Gmail

---
name: gmail
description: |
  Gmail API integration with managed OAuth. Read, send, and manage emails, threads, labels, and drafts. Use this skill when users want to interact with Gmail. For other third party apps, use the api-gateway skill (https://clawhub.ai/byungkyu/api-gateway).
compatibility: Requires network access and valid Maton API key
metadata:
  author: maton
  version: "1.0"
  clawdbot:
    emoji: 🧠
    requires:
      env:
        - MATON_API_KEY
---

# Gmail

Access the Gmail API with managed OAuth authentication. Read, send, and manage emails, threads, labels, and drafts.

## Quick Start

```bash
# List messages
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages?maxResults=10')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

## Base URL

```
https://api.maton.ai/google-mail/{native-api-path}
```

Only the endpoints listed in the API Reference section below are supported. Maton proxies requests to `gmail.googleapis.com` and automatically injects your OAuth token.

## Authentication

All requests require the Maton API key in the Authorization header:

```
Authorization: Bearer $MATON_API_KEY
```

**Environment Variable:** Set your API key as `MATON_API_KEY`:

```bash
export MATON_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"
```

### Getting Your API Key

1. Sign in or create an account at [maton.ai](https://maton.ai)
2. Go to [maton.ai/settings](https://maton.ai/settings)
3. Copy your API key

## Connection Management

Manage your Google OAuth connections at `https://api.maton.ai`.

### List Connections

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/connections?app=google-mail&status=ACTIVE')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

### Create Connection

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
data = json.dumps({'app': 'google-mail'}).encode()
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/connections', data=data, method='POST')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
req.add_header('Content-Type', 'application/json')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

### Get Connection

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/connections/{connection_id}')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

**Response:**
```json
{
  "connection": {
    "connection_id": "{connection_id}",
    "status": "ACTIVE",
    "creation_time": "2025-12-08T07:20:53.488460Z",
    "last_updated_time": "2026-01-31T20:03:32.593153Z",
    "url": "https://connect.maton.ai/?session_token=...",
    "app": "google-mail",
    "metadata": {}
  }
}
```

Open the returned `url` in a browser to complete OAuth authorization.

### Delete Connection

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/connections/{connection_id}', method='DELETE')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

### Specifying Connection

If you have multiple Gmail connections, specify which one to use with the `Maton-Connection` header:

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
req.add_header('Maton-Connection', '{connection_id}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

If you have multiple connections, always include this header to ensure requests go to the intended account.

## Security & Permissions

- Access is scoped to messages, threads, labels, drafts, and email sending within the connected Gmail account.
- **All write operations require explicit user approval.** Before executing any create, update, or delete call, confirm the target resource and intended effect with the user.

## API Reference

### List Messages

```bash
GET /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages?maxResults=10
```

With query filter:

```bash
GET /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages?q=is:unread&maxResults=10
```

### Get Message

```bash
GET /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages/{messageId}
```

With metadata only:

```bash
GET /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages/{messageId}?format=metadata&metadataHeaders=From&metadataHeaders=Subject&metadataHeaders=Date
```

### Send Message

```bash
POST /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages/send
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "raw": "BASE64_ENCODED_EMAIL"
}
```

### List Labels

```bash
GET /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/labels
```

### List Threads

```bash
GET /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/threads?maxResults=10
```

### Get Thread

```bash
GET /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/threads/{threadId}
```

### Modify Message Labels

```bash
POST /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages/{messageId}/modify
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "addLabelIds": ["STARRED"],
  "removeLabelIds": ["UNREAD"]
}
```

### Trash Message

```bash
POST /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages/{messageId}/trash
```

### Create Draft

```bash
POST /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/drafts
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "message": {
    "raw": "BASE64URL_ENCODED_EMAIL"
  }
}
```

### Send Draft

```bash
POST /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/drafts/send
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "id": "{draftId}"
}
```

### Get Profile

```bash
GET /google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/profile
```

## Query Operators

Use in the `q` parameter:
- `is:unread` - Unread messages
- `is:starred` - Starred messages
- `from:email@example.com` - From specific sender
- `to:email@example.com` - To specific recipient
- `subject:keyword` - Subject contains keyword
- `after:2024/01/01` - After date
- `before:2024/12/31` - Before date
- `has:attachment` - Has attachments

## Code Examples

### JavaScript

```javascript
const response = await fetch(
  'https://api.maton.ai/google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages?maxResults=10',
  {
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.MATON_API_KEY}`
    }
  }
);
```

### Python

```python
import os
import requests

response = requests.get(
    'https://api.maton.ai/google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages',
    headers={'Authorization': f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}'},
    params={'maxResults': 10, 'q': 'is:unread'}
)
```

## Notes

- Use `me` as userId for the authenticated user
- Message body is base64url encoded in the `raw` field
- Common labels: `INBOX`, `SENT`, `DRAFT`, `STARRED`, `UNREAD`, `TRASH`
- IMPORTANT: When using curl commands, use `curl -g` when URLs contain brackets (`fields[]`, `sort[]`, `records[]`) to disable glob parsing
- IMPORTANT: When piping curl output to `jq` or other commands, environment variables like `$MATON_API_KEY` may not expand correctly in some shell environments. You may get "Invalid API key" errors when piping.

## Error Handling

| Status | Meaning |
|--------|---------|
| 400 | Missing Gmail connection |
| 401 | Invalid or missing Maton API key |
| 429 | Rate limited (10 req/sec per account) |
| 4xx/5xx | Passthrough error from Gmail API |

### Troubleshooting: API Key Issues

1. Check that the `MATON_API_KEY` environment variable is set:

```bash
echo $MATON_API_KEY
```

2. Verify the API key is valid by listing connections:

```bash
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://api.maton.ai/connections')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF
```

### Troubleshooting: Invalid App Name

1. Ensure your URL path starts with `google-mail`. For example:

- Correct: `https://api.maton.ai/google-mail/gmail/v1/users/me/messages`
- Incorrect: `https://api.maton.ai/gmail/v1/users/me/messages`

## Resources

- [Gmail API Overview](https://developers.google.com/gmail/api/reference/rest)
- [List Messages](https://developers.google.com/gmail/api/reference/rest/v1/users.messages/list)
- [Get Message](https://developers.google.com/gmail/api/reference/rest/v1/users.messages/get)
- [Send Message](https://developers.google.com/gmail/api/reference/rest/v1/users.messages/send)
- [List Threads](https://developers.google.com/gmail/api/reference/rest/v1/users.threads/list)
- [List Labels](https://developers.google.com/gmail/api/reference/rest/v1/users.labels/list)
- [Create Draft](https://developers.google.com/gmail/api/reference/rest/v1/users.drafts/create)
- [Maton Community](https://discord.com/invite/dBfFAcefs2)
- [Maton Support](mailto:support@maton.ai)