Dynamic templates let you store a Handlebars .hbs template on Paubox once and reference it by name when sending. Variable substitution, conditionals, and loops are resolved server-side before delivery — keeping your send requests small and consistent.
Handlebars syntax
Templates use Handlebars syntax. The most common constructs:
| Syntax | Description |
|---|
{{variable}} | Insert the value of a variable |
{{#if condition}}...{{/if}} | Conditional block (truthy check) |
{{#each items}}...{{/each}} | Loop over an array; use {{this}} for each item |
Example template
Save the following as welcome.hbs:
Hello {{name}},
Thank you for signing up{{#if plan}} for the {{plan}} plan{{/if}}.
{{#if items}}
Your selected items:
{{#each items}}- {{this}}
{{/each}}
{{/if}}
The Paubox Team
Workflow
1. Upload the template
Upload your .hbs file via POST /dynamic_templates. The data[name] value becomes the identifier you use when sending.
curl -X POST https://api.paubox.net/v1/YOUR_USERNAME/dynamic_templates \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-F "data[name]=welcome" \
-F "data[body]=@welcome.hbs"
2. Send a templated message
Reference the template by name in POST /templated_messages. Pass variable values as a JSON string in template_values.
curl -X POST https://api.paubox.net/v1/YOUR_USERNAME/templated_messages \
-H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{
"data": {
"template_name": "welcome",
"template_values": "{\"name\":\"Jane\",\"plan\":\"Pro\",\"items\":[\"Email API\",\"HIPAA Compliance\"]}",
"message": {
"recipients": ["jane@example.com"],
"headers": {
"subject": "Welcome to Paubox",
"from": "noreply@YOUR_DOMAIN.com"
}
}
}
}'
template_values must be a JSON-encoded string, not a JSON object. Stringify it before including it in the request body.
Managing templates
