Rails UI

Helpers

Email Action

Buttons in emails are hard. This helper makes them easy.

The email_action helper extracts logic for displaying buttons and adding dependable spacing between HTML elements in a given template.

email_action is added automatically when you install Rails UI and appended to your application_helper.rb file.

application_helper.rb

def email_action(action, url, options={})
  align = options[:align] ||= "left"
  theme = options[:theme] ||= "primary"
  fullwidth = options[:fullwidth] ||= false
  render "rui/shared/email_action", align: align, theme: theme, action: action, url: url, fullwidth: fullwidth
end

You'll find the partials referenced above inside the rui/shared view directory. Treat these as read-only as swapping themes may override your changes.

Customize the theming inside the Rails UI mailer layout css.

email_action(action, path, options)

Required parameters

action - required

The button label
path - required

The url for the button. Be sure to use url helpers and not path helpers in an email

Additional options

theme

primary or secondary. Default: primary.
align

Align button to center, left, or right. Default: left
fullwidth

(boolean) true / false. Default: false

Email Action

From:
To:
Date:
Subject:

info.meatean@gmail.com
saasquatch@railsui.com
December 11, 2025
A sample email

Email preview

Welcome to our service! We're excited to have you join us. Below you'll find important information about your account and next steps.

To get started, please verify your email address by clicking the button below:

View notification

.html
.html.erb

<!-- what outputs from mail_action -->
<table class="action" align="center">
  <tr>
    <td align="center">
      <a href="https://fleet.matean.online/railsui/" class="action__link action__link--primary" target="_blank">View notification</a>
      <div itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/EmailMessage">
        <div itemprop="potentialAction" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ViewAction">
          <link itemprop="target" href="https://fleet.matean.online/railsui/"/>
          <meta itemprop="name" content="View notification"/>
        </div>
      </div>
    </td>
  </tr>
</table>

<!-- all available options shown in use -->
<%= email_action("View notification", root_url, theme: "primary", align: "center", fullwidth: true) %>

Nav Link

Email Callout

Email Action

Required parameters

Additional options

Email Action

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