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c#apichatbotwhatsappfacebook-chatbot

What are the steps to set up whats-app api

How can I set up the Whats-App API so that I can fetch some values from the Database and send it to the user who requests a piece of information?

What are the software and hardware requirements?

I have tried reading the documentation tried to install Docker but it said I want a better configuration to do so.

Does it only run on Linux at the moment?

Solution

  • To answer your question, there are few things you need to understand.

    1. WhatsApp is hosted under Facebook, when you want to send outbound message to user, you will be charged by a fee just like normal outbound SMS's work.(eg: Twilio, Nexmo and etc) You can google the fee, it is different by recipient country
    2. To send WhatsApp message through self-host API, you need link your WhatsApp number to business account(consider this is the most easy task)
    3. You also required register as Facebook partner.
    4. The docker installation is just a 'client' use to talk with WhatsApp, it won't "send" the message, what it can do is configure inbound message, save static image such as video, pdf, image and etc.
    5. After you set up your docker client, you need to fill in all the info in order to connect Whatsapp, especially the token.
    6. Just FYI, you won't be able to send Whatsapp message like outbound sms, you need retrieve the user Whatsapp ID store it and use it across all the services.
    7. last question, yes, because it is Docker.
    8. Twilio and Nexmo got provide Whatsapp API service, which you may consider.