Contextual email means that your email lives within the context of a larger application, with direct access to data from users’ personal email accounts. Unlike transactional email APIs, contextual email APIs are designed for developers that need to embed robust send and receive email capabilities, core email management tools, and analytics—all while achieving near-perfect email deliverability. Contextual APIs allow your users’ to preserve their email accounts rather than using a third-party (transactional) inbox.

To embed an email client in your application, you’ll need to build integrations with email service providers. By connecting with these providers, you can read, send, and delete emails directly from a user’s inbox. You’ll also want to provide support for essential inbox management tools such as threads, folders, and labels to make it easier to sort and reply to conversations.

The Nylas Email API supports 100% of email service providers through a single integration, including Gmail, Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Exchange, Microsoft 365 Email, and IMAP.

We built security into the foundation of our products and processes. Through secure user authentication, your application can only access the data it needs. All data is encrypted at rest and in transit, while programs such as continuous threat detection, continuous vulnterability monitoring, and a bug bounty program help proactively identify threats. Plus, Nylas is compliant with leading security standards, including GDPR, CCPA, SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001, and HIPAA/HITECH Learn more about security at Nylas here.