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PHP Integration Options

Our Email API offers multiple approaches for PHP integration:

1. Direct REST API calls (no dependencies)
2. API Client (using our PHP library)
3. SMTP Client (using our PHP library)
4. Laravel Integration

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Installation

composer require shoutboxnet/shoutbox

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Comparison of Approaches

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1. Direct REST API

View Direct API Implementation →

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Pros

• No dependencies required
• Complete control over requests
• Lightweight implementation
• Maximum flexibility
• Simple integration
• Suitable for minimal projects

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Example

$curl = curl_init('https://api.shoutbox.net/send');
curl_setopt_array($curl, [
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_POST => true,
    CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => json_encode([
        'from' => "[email protected]",
        'to' => "[email protected]",
        'subject' => "Hello World",
        'html' => "<h1>Welcome!</h1>"
    ]),
    CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [
        'Authorization: Bearer ' . getenv('SHOUTBOX_API_KEY'),
        'Content-Type: application/json'
    ]
]);

$response = curl_exec($curl);

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2. API Client

View API Client Implementation →

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Pros

• Type-safe email options
• Built-in error handling
• Automatic request validation
• Simple file attachment handling
• Clean, object-oriented interface
• Regular updates and improvements

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Example

use Shoutbox\Client;
use Shoutbox\EmailOptions;

$client = new Client('your-api-key');

$options = new EmailOptions();
$options->from = "[email protected]";
$options->to = "[email protected]";
$options->subject = "Hello World";
$options->html = "<h1>Welcome!</h1>";

$client->sendEmail($options);

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3. SMTP Client

View SMTP Client Implementation →

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Pros

• SMTP protocol support
• Legacy system compatibility
• Same features as API client
• Multiple recipient support
• Custom headers support
• Attachment handling

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Example

use Shoutbox\SMTPClient;
use Shoutbox\EmailOptions;

$client = new SMTPClient('your-api-key');

$options = new EmailOptions();
$options->from = "[email protected]";
$options->to = ["[email protected]", "[email protected]"];
$options->subject = "Hello World";
$options->html = "<h1>Welcome!</h1>";

$client->sendEmail($options);

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4. Laravel Integration

View Laravel Integration →

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Pros

• Full Laravel Mail integration
• Queue system support
• Rate limiting capabilities
• Exception handling
• Configuration management
• Service provider auto-discovery
• Laravel storage integration

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Example

// In your Laravel application
Mail::to('[email protected]')
    ->from('[email protected]', 'Sender Name')
    ->replyTo('[email protected]')
    ->send(new ShoutboxMail('<h1>Welcome!</h1>'));

// With queues
class SendEmailJob implements ShouldQueue
{
    public function handle()
    {
        Mail::to('[email protected]')
            ->send(new ShoutboxMail('<h1>Welcome!</h1>'));
    }
}

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Feature Comparison

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Choosing the Right Approach

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Use Direct API When:

• You want zero dependencies
• You need complete control
• You’re building a minimal application
• You prefer procedural code
• You want the lightest implementation

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Use API Client When:

• You want a clean, object-oriented API
• You need type safety
• You want automatic error handling
• You’re using Composer
• You’re not using a framework

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Use SMTP Client When:

• You need SMTP protocol support
• You’re integrating with legacy systems
• You want the same features as API client
• You need multiple recipient support
• You prefer SMTP over REST

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Use Laravel Integration When:

• You’re using Laravel
• You want framework integration
• You need queue support
• You want built-in rate limiting
• You prefer dependency injection

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Getting Started

Choose your preferred approach and follow the detailed implementation guide:

• Direct API Implementation Guide →
• API Client Implementation Guide →
• SMTP Client Implementation Guide →
• Laravel Integration Guide →

All approaches are fully supported and maintained. Choose based on your project’s specific needs and constraints.