DEV Community: Sai Praveen Sanapalli

Complete WhatsApp Cloud API Setup Guide (2026) – From Facebook Account to Production Integration

Sai Praveen Sanapalli — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 20:08:44 +0000

WhatsApp has become one of the most important communication channels for businesses worldwide. With Meta's WhatsApp Cloud API, developers can integrate WhatsApp messaging directly into their applications without managing their own WhatsApp infrastructure.

However, many developers find the initial setup confusing because multiple Meta components are involved:

Facebook Account
Facebook Page
Meta Business Portfolio
Meta Developer Account
Meta App
WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)
System User
Access Tokens
Webhooks
Message Templates

This guide walks through the complete end-to-end setup process, from creating the required Meta assets to sending production WhatsApp messages through the Cloud API.

What You Will Build

By the end of this guide, you will have:

✅ Verified Meta Business Portfolio

✅ Meta Developer Account

✅ Meta App with WhatsApp Product

✅ WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)

✅ Verified Production Phone Number

✅ Permanent Access Token

✅ Webhook Configuration

✅ Approved Message Templates

✅ Production-Ready WhatsApp Cloud API Integration

WhatsApp Cloud API Architecture

Facebook Account
        │
        ▼
Facebook Page
        │
        ▼
Meta Business Portfolio
        │
        ▼
Meta App 
        │
        ▼
WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)
        │
        ▼
Phone Number
        │
        ▼
Cloud API
        │
        ▼
Your Application

1: Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure the following are available:

Required

Personal Facebook Account
Facebook Page
Business Name
Business Email Address
Business Website
Business Verification Documents (GST Certificate, Certificate of Incorporation, Udyam/MSME Certificate, Business PAN, or other valid business proof)
Mobile Number for WhatsApp (preferably a new number, should not be banned/restricted, and ideally not used with unofficial WhatsApp tools)
Debit/Credit Card (for billing setup)
Domain Name and HTTPS-enabled Public Server (for webhook configuration)

2. Facebook Account Creation and Facebook Page Linking

Before setting up a Meta Business Portfolio or WhatsApp Business Platform, you must have:

Facebook Personal Account

A Facebook Personal Account is the standard Facebook user account used to access:

Meta Business Portfolio (Business Manager)
Meta Business Suite
Meta Developer Portal
WhatsApp Business Platform

No special configuration is required. A normal Facebook account is sufficient.

Facebook Page

A Facebook Page represents your business or brand on Meta platforms.

A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) is typically linked to a Facebook Page for business identity and management purposes.

Recommended Page Information

Configure the following details on the Facebook Page:

Page Name (Business/Brand Name)
Profile Picture (Company Logo)
Cover Photo
Business Description
Business Website
Business Email Address
Business Phone Number
Business Address (Optional)

These details help establish business identity and may assist during review and verification processes.

Scenario 1: No Facebook Account and No Facebook Page Exist

Step 1: Create a Facebook Personal Account

Go to Facebook.
Click Create New Account.
Enter your personal details.
Verify your email address and mobile number.
Complete your profile information.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA).

Step 2: Create a Facebook Page

Log in to your Facebook account.
Navigate to Pages.
Click Create New Page.
Enter:

Page Name
Category
Description
1. Add a profile picture and cover image.
2. Publish the page.
3. Facebook Personal Account created.
4. Facebook Page created.
5. The Facebook account automatically becomes the Page Admin.

Scenario 2: Facebook Account Exists, but No Facebook Page Exists

Step 1: Log in to Facebook

Use the existing Facebook account that will manage the business assets.

Step 2: Create a Facebook Page

Navigate to Pages.
Click Create New Page.
Enter:

Page Name
Category
Description
1. Add a profile picture and cover image.
2. Publish the page.
3. Existing Facebook Account is used.
4. New Facebook Page is created.
5. The Facebook account becomes the Page Admin.

Scenario 3: Facebook Account Exists and Facebook Page Already Exists

In this scenario, the Facebook Page is already owned or managed by another user or organization.

