Release Notes

Adding Google login with performance optimization

Google login was the most requested authentication method, so I built a seamless integration with performance optimization and smart caching. Now you can sign in with Google in one click, and it's lightning fast thanks to optimized caching.

Google integration features

• One-click Google authentication
• Optimized performance with smart caching
• Seamless integration that just works

Login experience improvements

• Much faster Google login with better caching
• Streamlined authentication workflow
• Better user guidance throughout the process

Google login fixes

• Caching issues were causing slow authentication
• Some Google integration problems affected reliability
• Performance optimization had some bugs that slowed things down

Hardening OAuth security

Found some potential security issues in the OAuth implementation that needed fixing. Strengthened token validation, improved authentication protocols, and added extra security layers. Security isn't glamorous work, but it's essential for protecting user data.

Security hardening

• Advanced OAuth security with better token validation
• Improved authentication protocols
• Enhanced credential protection

Security vulnerabilities we fixed

• Some OAuth flows had potential security holes
• Authentication protocols weren't secure enough
• Token validation had some edge cases that could be exploited

Building a complete OAuth system

With multiple social providers, I needed a proper OAuth system that handles everything securely. Built comprehensive OAuth workflows with secure token management and proper data protection. Now social logins are rock-solid and your data stays safe.

OAuth security features

• Complete OAuth implementation with secure token handling
• Robust authentication workflows
• Enhanced user data protection

OAuth problems we solved

• Token validation was failing in some cases
• Security vulnerabilities in social login handling
• OAuth workflows weren't reliable enough for production

Expanding to multiple social login providers

GitHub was popular, so I added support for more social login providers. Now you can sign in with multiple platforms and the system handles switching between them gracefully. Makes onboarding much smoother for users who prefer social logins.

Multi-provider features

• Support for multiple social login platforms
• Smart provider management that handles conflicts
• Reliable authentication across different services

Social login fixes

• Multiple providers were conflicting with each other
• Some social authentication was failing randomly
• Provider switching wasn't working smoothly

Adding GitHub login integration

Many users wanted to sign in with their GitHub accounts instead of creating yet another password. Added GitHub integration along with better local account management. Now you can use whichever login method works best for you.

Authentication improvements

• GitHub social login integration
• Better local account management
• Flexible authentication options

Login issues we fixed

• GitHub integration wasn't working properly for some users
• Conflicts between local and social accounts
• Authentication workflows had reliability problems

Automating domain validation and DNS setup

Domain validation was a manual pain point that users struggled with. Built automated validation scheduling and DNS configuration that handles most of the technical stuff for you. Now setting up your domain for email sending is much less of a headache.

Domain management improvements

• Automated domain validation that runs on schedule
• Smart DNS configuration that sets itself up
• Better domain verification workflows

Domain issues we solved

• Manual domain validation was confusing and error-prone
• DNS configuration was too technical for most users
• Validation scheduling was unreliable and missed checks

Adding proper background job processing

Some tasks like processing large email lists and billing operations were blocking other operations. Built a proper queue system with background processing so these heavy tasks don't slow down the user experience. Now you can upload a big list and keep working while it processes in the background.

Queue system features

• Background processing for heavy tasks like email imports
• Separate billing queue for payment operations
• Better task scheduling and monitoring

Queue problems we solved

• Email processing was blocking other operations
• Billing operations were causing delays for other users
• Background jobs weren't completing reliably

Major server performance upgrade with Uvicorn

Switched to Uvicorn for much better performance and scalability. The old server setup was hitting its limits as we grew. This migration was nerve-wracking but the performance improvements are incredible - everything is noticeably faster and handles more concurrent users.

Performance improvements

• Migrated to Uvicorn for much better performance
• Optimized request handling and resource management
• Better support for multiple users at the same time

Migration challenges we overcame

• Some temporary performance issues during the switch
• Uvicorn configuration needed fine-tuning
• Had to optimize some code that worked differently with the new server

Adding usage tracking and transparent billing

Users wanted to see exactly what they're using and being billed for. Integrated detailed usage tracking with Stripe so you can see your email volume, storage usage, and costs in real-time. No more surprise bills or wondering where your money went.

Usage analytics features

• Real-time usage tracking for emails, storage, and features
• Transparent billing that shows exactly what you're paying for
• Cost optimization tools to help you manage expenses

Usage tracking fixes

• Usage calculations were inconsistent and causing billing errors
• Stripe integration wasn't reporting usage properly
• Analytics weren't giving accurate cost insights

Redesigning subscription plans

The original subscription system was too rigid and confusing. Completely redesigned it with more flexible plans, clearer upgrade paths, and better value presentation. Now users can easily understand what they're getting and upgrade when they need more features.

