PHP Mail Form

With PHP, you can create a feedback-form on your website. The example below sends a text message to a specified e-mail address:

<> <> < ?php if (isset($_REQUEST['email'])) //if "email" is filled out, send email { //send email $email = $_REQUEST['email'] ; $subject = $_REQUEST['subject'] ; $message = $_REQUEST['message'] ; mail( "someone@example.com", "Subject: $subject", $message, "From: $email" ); echo "Thank you for using our mail form"; } else //if "email" is not filled out, display the form { echo "< form method="'post'" action="'mailform.php'" > Email: < input name="'email'" type="'text'" > < > Subject: < input name="'subject'" type="'text'" >< > Message:<> < name="'message'" rows="'15'" cols="'40'"> < /textarea> < input type="'submit'"> < /form >"; } ? > < /body > < /html >

This is how the example above works:

• First, check if the email input field is filled out
• If it is not set (like when the page is first visited); output the HTML form
• If it is set (after the form is filled out); send the email from the form
• When submit is pressed after the form is filled out, the page reloads, sees that the email input is set, and sends the email

Note: This is the simplest way to send e-mail, but it is not secure. In the next chapter of this tutorial you can read more about vulnerabilities in e-mail scripts, and how to validate user input to make it more secure.