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DBdock sends email via standard SMTP — any provider works.

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Configuration

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dbdock.config.json

{
  "alerts": {
    "email": {
      "enabled": true,
      "smtp": {
        "host": "smtp.gmail.com",
        "port": 587,
        "secure": false
      },
      "from": "backups@yourapp.com",
      "to": ["admin@yourapp.com", "devops@yourapp.com"]
    }
  }
}

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.env

DBDOCK_SMTP_USER=your-smtp-username
DBDOCK_SMTP_PASS=your-smtp-password
Multiple to addresses are supported — all recipients get every alert.

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Provider setup

"smtp": { "host": "smtp.gmail.com", "port": 587, "secure": false }

DBDOCK_SMTP_USER=your-email@gmail.com
DBDOCK_SMTP_PASS=your-app-password
Important: Gmail requires an App Password, not your regular account password. Enable 2FA first, then generate an App Password for “Mail”.
"smtp": { "host": "smtp.sendgrid.net", "port": 587, "secure": false }

DBDOCK_SMTP_USER=apikey
DBDOCK_SMTP_PASS=YOUR_SENDGRID_API_KEY
The username is literally the word apikey — not your SendGrid username. The password is the API key.
"smtp": { "host": "email-smtp.us-east-1.amazonaws.com", "port": 587, "secure": false }

DBDOCK_SMTP_USER=YOUR_SMTP_USERNAME
DBDOCK_SMTP_PASS=YOUR_SMTP_PASSWORD
SES SMTP credentials are distinct from your AWS access keys. Generate them from the SES console → SMTP Settings.Replace us-east-1 with your SES region.
"smtp": { "host": "smtp.mailgun.org", "port": 587, "secure": false }

DBDOCK_SMTP_USER=postmaster@your-domain.mailgun.org
DBDOCK_SMTP_PASS=YOUR_MAILGUN_SMTP_PASSWORD

"smtp": { "host": "smtp.postmarkapp.com", "port": 587, "secure": false }

DBDOCK_SMTP_USER=YOUR_POSTMARK_SERVER_TOKEN
DBDOCK_SMTP_PASS=YOUR_POSTMARK_SERVER_TOKEN
Username and password are the same — both your server token.
Any SMTP server works:
"smtp": { "host": "mail.example.com", "port": 587, "secure": false }
Use secure: true + port: 465 for implicit TLS. Use secure: false + port: 587 for STARTTLS (most modern servers).

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Email content

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Success

Subject: ✓ Backup complete — myapp (45.2 MB) Body: backup ID, database, size, duration, storage path, encryption status.

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Failure

Subject: ✗ Backup failed — myapp Body: error message, timestamp, troubleshooting suggestion.

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Testing

npx dbdock test
Sends a test email to all to addresses. Check spam folders if it doesn’t arrive.

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Common issues

  • Wrong username/password
  • Gmail: not using an App Password
  • Provider requires API key, not account password (SendGrid, Postmark)
  • Port blocked by network firewall
  • Try port 465 with secure: true instead of 587
  • Check spam folder
  • Verify from address is allowed by the provider (SendGrid/SES require domain verification)
  • Check provider’s send logs (SendGrid activity feed, SES CloudWatch)

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Security

  • SMTP credentials live in .env, never in dbdock.config.json
  • DBdock uses STARTTLS when secure: false + port 587
  • If your SMTP server requires a certificate chain outside the Node defaults, you’ll need to set NODE_EXTRA_CA_CERTS

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See also

Slack alerts

Real-time Slack notifications.

Custom webhooks

Discord, WhatsApp, and custom endpoints.