Step 1: Create or Use Your Facebook Account

Use the Facebook account that will be used for Meta Business Portfolio and WhatsApp Business Platform setup.

Step 2: Existing Page Admin Grants Access

The current Page Admin must:

Open the Facebook Page.
Navigate to:

Settings → Page Access

Click Add New under Facebook Access.
Search for the user's Facebook profile.
Send the invitation.

Step 3: Accept the Invitation

The invited user must:

Open Facebook notifications.
Review the Page access invitation.
Accept the invitation.

The user's Facebook account is linked to the existing Facebook Page.
The user can manage the Page according to the permissions granted by the Page Admin.

3. Create Meta Business Portfolio and Complete Business Verification

Create Business Portfolio

Go to:

https://business.facebook.com

Log in using your Facebook account.
Click Create Account.
Enter:

Business Name
Business Email
Your Name
1. Click Submit.

This creates your Meta Business Portfolio (formerly Business Manager).

Link Business Assets

Link Facebook Page

Navigate to:

Business Settings → Accounts → Pages

Add:

Existing Facebook Page

Create a New Facebook Page

Optional assets:

Instagram Account
Ad Account

Confirm Business Email

Meta sends a verification email to the business email address.

Open the email and confirm ownership.

Complete Business Verification

Navigate to:

Business Settings → Security Center

Click Start Verification.

Provide:

Legal Business Name
Business Address
Business Phone Number
Business Website (recommended)

Upload supporting documents such as:

Certificate of Incorporation
GST Registration Certificate
Udyam (MSME) Registration
Business License
Utility Bill or Bank Statement (if requested)

Verify Contact Information

Meta may ask to verify:

Business Email
Business Phone Number
Domain Ownership (if website is provided)

Verification Status

Track verification from:

Business Settings → Security Center

Business verification typically takes between 1 and 7 days.

4. Create Meta Developer Account and Meta App

Go to:

https://developers.facebook.com

Log in using your Facebook account.
Accept the Meta Developer Terms.
Complete email verification if prompted.
Navigate to:

My Apps → Create App

Select Business as the app type.
Enter:

App Name
Contact Email
Business Portfolio
1. Click Create App.

Add WhatsApp Product

Open the newly created app.
Click:

Add Product → WhatsApp → Set Up

Meta provides:

Test WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)
Test Phone Number
Temporary Access Token

These resources are intended for development and testing purposes. You can immediately test WhatsApp Cloud API requests before configuring production assets.

5. Add Production Phone Number

Navigate to:

https://developers.facebook.com
Developer Console → Select App → WhatsApp → API Setup

Click Add Phone Number.

Provide:

Business Name
Display Name
Business Category
Phone Number

Complete verification using:

SMS OTP
Voice Call OTP

Important Notes

The phone number:

Must not already be registered with a personal WhatsApp account
Must not already be registered with WhatsApp Business App

If the number is already registered with WhatsApp, it must be migrated before it can be used with WhatsApp Cloud API.

After successful verification:

Phone number is associated with the WABA
Meta reviews the display name
Application can use the number through Cloud API

6. Check Display Name Status

Navigate to:

Business Settings → Accounts → WhatsApp Accounts → Phone Numbers

WhatsApp Manager → Phone Numbers

Display Name Status:

Approved
Pending Review
Rejected

Only approved display names can be used for production messaging.

If rejected, update and resubmit the display name.

7. WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)

A WhatsApp Business Account (WABA) is the container that manages all WhatsApp Business Platform assets.

Meta typically creates or associates a WABA during the onboarding process when a production phone number is added.

Manage WABA from:

Business Settings → Accounts → WhatsApp Accounts
WhatsApp Manager

WABA Management Features

Business Information

WABA Name
Business Portfolio
Business Details

Phone Numbers

Add or Remove Phone Numbers
Display Name Status
Quality Rating

Message Templates

Create Templates
Submit Templates for Approval
View Template Status

Users & Permissions

Add Admins
Assign Access

Messaging Limits

View Messaging Limits
Monitor Quality Rating

Billing

Payment Method
Billing Information
Usage and Charges

8. Create a System User

Navigate to:

https://business.facebook.com
Business Settings → Users → System Users

Click Add
Enter a name
Select Admin System User
Click Create

System Users are used for server-to-server authentication and generating permanent access tokens for API Integratios.

