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Dev mode lets you test your Sendi integration without a verified domain. Emails are logged in the dashboard but never actually sent — perfect for local development and CI environments.

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How it works

  • Emails are intercepted and logged with a delivered status, but never sent via a mail provider
  • All emails are sent from test@usesendi.com regardless of what you pass in from
  • No domain verification required
  • A dev API key is auto-generated when you first enable dev mode
  • Dev emails don’t count against your plan’s monthly quota

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Enable dev mode

Toggle Dev Mode in the sidebar of your dashboard. When you first enable it, a dev API key is automatically created and shown to you.
Copy your dev API key immediately — it won’t be shown again.

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Limits

Dev ModeLive Mode
Daily limit50 emails/dayBased on your plan
Domain requiredNoYes (verified)
Emails deliveredNo (logged only)Yes
Counts against planNoYes

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Sending a test email

Use your dev API key exactly like a regular API key. The only difference is that emails won’t actually be delivered. 
curl -X POST https://app.usesendi.com/api/emails \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer snd_your_dev_key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "from": "test@usesendi.com",
    "to": ["you@example.com"],
    "subject": "Testing dev mode",
    "html": "<p>This email will be logged but not sent.</p>"
  }'
The response is identical to a real send — you get back an id, from, to, and created_at. Check the Emails tab in dev mode to see your logged emails.

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Dashboard in dev mode

When dev mode is active:
  • Emails tab shows only dev emails (live emails are hidden)
  • API Keys tab shows only your dev key
  • Other sidebar sections (Domains, Contacts, Campaigns, etc.) are disabled
Toggle dev mode off to return to your live dashboard at any time. Your dev emails and live emails are always kept separate.

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FAQ

No. Dev emails are tracked separately and don’t affect your monthly quota or daily sending limits.
No. In dev mode, the from address is always overridden to test@usesendi.com.
No. Dev mode emails are only logged in your dashboard. Nothing is sent.
Yes. Use your dev API key in test environments to verify your integration works without sending real emails.