ExpressJS + Express-mailer No default engine - node.js

Question

I've developed my web app using ReactJS and I'm using as a server ExpressJS. Everithing was working fine until I implemented a /contactme endpoint which just must work as restful POST to send an email. I mean, my aim is just publishing an endpoint to send mails.
I'm using express-mailer for the job, but when I try to send an email using send method I'm getting this error:
message:"No default engine was specified and no extension was provided."
stack:"Error: No default engine was specified and no extension was provided.\n at new View (c:\React\web.facundolarocca.com\node_modules\express\lib\view.js:62:11)\n at EventEmitter.render (c:\React\web.facundolarocca.com\node_modules\express\lib\application.js:569:12)\n at sendMail (c:\React\web.facundolarocca.com\node_modules\express-mailer\lib\express-mailer.js:55:5)\n at Object.exports.extend.createSend [as send] (c:\React\web.facundolarocca.com\node_modules\express-mailer\lib\express-mailer.js:98:7)\n at c:\React\web.facundolarocca.com\server.js:28:16\n at Layer.handle [as handle_request] (c:\React\web.facundolarocca.com\node_modules\express\lib\router\layer.js:95:5)\n at next (c:\React\web.facundolarocca.com\node_modules\express\lib\router\route.js:131:13)\n at Route.dispatch (c:\React\web.facundolarocca.com\node_modules\express\lib\router\route.js:112:3)\n at Layer.handle [as handle_request] (c:\React\web.facundolarocca.com\node_modules\express\lib\router\layer.js:95:5)\n at c:\React\web....
I understand that ExpressJS needs some view engine to return html files, but in my case I'm going to respond a simpli JSON.
Below is my code:
var path = require('path');
var express = require('express');
var app = express();
var mailer = require('express-mailer');
var PORT = process.env.PORT || 3000;
app.use(express.static(path.join(__dirname, '/build')));
mailer.extend(app, {
from: 'no-reply#gmail.com',
host: 'smtp.gmail.com',
secureConnection: true,
port: 465,
transportMethod: 'SMTP',
auth: {
user: '*********#gmail.com',
pass: '**********'
}
});
app.get('/', function (req, res) {
//this is working fine
res.sendFile(__dirname + '/build/index.html')
});
app.get('/contactme', function (req, res) {
try {
app.mailer.send('test', {
to: 'myemaila#myemail.com.ar',
subject: 'some subject'
}, function (err) {
if (err) {
console.log(err);
res.status(400).json('There was an error sending the email');
} else {
res.status(200).json('Email Sent');
}
});
} catch (error) {
//Error is raised here
res.status(500).json(error);
}
});
app.listen(PORT, function (error) {
if (error) {
console.error(error);
} else {
console.info("==> 🌎 Listening on port %s. Visit http://localhost:%s/ in your browser.", PORT, PORT);
}
});
So I have two problems, on one hand is how to avoid this error , but in the other hand is why do I need an egine view .
I just expect, from the client side, to read the status code to show some message. I thought I could be able to implement in the same way as I was using restify.

Answer 1

My solution was to move to nodemailer. Here is the whole code:
package.json
{
"dependencies": {
"express": "^4.14.0",
"nodemailer": "^2.7.0",
"nodemailer-smtp-transport": "^2.7.2"
}
}
Code
server.post('/contactme', (req, res) => {
try{
let mailer = require('nodemailer')
let smtpTransport = require('nodemailer-smtp-transport')
let options = {
service: config.mailService.service,
secure: true,
auth: {
user: config.mailService.user,
pass: config.mailService.password
}
}
let transport = mailer.createTransport(smtpTransport(options))
let mail = {
from: 'from',
to: 'to',
subject: 'subject',
html: 'body'
}
transport.sendMail(mail, (error, response) => {
transport.close()
if (error) {
res.json(400, {error});
} else {
res.json(200, {response: 'Mail sent.'});
}
})
} catch(error) {
res.json(400, {error});
}
})