9. Assign Assets to the System User

Select the System User.

Click:

Assign Assets

Assign:

WhatsApp Business Account (WABA)

Permissions:

whatsapp_business_management
whatsapp_business_messaging

Meta App

Permissions:

Full Control (Recommended)

Save changes.

10. Generate a Permanent Access Token

Open the System User.
Click Generate New Token.
Select the Meta App.
Select permissions:

whatsapp_business_management
whatsapp_business_messaging
1. Generate the token.
2. Securely store it.

This permanent access token is used by your application to access the WhatsApp Cloud API in production.

11. Configure Billing

Navigate to:

WhatsApp Manager → Billing

Configure:

Payment Method
Billing Information

Billing allows you to:

Add payment methods
View conversation charges
Monitor usage and costs
Manage billing information

12. Configure Webhooks

Navigate to:

https://developers.facebook.com
Developer Console → Your App → WhatsApp → Configuration

Configure:

Callback URL

The endpoint that receives webhook events from Meta.

Example:

https://yourdomain.com/api/method/whatsapp.webhook

Verify Token

Custom secret token used during webhook verification.

Subscribe to Webhook Fields

Recommended:

messages
message_status
message_template_status_update

Webhook Use Cases

Receive:

Incoming Messages
Delivery Reports
Read Receipts
Message Status Updates
Template Status Updates

Webhook configuration is required for two-way messaging and real-time event processing.

13. Create Message Templates

Navigate to:

WhatsApp Manager → Message Templates

Create templates for:

OTP Messages
Welcome Messages
Notifications
Payment Reminders
Appointment Reminders
Marketing Campaigns

After creating a template:

Select the template category (Marketing, Utility, Authentication).
Configure the message content and variables.
Submit the template for Meta review.

Template Status

Pending
Approved
Rejected

Template approval typically takes from a few minutes to several hours, although it may take longer in some cases.

Only approved templates can be used to initiate conversations.

14. Test WhatsApp API Integration

Use:

Phone Number ID
Permanent Access Token

Testing Methods

Postman Testing

Postman Collection:

https://www.postman.com/meta/whatsapp-business-platform/collection

Provide:

Phone Number ID
Permanent Access Token

This is the most common method used for API testing and troubleshooting.

Application/API Integration Testing

Integrate the WhatsApp Cloud API into your application and test using your application code.

Examples: Python, Node.js,Java

Validate complete end-to-end integration.

Test the Following APIs

Send Message API

Send a basic text message.

Template Message API

Send an approved template.

Media Message API

Send:

Images
Documents
Audio
Video

Verify Integration

Confirm:

Messages are delivered successfully.
Incoming messages are received.
Webhooks are triggered correctly.
Delivery status updates are received.
Read receipts are received.
Template messages are delivered successfully.
Media messages are delivered successfully.

Resolve any API, webhook, permission, or configuration issues before moving to production.

15. Go Live

After all configurations are complete and verified, your WhatsApp Cloud API integration is ready for production use.

Go-Live Checklist

✓ Business Verification Completed
✓ Approved Display Name
✓ Verified Production Phone Number
✓ Approved Message Templates
✓ Permanent Access Token Generated
✓ Webhooks Configured and Working
✓ Billing Configured
✓ API Integration Tested Successfully
✓ Required Users and Permissions Configured

Once the checklist is complete, the WhatsApp Business Platform can be used for production messaging.

16. Production Integration Credentials Reference

After completing the WhatsApp Cloud API setup, collect and securely store the following credentials.

