynchronous tasks.

Purpose in Code: Ensures robust error handling, making the application more resilient to unexpected issues.

11. ES6 Features (Destructuring, Object Shorthand, Arrow Functions)

Description: The code takes advantage of ES6 features, including destructuring, object shorthand notation, and arrow functions, to write cleaner and more concise code.

Purpose in Code: Enhances code readability and adheres to modern JavaScript standards.

12. Clearing Timeout on Process Exit (process.on('SIGINT'))

Description: The code listens for the SIGINT signal to handle the process exit gracefully by clearing the timeout.

Purpose in Code: Ensures proper cleanup when the application is stopped, preventing lingering processes.

13. Dynamic Subject Generation (createReply Function)

Description: The createReply function dynamically generates the subject for the reply based on the original email's subject.

Purpose in Code: Provides flexibility and maintains context in the subject line of the automated replies.

Code Structure

  • auth.js: Handles local authentication and token retrieval.
  • constants.js: Centralizes constants used throughout the application.
  • services/labels.js and services/threads.js: Modules encapsulating functionalities related to Gmail labels and threads.
  • index.js: Main application entry point.