🔄 Webhooks

The project uses Webhooks and Websockets to notify your application about the messages and events from WhatsApp.

Webhooks are a way for two different applications to communicate with each other in real-time. When a certain event happens in one application, it sends a message to another application through a webhook URL. The receiving application can then take action based on the information received.

Setup

Session webhooks

You can define webhooks configuration per session when you start it with POST /api/sessions/start request data.

Here’s a simple example:

{
  "name": "default",
  "config": {
    "webhooks": [
      {
        "url": "https://webhook.site/11111111-1111-1111-1111-11111111",
        "events": [
          "message"
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Here’s available configuration options for webhooks

{
  "name": "default",
  "config": {
    "webhooks": [
      {
        "url": "https://webhook.site/11111111-1111-1111-1111-11111111",
        "events": [
          "message"
        ],
        "hmac": {
          "key": "your-secret-key"
        },
        "retries": {
          "delaySeconds": 2,
          "attempts": 15
        },
        "customHeaders": [
          {
            "name": "X-My-Custom-Header",
            "value": "Value"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Global webhooks

There’s a way how you can configure webhooks for ALL sessions - by settings these environment variables:

WHATSAPP_HOOK_URL=https://webhook.site/11111111-1111-1111-1111-11111111 - to set up a URL for the webhook
WHATSAPP_HOOK_EVENTS=message,message.any,state.change - specify events. Do not specify all of them, it’s too heavy payload, choose the right for you.
WHATSAPP_HOOK_EVENTS=* - subscribe to all events. It’s not recommended for production, but it’s fine for development.

That webhook configuration does not appear in session.config field in GET /api/sessions/ request.

Connect Websockets

Alternatively, you can use Websockets to receive messages in real-time.

websocat -E ws://localhost:3000/ws

👉 Read more about it in the Websockets section below.

Webhook payload

On the URL that you set you’ll receive HTTP POST request with a JSON string with following format:

{
  "event": "message",
  "session": "default",
  "engine": "WEBJS",
  "environment": {
    "tier": "PLUS",
    "version": "2023.10.12"
  },
  "me": {
    "id": "71111111111@c.us",
    "pushName": "~"
  },
  "payload": {
  }
}

Where event value helps you identify the incoming event with payload for that events.

Below the list of all events that WhatsApp API sends to your.

💡 You can open https://webhook.site and paste UUID from it to url field, and you’ll see all requests immediately in your browser to intercept the webhook’s payload.

Run the bellow command and see look at the logs - it prints body request for all events that happen in your WhatsApp!

docker run -it -e "WHATSAPP_HOOK_EVENTS=*" -e WHATSAPP_HOOK_URL=https://webhook.site/11111111-1111-1111-1111-11111111 -p 3000:3000 devlikeapro/waha

Webhooks

See the list of engines that support the features ->.

session.status

The session.status event is triggered when the session status changes.

STOPPED - session is stopped
STARTING - session is starting
SCAN_QR_CODE - session is required to scan QR code or login via phone number
- When you receive the session.status event with SCAN_QR_CODE status, you can fetch updated QR ->
- The SCAN_QR_CODE is issued every time when QR updated (WhatsApp requirements)
WORKING - session is working and ready to use
FAILED - session is failed due to some error. It’s likely that authorization is required again or device has been disconnected from that account. Try to restart the session and if it doesn’t help - logout and start the session again.

{
    "event": "session.status",
    "session": "default",
    "me": {
        "id": "7911111@c.us",
        "pushName": "~"
    },
    "payload": {
        "status": "WORKING"
    },
    "engine": "WEBJS",
    "environment": {
        "version": "2023.10.12",
        "engine": "WEBJS",
        "tier": "PLUS"
    }
}

message

Incoming message (text/audio/files)

{
  "event": "message",
  "session": "default",
  "engine": "WEBJS",
  "payload": {
    "id": "true_11111111111@c.us_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA",
    "timestamp": 1667561485,
    "from": "11111111111@c.us",
    "fromMe": true,
    "to": "11111111111@c.us",
    "body": "Hi there!",
    "hasMedia": false,
    "ack": 1,
    "vCards": [],
    "_data": {
      "id": {
        "fromMe": true,
        "remote": "11111111111@c.us",
        "id": "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA",
        "_serialized": "true_11111111111@c.us_AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA"
      },
      "body": "Hi there!",
      "type": "chat",
      "t": 1667561485,
      "notifyName": "MyName",
      "from": "11111111111@c.us",
      "to": "11111111111@c.us",
      "self": "in",
      "ack": 1,
      "isNewMsg": true,
      "star": false,
      "kicNotified": false,
      "recvFresh": true,
      "isFromTemplate": false,
      "pollInvalidated": false,
      "latestEditMsgKey": null,
      "latestEditSenderTimestampMs": null,
      "broadcast": false,
      "mentionedJidList": [],
      "isVcardOverMmsDocument": false,
      "isForwarded": false,
      "hasReaction": false,
      "ephemeralOutOfSync": false,
      "productHeaderImageRejected": false,
      "lastPlaybackProgress": 0,
      "isDynamicReplyButtonsMsg": false,
      "isMdHistoryMsg": false,
      "stickerSentTs": 0,
      "isAvatar": false,
      "requiresDirectConnection": false,
      "pttForwardedFeaturesEnabled": true,
      "isEphemeral": false,
      "isStatusV3": false,
      "links": []
    }
  }
}

message.any

Fired on all message creations, including your own. The payload is the same as for message event.

{
  "event": "message.any",
  "session": "default",
  "engine": "WEBJS",
  "payload": {
    ...
  }
}

message.reaction

Receive events when a message is reacted to by a user (or yourself reacting to a message).

payload.reaction.text - emoji that was used to react to the message. It’ll be an empty string if the reaction was removed.
payload.reaction.messageId - id of the message that was reacted to.

{
    "event": "message.reaction",
    "session": "default",
    "me": {
        "id": "79222222222@c.us",
        "pushName": "WAHA"
    },
    "payload": {
        "id": "false_79111111@c.us_11111111111111111111111111111111",
        "from": "79111111@c.us",
        "fromMe": false,
        "participant": "79111111@c.us",
        "to": "79111111@c.us",
        "timestamp": 1710481111.853,
        "reaction": {
            "text": "🙏",
            "messageId": "true_79111111@c.us_11111111111111111111111111111111"
        }
    },
    "engine": "WEBJS",
    "environment": {
        "version": "2024.3.3",
        "engine": "WEBJS",
        "tier": "PLUS",
        "browser": "/usr/bin/google-chrome-stable"
    }
}

👉

NOWEB engine note - reactions were sent in 'message' and 'message.any' events, not it's available only in 'message.reaction'!

message.ack

Receive events when server or recipient gets the message, read or played it.

ackName field contains message status (ack has the same meaning, but show the value in int, but we keep it for backward compatability, they much to each other)

Possible message ack statuses:

ackName: ERROR, ack: -1
ackName: PENDING, ack: 0
ackName: SERVER, ack: 1
ackName: DEVICE, ack: 2
ackName: READ, ack: 3
ackName: PLAYED, ack: 4

The payload may have more fields, it depends on the engine you use, but here’s a minimum amount that all engines send:

{
  "event": "message.ack",
  "session": "default",
  "engine": "WEBJS",
  "payload": {
    "id":"true_11111111111@c.us_4CC5EDD64BC22EBA6D639F2AF571346C",
    "from":"11111111111@c.us",
    "participant": null,
    "fromMe":true,
    "ack":3,
    "ackName":"READ"
  }
}

message.revoked

The message.revoked event is triggered when a user, whether it be you or any other participant, revokes a previously sent message.

{
  "event": "message.revoked",
  "session": "default",
  "payload": {
    "before": {
      "id": "some-id-here",
      "timestamp": "some-timestamp-here",
      "body": "Hi there!"
    },
    "after": {
      "id": "some-id-here",
      "timestamp": "some-timestamp-here",
      "body": ""
    }
  }
}

Important notes:

The above messages’ ids don’t match any of the ids you’ll receive in the message event, it’s a different id.
In order to find the message that was revoked, you’ll need to search for the message with the same timestamp and chat id as the one in the after object.
before field can be null in some cases.

state.change

It’s an internal engine’s state, not session status.

{
  "event": "state.change",
  "session": "default",
  "engine": "WEBJS",
  "payload": {
    ...
  }
}

group.join

{
  "event": "group.join",
  "session": "default",
  "engine": "WEBJS",
  "payload": {
    ...
  }
}

group.leave

{
  "event": "group.left",
  "session": "default",
  "engine": "WEBJS",
  "payload": {
    ...
  }
}

presence.update

payload.id indicates the chat - either direct chat with a contact or a group chat.
payload.id.[].participant - certain participant presence status. For a direct chat there’s only one participant.

{
    "event": "presence.update",
    "session": "default",
    "engine": "NOWEB",
    "payload": {
        "id": "111111111111111111@g.us",
        "presences": [
            {
                "participant": "11111111111@c.us",
                "lastKnownPresence": "typing",
                "lastSeen": null
            }
        ]
    }
}

poll.vote

We have a dedicated page how to send polls and receive votes!

{
  "event": "poll.vote",
  "session": "default",
  "payload": {
    "vote": {
      "id": "false_1111111111@c.us_83ACBE602A05C79B234B54415E95EE8A",
      "to": "me",
      "from": "1111111@c.us",
      "fromMe": false,
      "selectedOptions": ["Awesome!"],
      "timestamp": 1692861427
    },
    "poll": {
      "id": "true_1111111111@c.us_BAE5F2EF5C69001E",
      "to": "1111111111@c.us",
      "from": "me",
      "fromMe": true
    }
  },
  "engine": "NOWEB"
}

poll.vote.failed

We have a dedicated page how to send polls and receive votes!

{
  "event": "poll.vote.failed",
  "session": "default",
  "payload": {
    "vote": {
      "id": "false_11111111111@c.us_2E8C4CDA89EDE3BC0BC7F605364B8451",
      "to": "me",
      "from": "111111111@c.us",
      "fromMe": false,
      "selectedOptions": [],
      "timestamp": 1692956972
    },
    "poll": {
      "id": "true_1111111111@c.us_BAE595F4E0A2042C",
      "to": "111111111@c.us",
      "from": "me",
      "fromMe": true
    }
  },
  "engine": "NOWEB"
}

Webhooks Advanced

HMAC authentication

You can authenticate webhook sender by using HMAC Authentication.

Define you secret key in config.hmac.key field when you start session with POST /api/sessions/start:

{
  "name": "default",
  "config": {
    "webhooks": [
      {
        "url": "https://webhook.site/11111111-1111-1111-1111-11111111",
        "events": [
          "message"
        ],
        "hmac": {
          "key": "your-secret-key"
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

After that you’ll receive all webhooks payload with two additional headers:

X-Webhook-Hmac - message authentication code for the raw body in HTTP POST request that send to your endpoint.
X-Webhook-Hmac-Algorithm - sha512 - algorithm that have been used to create X-Webhook-Hmac value.

Implement the authentication algorithm by hashing body and using secret key and then verifying it with X-Webhook-Hmac value. Please check your implementation here ->

Here’s example for

# Full body
{"event":"message","session":"default","engine":"WEBJS"}
# Secret key
my-secret-key
# X-Webhook-Hmac-Algorithm
sha512
# X-Webhook-Hmac
208f8a55dde9e05519e898b10b89bf0d0b3b0fdf11fdbf09b6b90476301b98d8097c462b2b17a6ce93b6b47a136cf2e78a33a63f6752c2c1631777076153fa89

Retries

WAHA retries to reach your webhook URL 15 times with 2 seconds delay between attempts by default in Plus Version →

You can configure those parameters by settings config.retries structure when POST /api/sessions/start:

{
  "name": "default",
  "config": {
    "webhooks": [
      {
        "url": "https://webhook.site/11111111-1111-1111-1111-11111111",
        "events": [
          "message"
        ],
        "retries": {
          "delaySeconds": 2,
          "attempts": 15
        }
      }
    ]
  }
}

Custom Headers

You can send any customer headers by defining config.webhooks.customHeaders fields this way:

{
  "name": "default",
  "config": {
    "webhooks": [
      {
        "url": "https://webhook.site/11111111-1111-1111-1111-11111111",
        "events": [
          "message"
        ],
        "customHeaders": [
          {
            "name": "X-My-Custom-Header",
            "value": "Value"
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  }
}

Websockets

You can use Websockets to receive messages in real-time.

Install websocat first.

# Listen all sessions and events
# -E to end the connection when the server closes it
websocat -E ws://localhost:3000/ws
# Listen all sessions and events (explicitly)
websocat -E ws://localhost:3000/ws?session=*&events=*

# Listen certain events
# (!) Only 'session.status' event is supported now
websocat -E ws://localhost:3000/ws?session=*&events=session.status

# If you're using HTTPS (SSL) connection
websocat -E wss://localhost:3000/ws?session=*&events=session.status

# If you're using Api Key - make sure to add it to the URL
websocat -E ws://localhost:3000/ws?x-api-key=123

# If you want to see the logs and ping the server every 10 seconds
websocat -v --ping-interval=10 -E ws://localhost:3000/ws

# Listen certain session
# NOT SUPPORTED YET
# websocat -E ws://localhost:3000/ws?session=default&events=session.status

⚠️ Right now websockets has limited support for events, but we’re working on it to add more events in the future.

No session filtering, you can listen to all sessions only.
Only session.status event is supported now.

Fill free to Create Feature Request if you need more events or per session filters.

Examples

Here’s few examples of how to handle webhook in different languages:

Python guide

Do you use another language?

Please create a short guide how to handle webhook and send message after you finish your setup! You can create a pull request with your favorite language in the GitHub, in examples folder ->.

Edit this page on GitHub

🔄 Webhooks

Setup #

Session webhooks #

Global webhooks #

Connect Websockets #

Webhook payload #

Webhooks #

session.status #

message #

message.any #

message.reaction #

message.ack #

message.revoked #

state.change #

group.join #

group.leave #

presence.update #

poll.vote #

poll.vote.failed #

Webhooks Advanced #

HMAC authentication #

Retries #

Custom Headers #

Websockets #

Examples #