---
id: Aaronontheweb/dotnet-skills/aspire-mailpit-integration
version: "d8610cdd"
license: MIT
install: manual
updated: 2026-07-03
---

# mailpit-integration — This skill integrates Mailpit, a lightweight email testing tool, into .NET Aspire projects for seamless local development workflows. It handles containerized SMTP server setup and web UI configuration, enabling developers to capture and inspect emails without external services. Perfect for testing email functionality across .NET applications during development cycles.

Publisher: Aaronontheweb · Stars: 1085 · Updated: 2026-07-03

Install (manual): `git clone https://github.com/Aaronontheweb/dotnet-skills`

## SKILL.md

# Email Testing with Mailpit and .NET Aspire

## When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:
- Testing email delivery locally without sending real emails
- Setting up email infrastructure in .NET Aspire
- Writing integration tests that verify emails are sent
- Debugging email rendering and headers

**Related skills:**
- `aspnetcore/mjml-email-templates` - MJML template authoring
- `testing/verify-email-snapshots` - Snapshot test rendered HTML
- `aspire/integration-testing` - General Aspire testing patterns

---

## What is Mailpit?

[Mailpit](https://github.com/axllent/mailpit) is a lightweight email testing tool that:
- Captures all SMTP traffic without delivering emails
- Provides a web UI to view captured emails
- Exposes an API for programmatic access
- Supports HTML rendering, headers, and attachments

Perfect for development and integration testing.

---

## Aspire AppHost Configuration

Add Mailpit as a container in your AppHost:

```csharp
// AppHost/Program.cs
var builder = DistributedApplication.CreateBuilder(args);

// Add Mailpit for email testing
var mailpit = builder.AddContainer("mailpit", "axllent/mailpit")
    .WithHttpEndpoint(port: 8025, targetPort: 8025, name: "ui")
    .WithEndpoint(port: 1025, targetPort: 1025, name: "smtp");

// Reference in your API project
var api = builder.AddProject<Projects.MyApp_Api>("api")
    .WithReference(mailpit.GetEndpoint("smtp"))
    .WithEnvironment("Smtp__Host", mailpit.GetEndpoint("smtp"));

builder.Build().Run();
```

---

## SMTP Configuration

### appsettings.json

```json
{
  "Smtp": {
    "Host": "localhost",
    "Port": 1025,
    "EnableSsl": false,
    "FromAddress": "noreply@myapp.com",
    "FromName": "MyApp"
  }
}
```

### Configuration Class

```csharp
public class SmtpSettings
{
    public string Host { get; set; } = "localhost";
    public int Port { get; set; } = 1025;
    public bool EnableSsl { get; set; } = false;
    public string FromAddress { get; set; } = "noreply@myapp.com";
    public string FromName { get; set; } = "MyApp";

    // Optional: For production SMTP
    public string? Username { get; set; }
    public string? Password { get; set; }
}
```

### Service Registration

```csharp
// In Program.cs or extension method
services.Configure<SmtpSettings>(configuration.GetSection("Smtp"));

services.AddSingleton<IEmailSender>(sp =>
{
    var settings = sp.GetRequiredService<IOptions<SmtpSettings>>().Value;
    return new SmtpEmailSender(settings);
});
```

---

## Email Sender Implementation

```csharp
public interface IEmailSender
{
    Task SendEmailAsync(EmailMessage message, CancellationToken ct = default);
}

public sealed class SmtpEmailSender : IEmailSender
{
    private readonly SmtpSettings _settings;

    public SmtpEmailSender(SmtpSettings settings)
    {
        _settings = settings;
    }

    public async Task SendEmailAsync(EmailMessage message, CancellationToken ct = default)
    {
        using var client = new SmtpClient();

        await client.ConnectAsync(
            _settings.Host,
            _settings.Port,
            _settings.EnableSsl ? SecureSocketOptions.StartTls : SecureSocketOptions.None,
            ct);

        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(_settings.Username))
        {
            await client.AuthenticateAsync(_settings.Username, _settings.Password, ct);
        }

        var mailMessage = new MimeMessage();
        mailMessage.From.Add(new MailboxAddress(_settings.FromName, _settings.FromAddress));
        mailMessage.To.Add(new MailboxAddress(message.ToName, message.To));
        mailMessage.Subject = message.Subject;

        var bodyBuilder = new BodyBuilder { HtmlBody = message.HtmlBody };
        mailMessage.Body = bodyBuilder.ToMessageBody();

        await client.SendAsync(mailMessage, ct);
        await client.DisconnectAsync(true, ct);
    }
}
```

