How do you create a temporary email programmatically?
Use a private authenticated inbox API rather than scraping a public disposable-email website, and give each automated task its own recipient and lifecycle.
With mails0, install the official mails-agent package and run mails bootstrap to create a random hosted provisional mailbox and store its scoped credential locally. The official MCP server can bootstrap the same receive-only first-run mailbox automatically when a tool is called. The hosted provisional address expires after 72 hours and cannot send. Use it in the external workflow, wait for the expected current message, retrieve only the required value, and let it expire unless a human approves a permanent claim or the team moves the workflow to a self-hosted domain.
Workflow at a glance
Tie the address to one expected message
- 01Record the address and trigger time
Keep them in scoped application or test state.
- 02Submit the external action once
Use the address for signup, invitation, reset, or notification.
- 03Wait with exact filters
Match the mailbox, current time window, sender context, and message type.
- 04Assert the outside result
Confirm the external workflow completed after using the code or link.
Create the inbox before starting the external flow
The CLI creates a random address and stores the mailbox credential in local tool state. Do not paste the key into a prompt, test fixture, issue, or CI output. For parallel automation, create a separate mailbox for each run or trust boundary.
npm install -g mails-agent && mails bootstrapTie the address to one expected message
-
01
Record the address and trigger time
Keep them in scoped application or test state.
-
02
Submit the external action once
Use the address for signup, invitation, reset, or notification.
-
03
Wait with exact filters
Match the mailbox, current time window, sender context, and message type.
-
04
Assert the outside result
Confirm the external workflow completed after using the code or link.
Temporary does not mean public or consequence-free
A short-lived inbox can still receive credentials, recovery links, private files, and malicious instructions. Use authenticated access, avoid personal data when possible, validate links and attachments, and keep message content out of broad logs.
Do not use a public inbox for secrets. A public address with a guessable web URL is a different trust model from a temporary mailbox protected by a scoped credential.
Let expiry do its job unless continuity is proven
| Outcome | Next action | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| No useful message | Let the mailbox expire | Avoid abandoned identities and credentials |
| One completed task | Keep temporary unless recurrence is expected | First value does not require permanence |
| Recurring approved workflow | Request a permanent claim or self-host | Continuity and ownership now matter |
| Suspicious behavior | Pause and rotate immediately | Contain the affected scope |
Sources and product scope
Product behavior is verified against the mails0 source and documentation. External comparisons link to official vendor documentation checked on 2026-08-15.
- mails0 source repositoryImplementation, license, and deployment source
- mails0 mailbox documentationHosted provisional lifecycle and claim path
Related questions
Can an AI agent create the temporary mailbox automatically?
Yes. The official CLI and MCP paths can bootstrap the hosted provisional receive-only mailbox automatically.
Can a temporary mails0 mailbox send email?
No. Hosted provisional mailboxes are receive-only. Sending requires a permanent or self-hosted configuration with separate policy.
Can the 72-hour address become permanent automatically?
No. A permanent hosted claim requires explicit human approval. Self-hosted operators can define their own identity and lifecycle policy.
Prove the smallest useful email loop.
Start with one scoped inbox and one expected message. Add durable identity, sending, and operational complexity only when the first loop works.