# Snippets A snippet is a reusable piece of content that you can define in Airship for later use in your messages and templates. A single snippet can be used in multiple channels. Snippets support text or HTML content and can be used for commonly used elements such as a copyright, header image, or custom CSS. ## About snippets When you edit a snippet, the changes automatically update anywhere that snippet is in use. For scheduled and recurring messages, resave the message to update the message with the latest version of the snippet. Example uses: * **Company branding** — Create an HTML snippet with your company's colors. When the colors need to be updated, edit the hex values in the snippet. * **Header and footer blocks** — Create HTML snippets for the headers and footers you use for messages across different channels. * **Streamline inserting** [External Data Feeds](https://www.airship.com/docs/reference/glossary/#external_feed) — Create a snippet that references an external data feed. Instead of using the longer format and process used to insert a feed, use the shorter snippet format: `{{>snippet_ID}}`. You create snippets in the dashboard, and you can insert them into your messages and templates using both the dashboard and API. You can assign keywords to your snippets so they are easily found in search. > **Tip:** Add plain text and HTML in the same snippet for email messages so the plain text version appears for clients that do not support HTML, or for content that will be used across multiple channels. > **Note:** Snippets are not supported for Scenes or In-App Automations. ### Snippet format A snippet has three parts: * **Name** — Used for identification in the list of all snippets in your project. * **ID** — Used to reference the snippet in your message. The snippet ID is generated automatically based on the snippet name, though you have the option to change it. * **Content** — The text or HTML that is inserted in your message where the snippet is referenced. ### Personalizing snippets You can use [Handlebars](https://www.airship.com/docs/reference/glossary/#handlebars) and [External Data Feeds](https://www.airship.com/docs/reference/glossary/#external_feed) to insert [Merge Fields](https://www.airship.com/docs/reference/glossary/#merge_field) and [Dynamic Content](https://www.airship.com/docs/reference/glossary/#dynamic_content) to personalize messages for each individual member of your audience. The dashboard supports previewing content that contains Handlebars. See [Previewing personalized content](https://www.airship.com/docs/guides/personalization/previewing/). You can also pass template variables into a snippet to customize it for a specific message. For example, you might set up a "footer" snippet with a dynamic URL as its content like this: ```html ``` When including the snippet in your message, you can pass in one or more of the variables. You would add the snippet to your message text like this: ```text {{>footer utm_source="email" utm_campaign="newsletter"}} ``` ## Create a snippet You can create a maximum of 1,000 snippets per project. 1. Go to **Content** and select **Snippets**. 1. Select **Create snippet**. 1. Enter a name and description for the snippet. The snippet ID is automatically generated based on the name. * A snippet ID will not generate for a snippet name that contains only numbers and/or special characters. * If the name starts with a number and/or special characters, the generated ID omits the leading numbers and/or special characters. * Uppercase letters in the name are converted to lowercase in the ID. * Special characters in the name are converted to underscores in the ID and only appear if followed by numbers or letters. 1. (Optional) Edit the snippet ID. Letters, numbers, and underscores only, and must start with a letter and end with a letter or number. **You cannot change the snippet ID later.** 1. (Optional) Add keywords to help organize your snippets. Enter a term in the search field and select from results, or select *Add keyword: [term]*. Select to remove a keyword. You can add up to 10 keywords. 1. Select **Continue**. 1. Add your plain text and/or HTML content. 1. Select **Add **. 1. Enter your content. The preview updates as you type. > **Important:** Do not insert a snippet into another snippet. 1. Select **Done**. 1. Select **Save snippet** when you are done adding content. ## Insert a snippet You can insert a snippet anywhere that supports [Handlebars](https://www.airship.com/docs/reference/glossary/#handlebars) by entering its ID in the format `{{>snippet_ID}}`. > **Note:** Make sure that the location where you are using a snippet supports the content defined in the snippet. For example, an image URL or HTML will not render in a push notification since push notifications only support plain text. When using the [Interactive Editor](https://www.airship.com/docs/reference/glossary/#interactive_editor) and pasting or uploading HTML, a snippet is immediately rendered in the preview. If using the [WYSIWYG option](https://www.airship.com/docs/guides/messaging/features/wysiwyg-editor/about/), you can insert snippets into text or HTML content, but they will not render in the editor; you must select **Done** to see the preview. To include a snippet in an API request, reference the snippet by name in the `snippet_references` object, and invoke the snippet in your notification text. The example below loads a "signature" snippet and adds it to the end of the message. ```http POST /attachments HTTP/1.1 Authorization: Bearer Content-Type: application/json Accept: application/vnd.urbanairship+json; version=3 { "notification": { "alert": "Hi {{ name }}: Thanks for your purchase! {{> signature }}" }, "snippet_references": { "snippets": [ { "name": "signature" } ] } } ``` See [Snippet references object](https://www.airship.com/docs/developer/rest-api/ua/schemas/push/#snippetreferences) in our API reference for details. ## Managing snippets Go to **Content** and select **Snippets** to view the list of snippets in your project. Your last modified snippet is listed first. You can sort the list by name, snippet ID, or date modified. You can search by name, snippet ID, or keyword. Snippets that are used in template content are labeled "In use". Select a snippet name to open a drawer where you can do the following: * For the ID, select the copy icon () to copy it to your clipboard. * Edit the name, description, and keywords. Select **Save** after making your changes. * Select **Edit** or **Duplicate**, which are the same as the actions available from the more menu icon (), as described in the table below. * View the names of [Templates](https://www.airship.com/docs/reference/glossary/#template) that reference the snippet. Select a template name to open it. * View the date and time when the snippet was created and last modified. The following actions are available from the more menu icon () in the snippet list:
Action Description Steps
Edit Open the snippet for editing. You can change the content, name, description, and keywords.

Snippets are evaluated at send time, so if you schedule a message that contains a snippet and then edit that snippet, the scheduled message automatically uses the updated snippet content. Scheduled includes recurring messages.

 Select the more menu icon (), then Edit, make your changes, and then select Save snippet.
Duplicate Make a copy of the snippet in the current project or in a different project.

If duplicating to a different project and the snippet has dependencies, they are listed along with whether each dependency is copied to the destination project.

 First, choose to copy to the current project or a different one, and update the name, ID, description, and keywords. Then, select Duplicate.
View information and access additional actions Open the same drawer as when you select a snippet name. For what you can do in the drawer, see the list above this table. Select the more menu icon (), then View detail.
Delete Delete the snippet from your project. Deleting a snippet that is in use may impact messaging. Select the more menu icon (), then Delete.
Copy ID to clipboard Copy the snippet ID to your clipboard. Select the more menu icon (), then Copy ID to clipboard.