Subscription improvements

• More flexible plan structure that grows with your business
• Clear plan comparisons so you know what you're getting
• Smooth upgrade and downgrade workflows

Subscription bugs we fixed

• Plan billing was inconsistent and causing account issues
• Plan changes were buggy and sometimes failed
• Subscription management was confusing and error-prone

Modernizing the API framework

Our API was getting sluggish and some third-party integrations were timing out. Updated to a modern REST framework with much better performance and cleaner endpoints. Now integrations work smoothly and API responses are snappy.

API improvements

• Much faster API responses with updated framework
• Better data serialization that handles complex data properly
• Cleaner endpoints that are easier to work with

API problems we solved

• Slow API responses were causing timeouts
• Third-party integrations were failing due to framework issues
• Data serialization errors were causing integration problems

Optimizing email size and DNS configuration

Large emails were getting rejected or going to spam, and DNS configuration was way too manual and error-prone. Built intelligent size optimization that compresses emails without losing quality, plus automated DNS setup that actually works.

Email delivery improvements

• Smart email compression that maintains quality but reduces size
• Automated DNS configuration for better deliverability
• Improved email processing that handles large content properly

Size and DNS issues we solved

• Large emails were failing to deliver or going to spam
• DNS configuration was confusing and prone to errors
• Email processing couldn't handle large images and content properly

Spring cleaning the codebase

Time for a big code cleanup! Removed a bunch of outdated features and components that were just slowing things down. Sometimes you have to delete code to make progress. The platform is much faster and cleaner now.

Code cleanup achievements

• Removed tons of outdated code that was causing slowdowns
• Streamlined features to focus on what actually matters
• Significantly improved performance across the board

Cleanup fixes

• Old code components were creating performance bottlenecks
• Conflicts between old and new features were causing instability
• Code optimization revealed some hidden bugs that needed fixing

Better error handling and recovery

Errors were still causing more disruption than they should. Built much better error handling that can gracefully recover from problems and provide useful diagnostic information. Now when something goes wrong, the system tries to fix itself instead of just crashing.

Error management improvements

• Intelligent error tracking that helps identify root causes
• Automatic recovery systems that fix common problems
• Better diagnostic reporting for troubleshooting

Error handling fixes

• Inconsistent error handling was causing system crashes
• Diagnostic reports weren't accurate enough
• Error recovery wasn't working properly, causing unnecessary downtime

Smoother deployments and better security policies

Deployments were still causing brief outages sometimes, which is really annoying for users. Improved the whole deployment process and added better security policies. Also set up comprehensive logging so I can actually see what's happening when things go wrong.

Infrastructure improvements

• Much more reliable deployments with zero downtime
• Better security policies that don't break functionality
• Comprehensive logging for troubleshooting

Deployment issues we fixed

• Updates occasionally caused brief service interruptions
• Security policies were conflicting with some features
• Logging wasn't capturing enough detail for debugging

Making payments faster and more reliable

Payment processing was still too slow and unreliable. Users don't want to wait 30 seconds wondering if their credit card will be charged. Optimized the whole payment pipeline and added better error handling so failed payments get retried automatically.

Payment performance upgrades

• Much faster payment processing (no more long waits)
• Better success rates with automatic retry logic
• Streamlined workflows for plan changes and upgrades

Payment problems we solved

• Payments were timing out too frequently
• Plan upgrades and changes were buggy
• Transaction failures weren't being handled gracefully

Tightening up payment security

With payments live, I needed to add more security layers to prevent fraud and protect user financial data. Added better verification workflows and fraud detection without making legitimate payments more annoying. It's a delicate balance between security and user experience.

Security enhancements

• Improved fraud detection that doesn't block real customers
• Better payment verification workflows
• Enhanced encryption and data protection

Payment security fixes

• Verification was taking too long and frustrating users
• Some legitimate payments were being rejected by security checks
• Billing workflows had errors that affected account status

More comprehensive health monitoring

I was still finding out about problems from users instead of my monitoring systems, which is embarrassing. Built much better health checks and diagnostics so I can catch issues before they affect anyone. Also stopped getting false alerts at 3 AM (my sleep schedule thanks me).

