Getting started with the Wati APIs

Use V3 for supported operations. This page and its examples belong to documentation version 2.6; API route versions are separate.

1. Configure your account

Generate a scoped API token in your WATI account. Follow Authentication for the current token flow and permissions. Store the token in WATI_API_TOKEN using your client or secret manager.

Set WATI_API_HOST to the host provided for your account, such as https://live-mt-server.wati.io, without a tenant ID or /api suffix. Use that account's regional host; do not move its credentials to another region.

2. Discover a supported channel and conversation

curl --request GET "${WATI_API_HOST}/api/ext/v3/channels?page_number=1&page_size=20" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer ${WATI_API_TOKEN}"

curl --request GET "${WATI_API_HOST}/api/ext/v3/conversations?page_number=1&page_size=20" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer ${WATI_API_TOKEN}"

Use a returned conversation id as the target. Check its channel_type and the intended workspace. Listing can be limited by active channel scope; an empty page does not establish that the account has no conversations. Do not invent IDs or substitute a contact ID for a conversation ID.

See List conversations for filters/pagination and Target formats for endpoint-specific identifiers.

3. Send one permitted reply

Confirm the recipient and text before running this request. Replace <conversation-id> with the ID selected above.

curl --request POST "${WATI_API_HOST}/api/ext/v3/conversations/messages/text" \
  --header "Authorization: Bearer ${WATI_API_TOKEN}" \
  --header 'Content-Type: application/json' \
  --data '{"target":"<conversation-id>","text":"Hello from WATI","is_bot":true}'

This REST operation currently supports WhatsApp and Instagram. It requires an active customer-service/reply window and the applicable permissions. is_bot=true is the default for automated replies. false is for a genuine Instagram human-agent reply within its granted deadline; it does not grant a longer deadline or reopen an expired session.

Check the Send text response. Retain the returned message identifiers and verify the final result through supported delivery webhooks or message history. A response does not prove delivery. On a timeout or other unknown send result, reconcile the original attempt before resending.

4. Continue with the correct contract

• V3 text recipe: examples in five languages.
• V3 WhatsApp template recipe: approved templates, business results and partial-recipient handling.
• Webhooks: current V2 creation exception and V3 management.
• Errors and limits: HTTP status, batch limits and safe recovery.
• MCP: connect an agent to product tools; use its signed-in tool definitions and check permissions.

Use a documented V1/V2 exception only when V3 cannot complete that business operation. V3 uses /api/ext/v3/... with a host-only base; legacy routes use /{tenantId}/api/v1/... or /{tenantId}/api/v2/.... Existing legacy clients remain supported according to their own endpoint contracts. Start with the version-selection guidance.