Requires `MailKit` package:

```bash
dotnet add package MailKit
```

---

## Viewing Captured Emails

### Web UI

Navigate to `http://localhost:8025` to see:

- **Inbox** - All captured emails
- **HTML view** - Rendered email
- **Source view** - Raw HTML/MJML output
- **Headers** - Full email headers
- **Attachments** - Any attached files

### Aspire Dashboard

The Mailpit UI endpoint appears in the Aspire dashboard under Resources.

---

## Integration Testing

### Test Fixture with Aspire

```csharp
public class EmailIntegrationTests : IClassFixture<AspireFixture>
{
    private readonly HttpClient _client;
    private readonly MailpitClient _mailpit;

    public EmailIntegrationTests(AspireFixture fixture)
    {
        _client = fixture.CreateClient();
        _mailpit = new MailpitClient(fixture.GetMailpitUrl());
    }

    [Fact]
    public async Task SignupFlow_SendsWelcomeEmail()
    {
        // Arrange
        await _mailpit.ClearMessagesAsync();

        // Act - Trigger signup flow
        var response = await _client.PostAsJsonAsync("/api/auth/signup", new
        {
            Email = "test@example.com",
            Password = "SecurePassword123!"
        });
        response.EnsureSuccessStatusCode();

        // Assert - Verify email was sent
        var messages = await _mailpit.GetMessagesAsync();

        var welcomeEmail = messages.Should().ContainSingle()
            .Which;

        welcomeEmail.To.Should().Contain("test@example.com");
        welcomeEmail.Subject.Should().Contain("Welcome");
        welcomeEmail.HtmlBody.Should().Contain("Thank you for signing up");
    }
}
```

### Mailpit API Client

```csharp
public class MailpitClient
{
    private readonly HttpClient _client;

    public MailpitClient(string baseUrl)
    {
        _client = new HttpClient { BaseAddress = new Uri(baseUrl) };
    }

    public async Task<List<MailpitMessage>> GetMessagesAsync()
    {
        var response = await _client.GetFromJsonAsync<MailpitResponse>("/api/v1/messages");
        return response?.Messages ?? new List<MailpitMessage>();
    }

    public async Task ClearMessagesAsync()
    {
        await _client.DeleteAsync("/api/v1/messages");
    }

    public async Task<MailpitMessage?> WaitForMessageAsync(
        Func<MailpitMessage, bool> predicate,
        TimeSpan timeout)
    {
        var deadline = DateTime.UtcNow + timeout;

        while (DateTime.UtcNow < deadline)
        {
            var messages = await GetMessagesAsync();
            var match = messages.FirstOrDefault(predicate);

            if (match != null)
                return match;

            await Task.Delay(100);
        }

        return null;
    }
}

public class MailpitResponse
{
    public List<MailpitMessage> Messages { get; set; } = new();
}

public class MailpitMessage
{
    public string Id { get; set; } = "";
    public List<string> To { get; set; } = new();
    public string Subject { get; set; } = "";
    public string HtmlBody { get; set; } = "";
}
```

---

## Aspire Test Fixture

```csharp
public class AspireFixture : IAsyncLifetime
{
    private DistributedApplication? _app;
    private string _mailpitUrl = "";

    public async Task InitializeAsync()
    {
        var appHost = await DistributedApplicationTestingBuilder
            .CreateAsync<Projects.MyApp_AppHost>();

        // Disable persistence for clean tests
        appHost.Configuration["MyApp:UseVolumes"] = "false";

        _app = await appHost.BuildAsync();
        await _app.StartAsync();

        // Get Mailpit URL from Aspire
        var mailpit = _app.GetContainerResource("mailpit");
        _mailpitUrl = await mailpit.GetEndpointAsync("ui");
    }

    public HttpClient CreateClient()
    {
        var api = _app!.GetProjectResource("api");
        return api.CreateHttpClient();
    }

    public string GetMailpitUrl() => _mailpitUrl;

    public async Task DisposeAsync()
    {
        if (_app != null)
            await _app.DisposeAsync();
    }
}
```

