Firebase not responding to cloud function - reactjs

Question

I am adding data to the realtime database with React JS, a contact form and the firebase initialized. That all works.
However, I'm trying to implement an email to be sent to me when a new contact form has been submitted. CURRENT PROBLEM: The cloud function is deployed yet when I submit the form (and realtime db is added to), nothing happens. Not even an error message in the firebase console.
Please can you take a look at my code and offer some advice as to how I can get the automatic emails sent.
const functions = require('firebase-functions')
const admin = require('firebase-admin');
const nodemailer = require('nodemailer');
admin.initializeApp()
require('dotenv').config()
const email = process.env.REACT_APP_SENDER_EMAIL;
const pass = process.env.REACT_APP_SENDER_PASS;
exports.sendEmailNotification = functions.firestore.document('messages/{id}')
.onCreate((snap, ctx) => {
const data = snap.data();
let authData = nodemailer.createTransport({
host: 'smtp.gmail.com',
port: 465,
secure: true,
auth: {
user: email,
pass: pass
}
});
authData.sendMail({
from: data.email,
to: data.to,
subject: data.name + ' sent a message',
text: data.text,
}).then(res => console.log('email sent')).catch(err => console.log(err));
});

Answer 1

Your function needs to return a promise that resolves when all the asynchronous work is complete.
return authData.sendMail({
from: data.email,
to: data.to,
subject: data.name + ' sent a message',
text: data.text,
})
Returning this promise lets Cloud Functions know when it's safe to clean up and move on.

Answer 2

I first attempted creating this as a firebase cloud function as well, but I shifted towards building nodemailer on the server. Working in firebase cloud functions I was using the loophole of downgrading to node: 8 in package.json (which is deprecated) and I was being forced into making a Google firebase paid plan. Both items were driving me into a corner that I didn't want to be in.
This is the result of nodemailer in node.js thanks to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF9g1825mwk
const express = require('express')
require('dotenv').config()
const bodyParser = require('body-parser')
const exphbs = require('express-handlebars')
const path = require('path')
const nodemailer = require('nodemailer')
const app = express()
const email_from = process.env.EMAIL_FROM;
const sender_pass = process.env.SENDER_PASS;
const email_to = process.env.EMAIL_TO;
// View engine setup
app.engine('handlebars', exphbs())
app.set('view engine', 'handlebars')
//body parser
app.use(bodyParser.urlencoded({ extended: false }));
app.use(bodyParser.json());
//static folder
app.use('/public', express.static(path.join(__dirname, 'public')))
app.get('/', (req, res) => {
res.render('contact', { layout: false })
})
app.post('/send', (req, res) => {
const output = `
<p>You have a new submission</p>
<h3>Contact Details</h3>
<ul>
<li>Name: ${req.body.name}</li>
<li>Company: ${req.body.company}</li>
<li>Email: ${req.body.email}</li>
<li>Phone: ${req.body.phone}</li>
</ul>
<h3>Message</h3>
<p> ${req.body.message} </p> `;
async function main() {
// Generate test SMTP service account from ethereal.email
// Only needed if you don't have a real mail account for testing
// let testAccount = await nodemailer.createTestAccount();
// create reusable transporter object using the default SMTP transport
let transporter = nodemailer.createTransport({
host: "smtp.ethereal.email",
port: 587,
secure: false, // true for 465, false for other ports
auth: {
user: email_from,
pass: sender_pass
},
});
// send mail with defined transport object
let info = await transporter.sendMail({
from: email_from,
to: email_to,
subject: 'New Submission from Dean Productions!',
text: 'new submission',
html: output,
});
console.log("Message sent: %s", info.messageId);
// Message sent: <b658f8ca-6296-ccf4-8306-87d57a0b4321#example.com>
// Preview only available when sending through an Ethereal account
console.log("Preview URL: %s", nodemailer.getTestMessageUrl(info));
// Preview URL: https://ethereal.email/message/WaQKMgKddxQDoou...
res.render('contact', { layout: false, msg: 'Message has been sent!' })
}
main().catch(console.error);
})
app.listen(3000, () => console.log('Server started...'))