Scripts, cron jobs, and AI agents all need email access. nylas email list provides it without SMTP configuration.
The nylas email list command fetches recent emails from your connected mailbox and displays them in your terminal. Filter by unread, starred, sender, or attachment status.
Syntax
nylas email list [grant-id] [--unread] [--limit N]
Enter fullscreen mode
Exit fullscreen mode
Examples
List recent emails:
nylas email list --limit 10
Enter fullscreen mode
Exit fullscreen mode
Unread only:
nylas email list --unread
Enter fullscreen mode
Exit fullscreen mode
JSON for scripting:
nylas email list --json --limit 20
Enter fullscreen mode
Exit fullscreen mode
When to Use This
Reach for nylas email list when you need to process email in shell scripts, cron jobs, CI/CD pipelines, or AI agent tool calls. Combine with --json to pipe output into other tools.
How It Works
The Nylas CLI abstracts away the differences between Gmail's API, Microsoft Graph, Exchange Web Services, and raw IMAP. You write one command; it works across all providers. This matters for automation â your cron job or CI pipeline doesn't need provider-specific logic.
Related Commands
Full docs: nylas email list reference â all flags, advanced examples, and troubleshooting.
All commands: Nylas CLI Command Reference
Get started: brew install nylas/nylas-cli/nylas â other install methods