Prerequisites
Use a verified sending domain, your account ID, and a domain-scoped send-only API v2 key. Use sandbox mode for every test. Management tasks need a separate full API key. Use Python 3.13 and the Python Functions Framework. You can complete the local test without a Google Cloud account.Install the Dependencies
Try a Sandbox Send
SetAHASEND_API_KEY, AHASEND_ACCOUNT_ID and AHASEND_FROM in your shell or local secret store. Use a send-only key and an address on your verified domain. Save this as quick_send.py:
quick_send.py
python quick_send.py in the activated environment. It prints acceptance statuses and exits with an error if sending fails. Sandbox acceptance does not deliver mail. The production version below adds input checks and a stable request key.
Add the Shared Sending Code
Save this assend_email.py beside the function file. It uses Python’s standard library, so this example needs no SDK package. Set AHASEND_API_KEY, AHASEND_ACCOUNT_ID, AHASEND_FROM, AHASEND_TO and SEND_TOKEN in the runtime environment. Use a long random SEND_TOKEN for requests from your trusted server. For the first run set AHASEND_TO=recipient@example.com and AHASEND_DELIVERY_MODE=sandbox; keep a sandbox credential in place while testing. Set live only when ready to deliver to your own approved recipients.
send_email.py
event_id; a new business event needs a new ID. See idempotency for time limits and uncertain outcomes. Record an internal event ID on failures without logging API keys or message bodies. Add request limits at the hosting layer.
Create the HTTP Function
Save this asmain.py:
main.py
Run with the Functions Framework
If port 8080 is busy, setPORT to an unused local port in both shells. The commands below default to 8080.
Export the shared code’s environment variables, activate .venv, then start the function:
SEND_TOKEN set, run:
Prepare the Hosted Function
Deploy with the Python 3.13 runtime and entry pointsend_email_http. Include main.py, send_email.py and requirements.txt. Follow Google’s function deployment steps, load credentials with Secret Manager, and restrict invokers with IAM. With both IAM and the application bearer token enabled, send the Google identity token in X-Serverless-Authorization and the app token in Authorization; see service authentication.
Use delivery webhooks to learn the final result. Also see Google functions in Node.js, Go and Python SMTP.
Related Guides
- Before sending: verify a domain and create a send-only key.
- Other ways to send: REST API, SMTP, CLI quickstart, Node.js SDK and Go SDK.
- Request rules: API authentication, scopes, idempotency, errors and rate limits.
- Testing and events: sandbox mode, CLI webhook testing, event payloads, signature verification and delivery retries.
- Data and limits: retention, tracking and plans and feature availability.