Monitoring improvements

• Better health checks that actually catch problems early
• Real-time performance tracking and alerts
• Diagnostic tools that help troubleshoot issues quickly

Monitoring bugs we fixed

• Too many false positive alerts (boy who cried wolf situation)
• Some performance data wasn't being collected properly
• Diagnostic tools were giving inaccurate system status

Finally adding proper payments with Stripe

This was a big one - integrating Stripe for payments and subscriptions. I wanted to make sure everything was secure and PCI compliant, but also simple for users. Spent a lot of time testing edge cases because nobody likes payment bugs. Now you can actually pay for Mailflo without sketchy workarounds!

Payment system features

• Full Stripe integration with secure payment processing
• Automated subscription management and billing
• Multiple subscription tiers with easy upgrades

Payment issues we solved

• Payment processing was taking too long (anxiety-inducing for users)
• Some Stripe webhooks weren't working properly
• Subscription status wasn't updating correctly after payments

End-of-year template optimization

Wrapping up the year with some serious template improvements. HTML processing was still wonky in places, and the template architecture needed optimization. Not glamorous work, but these improvements make email creation much smoother and more reliable.

Template engine improvements

• Better HTML parsing that doesn't choke on complex templates
• Optimized template models for faster performance
• More reliable template rendering across all email clients

User experience upgrades

• Made template creation more intuitive
• Added better error messages when templates have issues
• Improved validation so bad templates get caught early

Template bugs we squashed

• HTML processing was failing on certain template structures
• Template data wasn't syncing properly between edits
• Validation was either too strict or too permissive

Better product management and safer deletion

Users were having trouble organizing their campaigns and products, and deletion was scary because there was no way to undo it. Built better organization tools and added safety measures so you can't accidentally delete something important without multiple confirmations.

Organization improvements

• Added proper product categorization and search
• Built safer deletion workflows with confirmations
• Made it easier to find and manage your campaigns

Product management fixes

• Deletion was leaving orphaned data everywhere (messy)
• Search and filtering weren't working properly
• Some workflow errors were making product management frustrating

Modernizing the Python codebase

Time for some technical debt cleanup! Updated to newer Python frameworks and fixed a bunch of path handling issues that were causing weird bugs on different operating systems. Not the most exciting work, but necessary to keep things running smoothly and securely.

Code modernization

• Updated Python frameworks to newer, more secure versions
• Fixed path handling so it works the same on Windows, Mac, and Linux
• Cleaned up the codebase structure for better maintainability

Technical issues we resolved

• Path handling was broken on Windows (whoops)
• Some Python compatibility issues were causing crashes
• Old dependencies were creating security vulnerabilities

Making email templates work everywhere

Email clients are notoriously picky about HTML, and templates that look perfect in one client can be completely broken in another. Spent a lot of time fixing template rendering issues and making sure emails look good whether someone's using Gmail, Outlook, or that weird email client their company forces them to use.

Template improvements

• Fixed HTML processing so templates render consistently
• Added proper validation to catch template errors before sending
• Built a testing system to check templates across different email clients

Design upgrades

• Made template formatting way more consistent
• Improved the template editor with better previews
• Updated template library with modern, responsive designs

Template bugs we crushed

• Templates were broken in Outlook (classic Outlook problem)
• HTML processing errors were messing up layouts
• Template validation was blocking valid templates

Moving to an even better hosting setup

Our hosting provider wasn't cutting it anymore - too many small outages and slow response times during busy periods. Found a much better host with proper infrastructure and made the migration. It was stressful (server migrations always are), but the performance improvement is night and day.

Infrastructure upgrades

• Migrated to a hosting provider that actually cares about uptime
• Optimized database performance significantly
• Added better security monitoring

Migration challenges we overcame

• Had some connectivity hiccups during the move (expected but still stressful)
• Database sync took longer than planned
• Found and fixed some performance bottlenecks in the process

Better deployments and account verification

I was getting tired of deployment anxiety every time I pushed an update. So I improved the whole release process to be more reliable and less stressful. Also made account verification more robust because we were getting some spam signups that were slipping through.

Development workflow improvements

• Made deployments way less nerve-wracking with better testing
• Added multiple layers of account verification
• Streamlined user onboarding so it's not confusing

Deployment issues we solved

• Releases occasionally caused brief outages (not good!)
• Account verification was taking too long for new users
• Verification emails were ending up in spam folders

New pricing and a fresh logo

Time for a brand refresh! I redesigned the logo because the old one looked like I made it in 5 minutes (which, honestly, I probably did). Also updated pricing to be more straightforward and fair. No more confusing tiers that nobody understands.

