Overview
Open Standards are publicly available specifications designed to ensure seamless communication and compatibility across diverse systems, platforms, and devices. In the context of email, adopting these standards guarantees interoperability among clients, fosters innovation, and mitigates the risks of vendor lock-in. By integrating technologies such as HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, Open Email Standards establish a future-proof framework that blends modern functionality with robust safeguards against vulnerabilities and data misuse.
To support enhanced and consistent email content, Open Email Standards introduce a new Content-Type: application/xhtml+xml. This content type leverages current web technologies like HTML5 and CSS3, complementing the currently used text/plain and text/html formats. It offers a pathway to enhanced functionality and helps bridge the gap between traditional email formats and modern web experiences. Read More
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE email SYSTEM "https://openstandards.email/dtd/email.dtd">
<html lang="en" xml:lang="en" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
<head>
<title>Open Email Standards</title>
<link rel="stylesheet" href="https://html5.email/tailwind" />
</head>
<body>
<h1 class="font-bold">Welcome to Email 5</h1>
<p class="italic">Real HTML5, CSS3 & JS</p>
<div id="app">{{ message }}</div>
<script src="https://html5.email/vue@2"></script>
<script>new Vue({el:'#app',data:{message:'Hi World!'}});</script>
</body>
</html>Modern web languages can enhance both the visual appeal and functional aspects of email content, enabling advanced, responsive layouts that deliver a more engaging and seamless user experience. However, it is essential to follow best practices in styling to ensure consistency across email clients and devices, while also minimizing performance issues and maintaining accessibility for all users. Read More.
Integrating interactive and dynamic content into emails has the potential to enhance user engagement by bringing web-like experiences directly into the inbox. Leveraging technologies such as JavaScript and modern HTML elements, we can create emails that respond to user actions and offer personalized experiences. However, it's critical to balance innovation with caution, ensuring that all interactive elements adhere to security standards, are compatible with a wide range of email clients, and prioritize user privacy. Read More
As the internet evolves, streaming media and social platforms have transformed how people engage with content, reshaping expectations of what email can deliver. To meet this need, the Open Email Standards introduces the <embed-email> tag, a streamlined solution for embedding third-party content, such as videos, audio tracks, and social media posts. Rather than using multiple tags for each type of media, a single universal tag is introduced with flexible attributes to specify the platform and content embedded. Read More
JavaScript in emails enables enhanced interactivity, offering richer user experiences. However, it also introduces critical security and privacy challenges. This section provides clear guidelines for its safe implementation, ensuring compliance with Open Email Standards and addressing potential risks. Read More.
As part of the Open Email Standards initiative, new headers are introduced to advance email communication, enhancing transparency and enabling richer user experiences. These headers provide practical benefits, such as seamless versioning of the standards, improved user privacy, and enhanced message functionality and personalization. By adopting these standardized headers, the initiative empowers users and email clients with greater clarity, security, and control in their interactions. Read More
In the context of Open Email Standards, most meta tags are not allowed due to the security risks they pose. Certain meta tags can introduce vulnerabilities like unauthorized redirection, cookie setting, or security policy manipulation. Read More
Open Email Standards restrict outdated and obsolete HTML tags that pose security risks and are no longer supported by current email clients or browsers. Many of these tags were once used for layout and interactivity, but have since been replaced by modern, safer alternatives. Avoiding them not only ensures a more secure and consistent experience across devices, but also helps create future-proof emails that render reliably without introducing unnecessary vulnerabilities. Read More