Template Commands

Updated Oct 16, 202511 min read

Manage reusable email templates for campaigns.

Overview

Template commands allow you to:

  • Create reusable HTML and text email templates
  • List and search templates
  • Update template content and metadata
  • Preview/render templates before use
  • Delete unused templates
  • Tag templates for organization

Templates provide a way to standardize email designs and content across campaigns. They support both HTML and plain text formats.

Note: For transactional email templates, see Transactional Templates Commands.

Commands

templates list

List all email templates with filtering and sorting.

Usage

cakemail templates list [options]

Options

  • -l, --limit <number> - Limit number of results per page
  • -p, --page <number> - Page number (default: 1)
  • -f, --filter <filter> - Filter by name or tags (e.g., name==Newsletter)
  • -s, --sort <sort> - Sort order (e.g., +name, -created_on)

Examples

List all templates:

$ cakemail templates list

Output:

┌────────┬─────────────────────┬───────────────┬─────────────────────┐
│ ID     │ Name                │ Tags          │ Created             │
├────────┼─────────────────────┼───────────────┼─────────────────────┤
│ 201    │ Newsletter Template │ newsletter    │ 2024-01-15 10:30:00 │
│ 202    │ Product Promo       │ promo,product │ 2024-02-01 14:20:00 │
│ 203    │ Welcome Series      │ onboarding    │ 2024-03-01 09:00:00 │
└────────┴─────────────────────┴───────────────┴─────────────────────┘

Filter by name:

$ cakemail templates list -f "name==Newsletter"

Sort by most recently created:

$ cakemail templates list -s "-created_on"

Sort by name:

$ cakemail templates list -s "+name"

List with pagination:

$ cakemail templates list -l 10 -p 1

Export templates as JSON:

$ cakemail templates list -f json > templates.json

Output:

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": 201,
      "name": "Newsletter Template",
      "tags": ["newsletter"],
      "created_at": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
      "updated_at": "2024-02-10T16:45:00Z"
    }
  ],
  "count": 3
}

Find templates by tag:

$ cakemail templates list -f json | jq '.data[] | select(.tags[] | contains("newsletter"))'

Notes

  • Filter syntax: field==value with semicolons for multiple filters
  • Sort options: +name, -name, +created_on, -created_on, +updated_on, -updated_on
  • Tags help organize templates by category or purpose
  • Use pagination for accounts with many templates

Related Commands

templates get

Get detailed information about a specific template including content.

Usage

cakemail templates get <id>

Arguments

  • id - Template ID (required)

Examples

Get template details:

$ cakemail templates get 201

Output:

{
  "id": 201,
  "name": "Newsletter Template",
  "subject": "Monthly Newsletter - {{month}}",
  "html": "<!DOCTYPE html>\n<html>\n<head>...</head>\n<body>\n<h1>Welcome!</h1>\n<p>{{content}}</p>\n</body>\n</html>",
  "text": "Welcome!\n\n{{content}}",
  "tags": ["newsletter", "monthly"],
  "created_at": "2024-01-15T10:30:00Z",
  "updated_at": "2024-02-10T16:45:00Z"
}

Extract HTML content:

$ cakemail templates get 201 -f json | jq -r '.html' > template.html

Extract template name:

$ cakemail templates get 201 -f json | jq -r '.name'

Output:

Newsletter Template

View template tags:

$ cakemail templates get 201 -f json | jq '.tags'

Output:

["newsletter", "monthly"]

Notes

  • Returns complete template including HTML and text content
  • Subject line may include merge tags (e.g., {{variable}})
  • HTML content includes full document structure
  • Text content is plain text alternative

Related Commands

templates create

Create a new email template with HTML and text content.

Usage

cakemail templates create [options]

Options

Required:

  • -n, --name <name> - Template name

Content (at least one required):

  • --html <html> - HTML content (inline)
  • --html-file <path> - Path to HTML file
  • --text <text> - Plain text content (inline)
  • --text-file <path> - Path to text file

Optional:

  • --subject <subject> - Default email subject
  • --tags <tags> - Comma-separated tags

Examples

Create template from file:

$ cakemail templates create \
  -n "Newsletter Template" \
  --html-file ./templates/newsletter.html \
  --text-file ./templates/newsletter.txt \
  --subject "Monthly Newsletter"

Output:

✓ Template created: 201
{
  "id": 201,
  "name": "Newsletter Template",
  "subject": "Monthly Newsletter"
}

Create template with inline HTML:

$ cakemail templates create \
  -n "Simple Promo" \
  --html "<h1>Special Offer!</h1><p>Save 20% today.</p>" \
  --text "Special Offer! Save 20% today."

