How do ESPs like SendGrid or Cakemail standardize bounce data?

ESPs standardize bounce data for consistent handling:

Standardization process:

Receive raw SMTP responses. Parse using bounce dictionaries. Map to standard categories. Store in consistent schema. Present through unified interface.

Standard categories:

Hard bounce (permanent). Soft bounce (temporary). Block bounce (reputation/policy). Technical bounce (infrastructure). Unknown (unclassified).

API representation:

Consistent field names across providers. Normalized timestamps. Standardized reason codes. Original data preserved for reference.

Benefits:

Consistent automation rules. Cross-provider reporting. Simplified integration. Predictable data structure.

Limitations:

Some detail lost in normalization. Provider-specific nuances may be hidden. May need raw logs for deep troubleshooting.

ESPs translate chaos into consistency. Standardized data enables automation at scale.