⚡ Quick Start

Step-by-Step guide#

On this page, you’re going to install and run WAHA, authenticate the client using a QR code, and send your first message to WhatsApp using the API!

We will guide you through the necessary steps to successfully send your first text message using the WhatsApp API.

Step 0. Requirements#

WAHA works on top of Docker, that’s the only thing you’ll need!

👉 Please follow the Docker official guides to install it on Linux, Windows, and macOS

Step 1. Download image#

Assuming you have installed Docker, let’s download the image! Follow the instructions below:

docker pull devlikeapro/waha

docker login -u devlikeapro -p {KEY}
docker pull devlikeapro/waha-plus
docker logout

# Download the image
docker pull devlikeapro/waha:arm
# Rename it, so you can use devlikeapro/waha image in other place
docker tag devlikeapro/waha:arm devlikeapro/waha

docker login -u devlikeapro -p {KEY}
docker pull devlikeapro/waha-plus:arm
docker logout

# Rename it, so you can use devlikeapro/waha image in other place
docker tag devlikeapro/waha-plus:arm devlikeapro/waha-plus

Step 2. Init WAHA#

Generate a .env file that we’ll use in the next step for credentials:

docker run --rm -v "$(pwd)":/app/env devlikeapro/waha init-waha /app/env

Credentials generated.

Dashboard and Swagger:
  - Username: admin
  - Password: 11111111111111111111111111111111

API key: 
  - 00000000000000000000000000000000

Use it in the Dashboard connection flow: https://waha.devlike.pro/docs/how-to/dashboard/#api-key

Remember these values (you can always check the .env file if you forget them):

• Username / Password: admin / 11...11 - use them to access the Dashboard and Swagger UI
• Api Key: 00...00 - use it to connect to your server

👉 You can change variables to any values, but use long strings (like UUIDv4)

Step 3. Run WAHA#

Run WhatsApp HTTP API:

docker run -it --env-file "$(pwd)/.env" -v "$(pwd)/sessions:/app/.sessions" --rm -p 3000:3000 --name waha devlikeapro/waha

Now, open the 📊 Dashboard at http://localhost:3000/dashboard

Use username/password from the previous step (.env file - WAHA_DASHBOARD_USERNAME / WAHA_DASHBOARD_PASSWORD):

Next, connect to the server using api key from the previous step (.env file - WAHA_API_KEY):

Step 4. Start a new session#

To start a new session, you should have your mobile phone with the WhatsApp application installed close to you.

Here is the official instruction on WhatsApp site on how to log in.

Now you can start the default session (current status should be STOPPED).

You can leave all configuration parameters as default:

Step 5. Get and scan QR#

Wait until the session status is SCAN_QR and click on the “camera” icon:
👉 If instead of the QR you see Click to reload QR - stop the session and start it again.

You’ll see the QR code from the WhatsApp Web app. Now get your phone with the WhatsApp application installed and scan the QR:

The session status will move to WORKING status:

Step 6. Send a text message#

Now we’re ready to send the first messages to WhatsApp via the API!

• Replace 123123 with your phone number without +, but keep the @c.us part.
• Use the API key from your .env file (WAHA_API_KEY).

The examples below use a placeholder 00000000000000000000000000000000 - swap it with your real value:

curl -X 'POST' \
  'http://localhost:3000/api/sendText' \
  -H 'accept: application/json' \
  -H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  -H "X-Api-Key: 00000000000000000000000000000000" \
  -d '{
  "chatId": "123123@c.us",
  "text": "Hi there!",
  "session": "default"
}'

fetch('http://localhost:3000/api/sendText', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    'Accept': 'application/json',
    'Content-Type': 'application/json',
    'X-Api-Key': '00000000000000000000000000000000'
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    chatId: "123123@c.us",
    text: "Hi there!",
    session: "default"
  })
})
.then(response => response.json())
.then(data => console.log(data))
.catch(error => console.error('Error:', error));

import requests

url = "http://localhost:3000/api/sendText"
headers = {
    "Accept": "application/json",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
    "X-Api-Key": "00000000000000000000000000000000"
}
data = {
    "chatId": "123123@c.us",
    "text": "Hi there!",
    "session": "default"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=data, headers=headers)
print(response.json())

As alternative to curl, you can use 📚 Swagger for that.

Open Swagger at http://localhost:3000/#/chatting .

Authorize using the Api Key (.env file - WAHA_API_KEY):

• Scroll down to chatting section.
• Find POST /api/sendText endpoint and expand it
• Click Try it out
• Replace 123123@c.us with your phone number without +, but keep @c.us part
• Click Execute

What’s next?#