Get Started
A short step-by-step guide to sending and receiving messages with the Whizard WhatsApp API.
Prerequisites & Basic Setup#
1. Retrieve API Key#
In order to communicate with the whizardapi WhatsApp API, you need your WHIZARD-KEY, which is used for authentication against our platform.
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Each registered WhatsApp phone number has its own WHIZARD-KEY.
2. Set Webhook URL#
To receive notifications for in- and outbound messages, you have to set a webhook URL, that we use as a destination for all notifications belonging to you WhatsApp phone number.
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If you only want to test sending messages, you can skip this step and continue with 3. Check Contact Availability
Send & Receive Messages#
3. Check contact availability#
When sending messages via the Whizard WhatsApp API, you cannot use a phone number as recipient. Facebook requires to look up the wa_id , which is used as the only valid destination identifier, for each phone number you want to send a message.
At this step you will also receive the information of whether the phone number has a valid WhatsApp account or not.
Note
Only wa_id's with status valid can receive messages.
If you receive ‘processing’ status, use blocking=wait param? The request will take longer but result will be 'valid' or 'invalid'.
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An 'invalid' Phone Number can become 'valid' through correct formatting. Please make sure you follow Formatting Guidelines.
4. Send a message#
If you got a valid wa_id, you can start sending messages.
Note
If this wa_id did not sent a message to your WhatsApp Business Account within the last 24 hours, you can only reach this number with a template message.
5. Receive a message#
In case you have set a webhook URL as described in step 2. Set Webhook URL, you will have received a Outbound Message Status Notification for your test message by now.
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There are several other types of notifications. Learn more about webhooks.