---

## Common Test Patterns

### Wait for Async Email

Some emails are sent asynchronously. Wait for them:

```csharp
[Fact]
public async Task AsyncWorkflow_EventuallySendsEmail()
{
    await _mailpit.ClearMessagesAsync();

    // Trigger async workflow
    await _client.PostAsync("/api/workflows/start", null);

    // Wait for email (with timeout)
    var email = await _mailpit.WaitForMessageAsync(
        m => m.Subject.Contains("Workflow Complete"),
        timeout: TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10));

    email.Should().NotBeNull();
}
```

### Verify Multiple Emails

```csharp
[Fact]
public async Task BulkOperation_SendsMultipleEmails()
{
    await _mailpit.ClearMessagesAsync();

    await _client.PostAsJsonAsync("/api/invitations/bulk", new
    {
        Emails = new[] { "a@test.com", "b@test.com", "c@test.com" }
    });

    var messages = await _mailpit.WaitForMessagesAsync(
        expectedCount: 3,
        timeout: TimeSpan.FromSeconds(10));

    messages.Should().HaveCount(3);
    messages.Select(m => m.To.First())
        .Should().BeEquivalentTo("a@test.com", "b@test.com", "c@test.com");
}
```

### Verify Email Content

```csharp
[Fact]
public async Task PasswordReset_ContainsValidResetLink()
{
    await _mailpit.ClearMessagesAsync();

    await _client.PostAsJsonAsync("/api/auth/forgot-password", new
    {
        Email = "user@test.com"
    });

    var email = await _mailpit.WaitForMessageAsync(
        m => m.Subject.Contains("Password Reset"),
        timeout: TimeSpan.FromSeconds(5));

    // Extract reset link from HTML
    var resetLink = Regex.Match(email!.HtmlBody, @"href=""([^""]+/reset/[^""]+)""")
        .Groups[1].Value;

    resetLink.Should().StartWith("https://myapp.com/reset/");

    // Verify the link works
    var resetResponse = await _client.GetAsync(resetLink);
    resetResponse.StatusCode.Should().Be(HttpStatusCode.OK);
}
```

---

## Production vs Development

```csharp
services.AddSingleton<IEmailSender>(sp =>
{
    var settings = sp.GetRequiredService<IOptions<SmtpSettings>>().Value;
    var env = sp.GetRequiredService<IHostEnvironment>();

    if (env.IsDevelopment())
    {
        // Mailpit - no auth, no SSL
        return new SmtpEmailSender(settings);
    }
    else
    {
        // Production SMTP (SendGrid, Postmark, etc.)
        return new SmtpEmailSender(settings with
        {
            EnableSsl = true
        });
    }
});
```

---

## Troubleshooting

### Emails Not Appearing

1. Check Mailpit container is running in Aspire dashboard
2. Verify SMTP host/port configuration
3. Check for exceptions in application logs

### Connection Refused

```bash
# Verify Mailpit is listening
curl http://localhost:8025/api/v1/messages
```

### Aspire Endpoint Not Resolving

```csharp
// Ensure endpoint reference is correct
.WithEnvironment("Smtp__Host", mailpit.GetEndpoint("smtp").Property(EndpointProperty.Host))
.WithEnvironment("Smtp__Port", mailpit.GetEndpoint("smtp").Property(EndpointProperty.Port))
```

---

## Resources

- **Mailpit**: https://github.com/axllent/mailpit
- **Mailpit API**: https://mailpit.axllent.org/docs/api-v1/
- **MailKit**: https://github.com/jstedfast/MailKit
- **Aspire Containers**: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dotnet/aspire/fundamentals/container-resources


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