whatsapp-cloud-api

whatsapp-cloud-api is a Node.js library for creating bots and sending/receiving messages using the Whatsapp Cloud API.

Contains built-in Typescript declarations.

!npm
!npm bundle size
!npm

Install

Using npm:

``bash
npm i whatsapp-cloud-api
`

Using yarn:

`bash
yarn add whatsapp-cloud-api
`

Usage

`js
import { createBot } from 'whatsapp-cloud-api';
// or if using require:
// const { createBot } = require('whatsapp-cloud-api');

(async () => {
try {
// replace the values below
const from = 'YOUR_WHATSAPP_PHONE_NUMBER_ID';
const token = 'YOUR_TEMPORARY_OR_PERMANENT_ACCESS_TOKEN';
const to = 'PHONE_NUMBER_OF_RECIPIENT';
const webhookVerifyToken = 'YOUR_WEBHOOK_VERIFICATION_TOKEN';

// Create a bot that can send messages
const bot = createBot(from, token);

// Send text message
const result = await bot.sendText(to, 'Hello world');

// Start express server to listen for incoming messages
// NOTE: See below under Documentation/Tutorial to learn how
// you can verify the webhook URL and make the server publicly available
await bot.startExpressServer({
webhookVerifyToken,
});

// Listen to ALL incoming messages
// NOTE: remember to always run: await bot.startExpressServer() first
bot.on('message', async (msg) => {
console.log(msg);

if (msg.type === 'text') {
await bot.sendText(msg.from, 'Received your text message!');
} else if (msg.type === 'image') {
await bot.sendText(msg.from, 'Received your image!');
}
});
} catch (err) {
console.log(err);
}
})();
`

Documentation

- API Reference.
- Tutorial for a step-by-step on how to get everything set up.

Examples

Sending other message types (read more in API reference):

`js
// Send image
const result = await bot.sendImage(to, 'https://picsum.photos/200/300', {
caption: 'Random jpg',
});

// Send location
const result = await bot.sendLocation(to, 40.7128, -74.0060, {
name: 'New York',
});

// Send template
const result = await bot.sendTemplate(to, 'hello_world', 'en_us');
`

Customized express server (read more below):

`js
import cors from 'cors';

// Create bot...
const bot = createBot(...);

// Customize server
await bot.startExpressServer({
webhookVerifyToken: 'my-verification-token',
port: 3000,
webhookPath: /custom/webhook,
useMiddleware: (app) => {
app.use(cors()),
},
});
`

Listening to other message types (read more in API reference):

`js
const bot = createBot(...);

await bot.startExpressServer({ webhookVerifyToken });

// Listen to incoming text messages ONLY
bot.on('text', async (msg) => {
console.log(msg);
await bot.sendText(msg.from, 'Received your text!');
});

// Listen to incoming image messages ONLY
bot.on('image', async (msg) => {
console.log(msg);
await bot.sendText(msg.from, 'Received your image!');
});
`

Notes

$3

By default, the endpoint for whatsapp-related requests will be: /webhook/whatsapp.
This means that locally, your URL will be: http://localhost/webhook/whatsapp.

You can use a reverse proxy to make the server publicly available. An example of this is ngrok.

You can read more on the Tutorial.

$3

The implementation above creates an express server for you through which it listens to incoming messages. There may be plans to support other types of server in future (PRs are welcome! :)).

You can change the port as follows:

`js
await bot.startExpressServer({
port: 3000,
});
`

By default, all requests are handled by the POST|GET /webhook/whatsapp endpoint. You can change this as below:

`js
await bot.startExpressServer({
webhookPath: /custom/webhook,
});
`

Note: Remember the leading /; i.e. don't use custom/whatsapp; instead use /custom/whatsapp.

If you are already running an express server in your application, you can avoid creating a new one by using it as below:

`js
// your code...
import express from 'express';
const app = express();

...

// use the app variable below:
await bot.startExpressServer({
app,
});
`

To add middleware:

`js
import cors from 'cors';

await bot.startExpressServer({
useMiddleware: (app) => {
app.use(cors()),
},
});
`

Full customized setup:

`js
import cors from 'cors';

await bot.startExpressServer({
webhookVerifyToken: 'my-verification-token',
port: 3000,
webhookPath: /custom/webhook,
useMiddleware: (app) => {
app.use(cors()),
},
});
`

$3

This library uses a single process pubsub, which means that it won't work well if you're deploying on multi-instance clusters, e.g. distributed Kubernetes clusters. In future, there may be plans to export/support a pubsub reference which can be stored in extenal storage, e.g. redis (PRs are welcome! :)).

Development

`bash


install npm modules

npm i

eslint

npm run lint

typescript check

npm run ts-check

test

Read 'Local Testing' below before running this

npm t

build

npm run build
`

$3

Create a .env file in the root of your project:

`txt
FROM_PHONE_NUMBER_ID=""
ACCESS_TOKEN=""
VERSION=""
TO=""
WEBHOOK_VERIFY_TOKEN=""
WEBHOOK_PATH=""
``

$3

Library API inspired by node-telegram-bot-api.

Pull Requests

Any and all PRs are open.