Brand improvements

• Completely new logo that doesn't look amateurish
• Simplified pricing structure with clear value tiers
• Made the whole brand look more professional

Pricing system updates

• Built flexible plan management that actually works
• Added clear pricing comparisons
• Made subscription changes smooth and error-free

Brand bugs we fixed

• Pricing was displaying differently on different pages (confusing!)
• Logo looked terrible on high-resolution screens
• Pricing calculations were wrong in some edge cases

Finally fixing those annoying CSS bugs

You know when something looks perfect on your computer but completely broken on your phone or a different browser? Yeah, that was happening way too often. Spent this release hunting down all the CSS bugs and making sure everything looks good everywhere.

Visual fixes we made

• Fixed CSS that was breaking on different browsers
• Made server-side styling more consistent
• Improved mobile and tablet layouts

Styling problems we solved

• Layouts were inconsistent between Safari and Chrome
• Some components looked broken due to CSS inheritance issues
• Mobile navigation was practically unusable on some devices

Smart bounce handling to keep your reputation clean

Email bounces can really hurt your sender reputation if not handled properly. I built an intelligent system that automatically processes bounces, cleans your lists, and keeps track of your reputation with different email providers. Now you don't have to worry about accidentally emailing invalid addresses repeatedly.

Reputation management features

• Automatic bounce processing and list cleaning
• Smart routing based on provider performance
• Real-time monitoring of delivery rates

Delivery problems we fixed

• Bounce processing was too slow and backing up
• Provider switching caused temporary delivery issues
• Bounce categorization wasn't working right and hurting reputation

Making webhooks secure and reliable

Postmark sends webhook notifications when emails bounce, get opened, clicked, etc. But I needed to make sure these webhooks were actually from Postmark and not some attacker trying to mess with our data. Added proper signature verification and error handling so we don't miss important email events.

Webhook security improvements

• Added signature verification so we know webhooks are legit
• Built proper error handling for webhook processing
• Set up secure endpoints that can't be easily exploited

Webhook issues we solved

• Signature validation was failing and blocking real webhooks
• Some webhooks were timing out and we'd miss email events
• Webhook data wasn't being processed correctly

Switching to Postmark for better deliverability

Our email delivery rates weren't great with the old provider, so I switched to Postmark. It's more expensive but worth it - emails actually land in inboxes now instead of spam folders. Plus we get way better analytics to see how campaigns are performing.

Email service upgrade

• Migrated all email sending to Postmark (much better delivery rates)
• Added detailed email tracking and analytics
• Improved email queuing so nothing gets lost

Interface tweaks

• Made small improvements to the dashboard
• Added better email performance metrics
• Updated notifications so they're clearer

Migration bumps we smoothed out

• Had some delivery hiccups during the switch
• Analytics weren't tracking properly at first
• UI got a bit wonky during the migration

Getting email replies to work properly

People were having trouble with email replies, especially when attachments were involved. The system would either drop attachments or fail completely. Also improved the health monitoring because I was getting false alarms in the middle of the night (not fun).

Communication improvements

• Made email replies handle attachments without crashing
• Fixed health check responses so they're actually accurate
• Built better error handling for email processing

Reply issues we fixed

• Attachments were disappearing from email replies
• Health checks were timing out and causing false alerts
• Email formatting was getting mangled in responses

Fixing all the broken links

Nothing kills trust like clicking a link in an email and getting a 404 error. I had to do a deep dive into how URLs were being generated and processed because too many links were breaking. It's one of those unglamorous but super important fixes that makes everything work smoothly.

URL improvements we made

• Fixed the link generation system so URLs actually work
• Made routing more reliable (no more random 404s)
• Sped up email processing by optimizing how links get handled

Link problems we solved

• Email links weren't working properly (major embarrassment)
• Platform navigation was buggy and confusing
• Link validation was breaking email template creation

Making file uploads actually work

File uploads were painfully slow and unreliable. I switched everything to local processing instead of relying on external services, and wow - what a difference! Now when you upload images for your email templates, they actually upload instead of timing out or failing randomly.

Performance improvements

• Moved file processing to local servers (much faster)
• Set up proper caching for static files
• Made uploads way more reliable and responsive

File handling fixes

• Upload speeds are no longer embarrassingly slow
• Fixed random failures when loading images
• Stopped getting errors when processing documents

Keeping an eye on system health

I was tired of finding out about problems after users complained, so I built a proper health monitoring system. Also tackled the image upload issues that were driving everyone crazy - nothing worse than trying to add a photo to your email and having it fail or look terrible.

