pretend Docs

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Quickstart

Run the Pretend Docker image, open the dashboard and capture your first email.

1. Start the container

The image is published on Docker Hub as a2coder/pretend.

Terminal
docker run -d --name pretend -p 3000:3000 \
  --add-host host.docker.internal:host-gateway \
  -v pretend-data:/app/.data \
  -e DISABLE_LOGIN=true \
  a2coder/pretend
  • -p 3000:3000 publishes the API and the dashboard on localhost:3000.
  • -v pretend-data:/app/.data keeps the SQLite database and attachments across restarts.
  • --add-host lets Pretend reach servers on your machine, for webhooks and attachment URLs.
  • DISABLE_LOGIN=true opens the dashboard without signing in. Only use it on a trusted machine.

2. Open the dashboard

Go to http://localhost:3000/dashboard. The onboarding page shows the base URL and API key for the origin you opened it on, and a Send button for a first test email.

3. Send an email

Without RESEND_API_KEY, Pretend accepts the key re_local_dev_key.

cURL
curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/emails \
  -H 'Authorization: Bearer re_local_dev_key' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -d '{
    "from": "Acme <onboarding@resend.dev>",
    "to": ["delivered@resend.dev"],
    "subject": "It works",
    "html": "<p>Captured by Pretend</p>"
  }'

The response is the same as Resend's, {"id": "…"}, and the email appears in the dashboard.

tip

Send from onboarding@resend.dev until you add a domain. Like Resend, Pretend only lets verified domains send. See Differences from Resend.

Next steps