Output:

✓ Template created: 202

Create template with tags:

$ cakemail templates create \
  -n "Welcome Email" \
  --html-file ./welcome.html \
  --tags "onboarding,welcome,automated"

Output:

✓ Template created: 203
{
  "id": 203,
  "name": "Welcome Email",
  "tags": ["onboarding", "welcome", "automated"]
}

Create template with subject and merge tags:

$ cakemail templates create \
  -n "Personalized Newsletter" \
  --html-file ./newsletter.html \
  --subject "Hi {{first_name}}, here's your newsletter"

Create multipart template:

$ cakemail templates create \
  -n "Product Update" \
  --html-file ./update.html \
  --text-file ./update.txt \
  --subject "New Product Features" \
  --tags "product,update"

Merge Tags

Templates support merge tags for personalization:

  • {{first_name}} - Contact's first name
  • {{last_name}} - Contact's last name
  • {{email}} - Contact's email
  • {{custom_field}} - Any custom attribute

Notes

  • At least one content type (HTML or text) required
  • Both HTML and text recommended for best deliverability
  • Subject line is optional but recommended
  • Tags help organize and filter templates
  • HTML content should include full document structure
  • Merge tags replaced when sending campaign

Related Commands

templates update

Update an existing template's content or metadata.

Usage

cakemail templates update <id> [options]

Arguments

  • id - Template ID (required)

Options

  • -n, --name <name> - New template name
  • --html <html> - New HTML content (inline)
  • --html-file <path> - Path to new HTML file
  • --text <text> - New plain text content (inline)
  • --text-file <path> - Path to new text file
  • --subject <subject> - New default subject
  • --tags <tags> - New comma-separated tags (replaces existing)

Examples

Update template name:

$ cakemail templates update 201 -n "Monthly Newsletter Template"

Output:

✓ Template 201 updated
{
  "id": 201,
  "name": "Monthly Newsletter Template"
}

Update HTML content from file:

$ cakemail templates update 201 --html-file ./templates/newsletter-v2.html

Output:

✓ Template 201 updated

Update subject line:

$ cakemail templates update 201 --subject "{{month}} Newsletter - Special Edition"

Update tags:

$ cakemail templates update 201 --tags "newsletter,monthly,featured"

Update multiple fields:

$ cakemail templates update 201 \
  -n "Premium Newsletter" \
  --html-file ./premium-newsletter.html \
  --text-file ./premium-newsletter.txt \
  --subject "Premium: {{month}} Newsletter" \
  --tags "premium,newsletter"

Update only HTML (keep text):

$ cakemail templates update 201 --html-file ./new-design.html

Update inline content:

$ cakemail templates update 202 \
  --html "<h1>Updated Offer!</h1><p>Save 30% now.</p>"

Notes

  • Only provided fields are updated (partial updates)
  • Tags are replaced entirely (not merged)
  • File paths must point to valid accessible files
  • Changes apply to future campaign uses (not retroactive)
  • Template ID remains the same

Related Commands

templates render

Preview/render a template to see how it will appear.

Usage

cakemail templates render <id>

Arguments

  • id - Template ID (required)

Examples

Render template:

$ cakemail templates render 201

Output:

{
  "html": "<!DOCTYPE html>\n<html>\n<head>...</head>\n<body>\n<h1>Welcome!</h1>\n<p>This is your newsletter.</p>\n</body>\n</html>",
  "text": "Welcome!\n\nThis is your newsletter.",
  "subject": "Monthly Newsletter"
}

Save rendered HTML to file:

$ cakemail templates render 201 -f json | jq -r '.html' > preview.html

Open rendered HTML in browser:

$ cakemail templates render 201 -f json | jq -r '.html' > preview.html && open preview.html

View rendered text version:

$ cakemail templates render 201 -f json | jq -r '.text'

Output:

Welcome!

This is your newsletter.

Check rendered subject:

$ cakemail templates render 201 -f json | jq -r '.subject'

Output:

Monthly Newsletter

Notes

  • Shows how template will appear when sent
  • Merge tags shown as-is (not replaced with data)
  • Use to verify template design before sending
  • Useful for testing template changes
  • No emails sent (preview only)

Related Commands

templates delete

Permanently delete a template.

Usage

cakemail templates delete <id> [options]

Arguments

  • id - Template ID (required)

Options

  • -f, --force - Skip confirmation prompt (use in scripts)

Examples

Delete template with confirmation:

$ cakemail templates delete 203

Output:

⚠ Delete template 203?