System monitoring we added

• Built real-time health checks so I know when something breaks
• Set up automatic alerts before things get bad
• Made image processing actually work properly

Image and upload fixes

• Large images no longer crash the upload system
• Stopped getting false alarms about system problems
• Fixed image processing so your photos don't look weird in emails

Simplifying by removing the fluff

You know what? I built some features that seemed cool in theory but nobody was actually using them. The complex domain management and announcement systems were just making everything more complicated. So I ripped them out and focused on what actually matters: sending great emails.

What got the axe

• Removed the overcomplicated domain management system
• Ditched the announcement system that was just cluttering things up
• Cleaned up the codebase and made it way more maintainable

Cleanup we did

• Fixed some memory leaks from the unused features
• Cleaned up the database after removing all that old stuff
• Updated navigation so it doesn't link to pages that don't exist anymore

Fighting the bot invasion

Started getting hit by spam bots trying to create fake accounts, which was super annoying. So I integrated Cloudflare Turnstile to keep the bad guys out without making real users jump through hoops. It's like having a bouncer at the door who can actually tell the difference between humans and robots.

How we're keeping bots out

• Added Cloudflare Turnstile protection to registration and forms
• Set up smart challenges that don't bother real people
• Made it work invisibly in the background

Bugs we squashed

• Some real users were getting flagged as bots (oops!)
• Had conflicts between the new bot protection and login system
• Mobile users couldn't see the challenges properly

Moving to bigger and better servers

Our little server was starting to struggle, so it was time to level up! I spent a weekend migrating everything to more powerful infrastructure. There were some nerve-wracking moments (like when the database sync took 3 hours longer than expected), but we came out with much faster performance and room to grow.

Behind the scenes upgrades

• Migrated to high-performance servers that can actually handle growth
• Set up proper caching so pages load way faster
• Optimized database queries (some were embarrassingly slow)

Migration hiccups we solved

• Had some connectivity issues during the move (expected but still stressful)
• Database sync took forever and caused some temporary inconsistencies
• Found some performance bottlenecks that were slowing things down

Less is more (and more secure)

I had this lightbulb moment: why am I maintaining two separate applications when one would do the job better? So I removed the redundant website components and focused on making one really good app. Plus, I added some proper security headers because nobody wants their email platform to be vulnerable to attacks.

What I cleaned up

• Removed the separate website app that was just causing confusion
• Added Content Security Policy headers (fancy security stuff)
• Stripped out dependencies we weren't actually using

Security improvements we made

• Closed some potential security holes I found
• Fixed conflicts between the old website and main app
• Made sure the platform runs faster without all that extra baggage

Finally making it look professional

Honestly, the first version looked pretty rough around the edges. I'm not a designer by trade, so I spent way too much time wrestling with CSS and trying to make things look decent. This update was all about fixing those embarrassing styling issues and making Mailflo look like a real product, not something I threw together in my basement.

Visual improvements

• Completely overhauled the CSS framework (goodbye spaghetti code!)
• Made everything actually responsive instead of just "mobile-friendly-ish"
• Fixed typography so it doesn't hurt your eyes to read

Problems we fixed

• Buttons looked different on Safari vs Chrome (classic)
• Mobile layout was completely broken on tablets
• Some forms looked like they were from 2005

Making emails actually get delivered

Two weeks in and I realized emails weren't getting through reliably. Not a great look for an email platform! So I rolled up my sleeves and built a dedicated inbound email server. This was one of those "learn by doing" moments where I had to figure out email routing, SMTP configurations, and why emails were disappearing into the void.

Under the hood improvements

• Built a proper inbound email server that doesn't lose messages
• Updated all the packages (some were pretty outdated already)
• Set up email queues so things don't break when lots of emails come in at once

Issues we sorted out

• Fixed those annoying package conflicts that made deployments fail
• Emails weren't processing fast enough, causing delays
• Server configs were wonky and affecting delivery rates

The beginning of something special

After months of late nights and countless cups of coffee, Mailflo is finally here! This is our foundational release where everything started. I built the core email management features, user accounts, and basic infrastructure from scratch. It's exciting to see all the pieces come together into a platform that can actually help small businesses manage their email marketing.

What we launched

• Complete user registration and authentication system
• Email processing engine that actually works
• Basic subscription management
• Mobile-friendly interface that doesn't look terrible on phones

Early hiccups we fixed

• Deployment went sideways initially (learned a lot about server configs!)
• Database migrations were trickier than expected
• Some users couldn't sign up properly at first

Making it look good

• Designed the visual identity from the ground up
• Built onboarding that doesn't confuse people
• Made sure everything works on mobile because that's how most people check email