How to send email in PHP with mail() function

Here you will learn that how to send email in PHP using built-in mail() function. Mail function is very easy function to send email in PHP language.

How mail() function works in PHP

The mail() function in PHP is a built-in function that allows you to send emails from your PHP script. It provides a simple way to send basic text-based emails without the need for any external libraries. Here’s how the mail() function works:

Mail() function Syntax:
The basic syntax of the mail() function is as follows:

bool mail ( string $to , string $subject , string $message [, string $additional_headers [, string $additional_parameters ]] )

Parameters:
$to: The recipient’s email address. You can specify multiple recipients by separating their email addresses with commas.
$subject: The subject of the email.
$message: The content or body of the email.
$additional_headers (optional): Any additional headers you want to include in the email. This parameter is often used to set the sender’s email address or other custom headers.
$additional_parameters (optional): Additional parameters that can be used to pass extra command-line options to the mail program when sending emails. This is rarely used.

Sending the Email:
When you call the mail() function with the required parameters, PHP will attempt to send the email using the mail transfer agent (MTA) installed on the server. The MTA is responsible for actually delivering the email to the recipient’s mailbox. Common MTAs include Sendmail on Unix/Linux systems and the built-in SMTP server on Windows.

Return Value:
The mail() function returns a boolean value indicating whether the email was accepted for delivery by the MTA or not. It does not guarantee that the email will be successfully delivered to the recipient’s mailbox. A true return value means that the email was accepted for delivery, and false means there was an error or the email was rejected.

Common Issues:
The mail() function’s success depends on the server’s configuration and the availability of an MTA. If the server is not properly configured to send emails, the function may not work as expected.
Emails sent using mail() are often treated as simple text-based emails and may be more likely to be marked as spam by some email providers.
Due to potential abuse for sending spam, some servers may restrict or disable the use of the mail() function.
It’s important to note that the mail() function is simple and suitable for basic email requirements. For more advanced features, like sending HTML-formatted emails, attachments, or using SMTP for sending emails, it is recommended to use dedicated email libraries like PHPMailer or SwiftMailer, which provide more flexibility and security.

Program: How to send email in php

Output

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