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Email Forge

Modern designs in, battle-tested table-layout HTML email out

HTML email development is universally the most hated task in web design. Outlook uses Word's rendering engine. Gmail strips your style tags. This recipe converts your design into bulletproof table-based email HTML that works everywhere — including dark mode.

House RecipeWork5 min

INGREDIENTS

✉️Email

PROMPT

Create a skill called "Email Forge". When I describe an email layout or provide a design mockup, generate production-ready HTML email code. Use table-based layout with inline CSS. Include MSO conditional comments for Outlook, VML fallbacks for background images, bulletproof buttons (not image-based), and Gmail-safe inline styles. Generate a dark mode variant using prefers-color-scheme media queries with reviewed color overrides, and provide non-transparent logo versions for clients that force dark mode. Add responsive stacking for mobile with media queries (as progressive enhancement). Document known rendering differences across Outlook (desktop, web, mobile), Gmail (web, app), Apple Mail, Yahoo, and Samsung Mail. Target 600px max width. Use web-safe font stacks with fallbacks.

How It Works

Describe your email layout or paste a design screenshot, and your Claw

generates production-ready email HTML using tables, inline styles, and all

the ugly hacks that make email work in modern inbox clients. It handles Outlook's Word

engine, Gmail's CSS stripping, and dark mode color inversions.

What You Get

  • Table-based HTML layout with inline CSS (the only thing that works everywhere)
  • MSO conditional comments for Outlook-specific fixes
  • VML backgrounds for Outlook (because it ignores background-image)
  • Bulletproof buttons (not image-based, works without image loading)
  • Gmail-safe styles (everything inlined, no `