The following will happen:
  • Template will be permanently deleted
  • Any campaigns using this template may be affected

Type 'yes' to confirm: yes

✓ Template 203 deleted

Force delete without confirmation:

$ cakemail templates delete 203 --force

Output:

✓ Template 203 deleted

Delete in script:

$ cakemail templates delete 203 --force --batch

Notes

  • Deletion is permanent and cannot be undone
  • Historical campaigns using template remain intact
  • Future campaigns cannot use deleted template
  • Template content cannot be recovered
  • Confirmation required unless --force is used

Related Commands

Common Workflows

Workflow 1: Create Template from Files

# Prepare HTML and text files
# templates/newsletter.html
# templates/newsletter.txt

# Create template
$ cakemail templates create \
  -n "March Newsletter" \
  --html-file ./templates/newsletter.html \
  --text-file ./templates/newsletter.txt \
  --subject "{{month}} Newsletter" \
  --tags "newsletter,monthly"

# Note template ID (e.g., 201)

# Preview template
$ cakemail templates render 201 -f json | jq -r '.html' > preview.html
$ open preview.html

# Use in campaign
$ cakemail campaigns create \
  -n "March Newsletter Campaign" \
  -l 123 \
  -s 101 \
  --template 201

Workflow 2: Update Existing Template

# Get current template
$ cakemail templates get 201

# Make changes to local files
# Edit: templates/newsletter-v2.html

# Update template
$ cakemail templates update 201 --html-file ./templates/newsletter-v2.html

# Preview changes
$ cakemail templates render 201 -f json | jq -r '.html' > preview-v2.html
$ open preview-v2.html

Workflow 3: Template Organization

# List all templates
$ cakemail templates list

# Add tags to organize
$ cakemail templates update 201 --tags "newsletter,active"
$ cakemail templates update 202 --tags "promo,seasonal"
$ cakemail templates update 203 --tags "onboarding,automated"

# Find templates by tag
$ cakemail templates list -f json | jq '.data[] | select(.tags[] | contains("newsletter"))'

Workflow 4: Template Testing

# Create test template
$ cakemail templates create \
  -n "Test Design" \
  --html-file ./test-design.html \
  --tags "test"

# Render preview
$ cakemail templates render 204 -f json | jq -r '.html' > test.html

# Review in browser
$ open test.html

# If good, update production template
$ cakemail templates update 201 --html-file ./test-design.html

# Delete test template
$ cakemail templates delete 204 --force

Workflow 5: Template Backup

# Export all templates
$ cakemail templates list -f json > templates-backup.json

# Extract each template's content
for id in $(jq -r '.data[].id' templates-backup.json); do
  echo "Backing up template $id..."
  cakemail templates get $id -f json > "backup-template-$id.json"
  cakemail templates get $id -f json | jq -r '.html' > "backup-template-$id.html"
done

Best Practices

  1. Version Control: Store template HTML/CSS in version control
  2. Multipart Templates: Always include both HTML and text versions
  3. Test Before Use: Preview templates before using in campaigns
  4. Consistent Naming: Use clear, descriptive template names
  5. Tag Organization: Use tags to categorize templates
  6. Responsive Design: Ensure HTML templates work on mobile devices
  7. Merge Tags: Use merge tags for personalization
  8. Regular Cleanup: Delete unused or outdated templates
  9. Backup Important Templates: Export templates regularly

Troubleshooting

Error: "Template ID not found"

Template doesn't exist or was deleted.

Solution:

# List templates to find valid ID
$ cakemail templates list

# Use correct template ID
$ cakemail templates get 201

HTML Not Rendering Correctly

CSS or HTML structure issues.

Solution:

# Preview template
$ cakemail templates render 201 -f json | jq -r '.html' > test.html

# Open in browser
$ open test.html

# Check for:
# - Missing closing tags
# - Invalid CSS
# - External resource links (should be inline or absolute URLs)

# Fix and update
$ cakemail templates update 201 --html-file ./fixed-template.html

Merge Tags Not Working

Incorrect syntax or unsupported field.

Solution:

# Use double curly braces
# Correct: {{first_name}}
# Incorrect: {first_name} or $first_name

# Ensure field exists in contacts
$ cakemail contacts get 123 501 -f json | jq '.custom_attributes'

# Update template with correct tags
$ cakemail templates update 201 --subject "Hi {{first_name}}, welcome!"

Template Too Large

HTML file size exceeds limits.

Solution:

# Check file size
$ ls -lh ./templates/large-template.html

# Optimize:
# - Inline CSS instead of external stylesheets
# - Compress/minify HTML
# - Remove unnecessary whitespace
# - Optimize images (use external URLs)
# - Remove comments

# Update with optimized version
$ cakemail templates update 201 --html-file ./optimized-template.html

Cannot Delete Template

Template may be in use by active campaigns.

Solution:

# Check which campaigns use this template
$ cakemail campaigns list -f json | jq '.data[] | select(.template_id == 201)'

# Wait for campaigns to complete
# Or update campaigns to use different template

# Then delete
$ cakemail templates delete 201 --force

Text Version Not Displaying

Text content may be missing or not provided.

Solution:

# Check if template has text content
$ cakemail templates get 201 -f json | jq '.text'

# If null or missing, add text version
$ cakemail templates update 201 --text-file ./newsletter.txt

# Or generate from HTML (manual process)
$ cakemail templates get 201 -f json | jq -r '.html' | html2text > newsletter.txt
$ cakemail templates update 201 --text-file ./newsletter.txt

Related Documentation: