Python

WhatsApp API + Python examples.

We’ve created a few examples on how to interact with WAHA WhatsApp API with Python.

You can find the examples in examples folder on GitHub with detailed instructions in README.md ->

Installation

We assume that you have installed software:

  1. Python 3
  2. Docker

Download and start image

First of all, you must run WhatsApp API locally (which under the hood it runs real WhatsApp Web instance and expose HTTP API for interaction).

Here are the steps from Quick Start:

Download and start WhatsApp API docker container

# Download the image
docker pull devlikeapro/waha
# Run the docker container
docker run -it --rm --network=host -e WHATSAPP_HOOK_URL=http://localhost:5000/bot -e "WHATSAPP_HOOK_EVENTS=*" --name waha devlikeapro/waha

# It prints logs and the last line must be
# WhatsApp API is running on: http://[::1]:3000

Download image - ARM

If you’re using ARM (like Apple Silicon, Apple M1, etc.) - use following commands to download the image

For Core version the command is

# 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
# Run the docker container
docker run -it --rm --network=host -e WHATSAPP_HOOK_URL=http://localhost:5000/bot -e "WHATSAPP_HOOK_EVENTS=*" --name waha devlikeapro/waha

# It prints logs and the last line must be
# WhatsApp API is running on: http://[::1]:3000

Start session and scan QR

  1. Open Swagger API in the browser http://localhost:3000/
  2. Start session and scan QR code in swagger
    1. Find POST /api/sessions request press Try it out and Execute it with default session name
    2. Find GET /api/screenshot and execute it - it must show QR code
    3. Scan QR code on your mobile WhatsApp application (that installed on your phone)
    4. Execute GET /api/screenshot once again - it must show the screenshot from WhatsApp Web.
  3. Send test text message - find POST /api/sendText and execute it with payload (change 12132132130 in the chatId to phone number that is registered in WhatsApp).
{
  "chatId": "12132132130@c.us",
  "text": "Hi there!",
  "session": "default"
}

If you see Hi there! message then you’re ready to run bots!

WhatsApp Echo Bot

The WhatsApp Echo Bot is a sample flask webhook server application that echoes back to you whatever you send it. It can serve as a basic reference for how to set up webhooks and reply to incoming messages.

# Clone the git repository with example
git clone https://github.com/devlikeapro/waha.git
# Open python example folder
cd waha/examples/python
# Install requirements
python -mpip install -r requirements.txt
# Run the bot
FLASK_APP=whatsapp_echo_bot.py flask run

Open http://127.0.0.1:5000/bot - if you see WhatsApp Echo Bot is ready! then the bot is ready to receive message!

Send message to the WhatsApp (that you used to scan QR code) and it’ll echo text back to you!

WhatsApp Download Files Bot

The WhatsApp Download Image Bot downloads all files people send to your WhatsApp and log the path for the file.

The bot works only with WAHA Plus version available with donations. Visit read more about difference between Core and Plus versions.

Download WAHA Plus version:

# Download the image
docker pull devlikeapro/waha-plus
# Run the docker container
docker run -it --rm --network=host -e WHATSAPP_HOOK_URL=http://localhost:5000/bot -e "WHATSAPP_HOOK_EVENTS=*" --name waha devlikeapro/waha-plus

Run the WhatsApp Download Files bot:

# Clone the git repository with example
git clone https://github.com/devlikeapro/waha.git
# Open python example folder
cd waha/examples/python
# Install requirements
python -mpip install -r requirements.txt
# Run the bot
FLASK_APP=whatsapp_download_files_bot.py flask run

Open http://127.0.0.1:5000/bot - if you see WhatsApp Download Files Bot! then the bot is ready to receive message with files!