Credential	Purpose	Required For
App ID	Unique identifier of the Meta App	API management and token generation
App Secret	Secret key associated with the Meta App	Server-to-server authentication and security operations
Business Portfolio ID (Business Manager ID)	Identifier of the Meta Business Portfolio	Business asset management
WhatsApp Business Account ID (WABA ID)	Identifier of the WhatsApp Business Account	Template management and account management APIs
Phone Number ID	Identifier of the WhatsApp-enabled phone number	Sending messages through Cloud API
Permanent Access Token	Authentication token generated for the System User	All production API requests
Verify Token	Custom token configured during webhook setup	Webhook verification
Webhook Callback URL	Public HTTPS endpoint that receives Meta events	Incoming messages and status updates

Resources 👍

Meta WhatsApp Business Platform Documentation

https://developers.facebook.com/documentation/business-messaging/whatsapp/overview

Postman Collection

https://www.postman.com/meta/whatsapp-business-platform/collection

Conclusion

Setting up WhatsApp Cloud API involves several Meta services, including Business Portfolio, WABA, Developer Apps, System Users, Access Tokens, and Webhooks. While the onboarding process may initially seem complex, once configured correctly, it provides a scalable and reliable platform for integrating WhatsApp messaging into business applications.

Following this guide will help you move from a simple Facebook account to a fully production-ready WhatsApp Cloud API integration.

# 🚀 70+ VS Code Extensions Every Developer Should Know

Sai Praveen Sanapalli — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 19:02:20 +0000

Visual Studio Code is one of the most popular code editors among developers. While VS Code is powerful out of the box, the right extensions can significantly improve productivity, code quality, debugging, collaboration, and workflow management.

Here are 70+ useful VS Code extensions categorized by use case.

🐍 Python & Data Science

Python – Official Python support with debugging, IntelliSense, linting, and environment management.
Pylance – Fast IntelliSense, type checking, and auto-import suggestions.
Ruff – Extremely fast Python linter and formatter.
Black Formatter – Automatically formats Python code consistently.
Flake8 – Enforces coding standards and detects issues.
isort – Organizes and sorts imports automatically.
Python Test Explorer – Run and manage tests directly in VS Code.
Jupyter – Create and run notebooks inside VS Code.
Indent Rainbow – Makes indentation levels easier to read.

🌐 Web & Frontend Development

ES7+ React/Redux Snippets – Speed up React development with ready-made snippets.
Tailwind CSS IntelliSense – Autocomplete and validation for Tailwind CSS.
Prettier – Automatically formats code on save.
HTML CSS Support – Improves HTML and CSS IntelliSense.
CSS Peek – Jump directly to CSS definitions.
Auto Rename Tag – Renames paired HTML tags automatically.
Auto Close Tag – Inserts closing tags automatically.
Live Server – Launch local projects with live reload.
Live Share – Collaborate with teammates in real time.
Jest – Run and debug Jest tests directly.

🗄️ Databases

SQLTools – Connect to and query multiple databases.
PostgreSQL – Browse and run PostgreSQL queries.
MongoDB for VS Code – Explore collections and execute queries.
SQLite Viewer – Open SQLite databases directly.
Prisma – IntelliSense and formatting for Prisma schemas.
Rainbow CSV – Makes CSV files easier to read and analyze.

🔀 Git & GitHub

GitLens – Advanced Git insights and history tracking.
Git Graph – Visualize branches and commit history.
GitHub Pull Requests – Review and manage pull requests.
GitHub Actions – View workflow runs and statuses.
GitHub Codespaces – Launch cloud development environments.
GitHub Repositories – Browse repositories without cloning.
Settings Sync – Synchronize settings and extensions across devices.

✅ Code Quality & Formatting

ESLint – JavaScript and TypeScript linting.
Error Lens – Displays errors directly inline.
SonarQube for IDE – Detects bugs, vulnerabilities, and code smells.
Better Comments – Organize comments using visual highlights.
Code Spell Checker – Finds spelling mistakes in code and documentation.
DotENV – Syntax highlighting for environment files.

🔌 API Testing & Debugging

Thunder Client – Lightweight API testing inside VS Code.
REST Client – Execute HTTP requests from text files.
Turbo Console Log – Generate console logs instantly.

