# Email Templates Architecture (Future)

## Overview

Email templates follow a similar pattern to the CMS content pages system, with platform defaults that vendors can override.

## Architecture

### Template Hierarchy

1. **Platform Default Templates** - Admin-managed base templates
   - Order confirmation
   - Shipping notification
   - Password reset
   - Welcome email
   - Invoice email
   - etc.

2. **Vendor Overrides** - Optional customization
   - Vendors can override platform templates
   - Cannot create new template types (unlike CMS pages)
   - Must maintain required placeholders

### Multi-language Support

- Each template exists in all supported languages (FR, EN, DE, LB)
- Vendor overrides are per-language
- Falls back to platform default if no vendor override

### Key Differences from CMS Pages

| Feature | CMS Pages | Email Templates |
|---------|-----------|-----------------|
| Create new | Vendors can create | Vendors cannot create |
| Template types | Unlimited | Fixed set by platform |
| Tier limits | Number of pages per tier | No limits (all templates available) |
| Override | Full content | Full content |

## Database Design (Proposed)

```sql
-- Platform templates (admin-managed)
CREATE TABLE email_templates (
    id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
    template_key VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,  -- e.g., 'order_confirmation'
    language VARCHAR(5) NOT NULL,         -- e.g., 'fr', 'en', 'de'
    subject TEXT NOT NULL,
    html_body TEXT NOT NULL,
    text_body TEXT,
    placeholders JSONB,                   -- Required placeholders
    is_active BOOLEAN DEFAULT TRUE,
    created_at TIMESTAMP,
    updated_at TIMESTAMP,
    UNIQUE(template_key, language)
);

-- Vendor overrides
CREATE TABLE vendor_email_templates (
    id SERIAL PRIMARY KEY,
    vendor_id INTEGER REFERENCES vendors(id),
    template_key VARCHAR(100) NOT NULL,
    language VARCHAR(5) NOT NULL,
    subject TEXT NOT NULL,
    html_body TEXT NOT NULL,
    text_body TEXT,
    is_active BOOLEAN DEFAULT TRUE,
    created_at TIMESTAMP,
    updated_at TIMESTAMP,
    UNIQUE(vendor_id, template_key, language)
);
```

## Rendering Flow

1. Email service receives request (e.g., send order confirmation)
2. Check for vendor override by `(vendor_id, template_key, language)`
3. If no override, use platform default by `(template_key, language)`
4. Render template with context variables
5. Send via email service

## API Endpoints (Proposed)

### Admin
- `GET /admin/email-templates` - List all platform templates
- `GET /admin/email-templates/{key}` - Get template by key
- `PUT /admin/email-templates/{key}` - Update platform template
- `POST /admin/email-templates/{key}/preview` - Preview template

### Vendor
- `GET /vendor/email-templates` - List available templates with override status
- `GET /vendor/email-templates/{key}` - Get template (override or platform)
- `PUT /vendor/email-templates/{key}` - Create/update override
- `DELETE /vendor/email-templates/{key}` - Remove override (revert to platform)
- `POST /vendor/email-templates/{key}/preview` - Preview with vendor context

## UI Considerations

- Admin: Template editor with WYSIWYG or code view
- Vendor: Simple override interface showing platform default as reference
- Placeholder validation on save
- Preview with sample data

## Notes

- Email templates feature is NOT part of the current settings page
- Contact support messaging in settings directs vendors to admin
- Full implementation to follow CMS pages pattern