Text Messages

Text messages are the simplest form of WhatsApp messages. They allow you to send plain text content to your recipients.

Basic Usage

To send a text message, use the messages.text() method with a message object and recipient phone number:

import WhatsApp from 'meta-cloud-api';

// Initialize client
const whatsapp = new WhatsApp({
  phoneNumberId: YOUR_PHONE_NUMBER_ID,
  accessToken: 'YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN'
});

// Send text message
const response = await whatsapp.messages.text(
  { body: "Hello from Meta Cloud API!" },
  15551234567 // Phone number with country code
);

console.log(`Message sent with ID: ${response.data.messages[0].id}`);

Parameters

The text() method accepts the following parameters:

Parameter	Type	Description
message	object	The text message object containing the body text
recipient	string or number	The recipient's phone number with country code
replyMessageId	string (optional)	ID of a message to reply to

Message Object Properties

Property	Type	Description	Required
body	string	The text content of the message	Yes
preview_url	boolean	Whether to show URL previews in the message	No

Examples

Simple Text Message

const response = await whatsapp.messages.text(
  { body: "Hello! How can I help you today?" },
  15551234567
);

Text Message with URL Preview

When you include a URL in your message, you can enable URL previews:

const response = await whatsapp.messages.text(
  { 
    body: "Check out our website: https://example.com", 
    preview_url: true
  },
  15551234567
);

Formatting Text Messages

You can use basic formatting in your text messages:

const response = await whatsapp.messages.text(
  { 
    body: "This text can be *bold*, _italic_, ~strikethrough~, or ```monospace```." 
  },
  15551234567
);

Long Text Messages

WhatsApp supports messages up to 4096 characters:

const response = await whatsapp.messages.text(
  { 
    body: "This is a longer message that can contain detailed information. WhatsApp text messages can be up to 4096 characters long, giving you plenty of space to provide detailed information to your customers..." 
  },
  15551234567
);

Error Handling

try {
  const response = await whatsapp.messages.text(
    { body: "Hello from Meta Cloud API!" },
    15551234567
  );
  console.log("Message sent successfully:", response.data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error("Error sending text message:", error);
  
  // Handle specific error cases
  if (error.response && error.response.data) {
    console.log("Error details:", error.response.data);
  }
}

Best Practices

1. Keep messages concise: While WhatsApp supports long messages, shorter messages typically have better engagement.

2. Use formatting sparingly: Use formatting to highlight important information, but don't overuse it.

3. Consider time zones: Be mindful of when you're sending messages to avoid disturbing recipients during off-hours.

4. Personalize messages: When possible, personalize messages with the recipient's name or relevant information.

5. Include clear calls to action: If you want the recipient to take action, make it clear what they should do next.