☁️ DevOps & Cloud

Docker – Manage containers and images.
Remote SSH – Develop directly on remote servers.
Dev Containers – Open projects inside containers.
Kubernetes – Manage clusters and workloads.
Terraform – Infrastructure as Code support.
YAML – Validation and IntelliSense for YAML files.
AWS Toolkit – Access AWS services directly from VS Code.
Makefile Tools – Work efficiently with Makefiles.

📝 Documentation & Diagrams

Markdown All in One – Productivity tools for Markdown editing.
Markdown Preview Enhanced – Rich Markdown preview and exports.
Mermaid Charts – Create flowcharts and diagrams with Mermaid.
Draw.io Integration – Build architecture and workflow diagrams.
CodeSnap – Create beautiful code screenshots.
vscode-pdf – View PDFs without leaving VS Code.

⚡ Productivity & Workflow

Path IntelliSense – Auto-complete file paths.
Project Manager – Quickly switch between projects.
Bookmarks – Save important code locations.
Todo Tree – Organize TODO and FIXME comments.
JSON Crack – Visualize JSON structures.
Peacock – Color-code workspaces.
Pomodoro Timer – Stay focused with timed work sessions.
WakaTime – Track coding activity automatically.
VSCodeVim – Vim keybindings for VS Code users.
One Dark Pro – Popular developer-friendly theme.
Material Icon Theme – Beautiful file and folder icons.
Color Highlight – Preview colors directly in code.
Paste JSON as Code – Generate typed models from JSON instantly.

💡 Pro Tip

Choose extensions based on your workflow, not popularity.
Too many extensions can impact performance and increase resource usage.
Keep your setup lean, fast, and productive. 🚀

What are your favorite VS Code extensions?

Drop your recommendations in the comments and help other developers discover useful tools.

Happy Coding! 💻

# AWS SES Setup Guide: Domain Verification, SMTP Configuration, DKIM, SPF & DMARC

Sai Praveen Sanapalli — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 18:55:53 +0000

Email delivery is a critical component of modern applications. Whether you're sending OTPs, transactional notifications, account alerts, invoices, or marketing campaigns, reliable email delivery is essential.

In this guide, we'll walk through the complete setup of Amazon Simple Email Service (AWS SES), including domain verification, DKIM, SPF, DMARC, SMTP credentials, and production access.

What is AWS SES?

Amazon Simple Email Service (AWS SES) is a cloud-based email service that enables businesses and developers to send and receive emails securely and at scale.

Key Benefits

Cost-effective email delivery
High deliverability
SMTP and API support
Easy integration with applications
Reputation monitoring
Scalable infrastructure
Security through SPF, DKIM, and DMARC

Step 1: Before You Start

Before configuring AWS SES, complete the following prerequisites.

Login to AWS Console

Select AWS Region

For users in India, use:

Asia Pacific (Mumbai) – ap-south-1

Important:
SMTP credentials are region-specific.
For SMTP and SMS credential generation, it is recommended to use the Mumbai (ap-south-1) region.

Create Identity Using Your Domain

Example:

alerts.yourcompany.com

AWS SES uses this domain identity for email authentication and reputation management.

Step 2: Create Domain Identity

Open AWS Console
Search for SES
Open Amazon Simple Email Service
Navigate to Verified Identities
Click Create Identity
Select Identity Type → Domain
Enter your domain

Example:

alerts.yourcompany.com

Enable Easy DKIM
Click Create Identity

AWS SES will generate:

TXT record for domain verification
Three DKIM CNAME records

Step 3: Configure DNS Records

Add the records generated by SES to your DNS provider.

TXT Record (Domain Verification)

Type: TXT
Value: amazonses-verification-token

DKIM Records

Type: CNAME
Count: 3

AWS provides these automatically.

SPF Record

Type: TXT

Value:
v=spf1 include:amazonses.com -all

SPF authorizes Amazon SES to send emails on behalf of your domain.

Step 4: Route 53 Configuration (Optional)

If your domain is hosted in Route 53:

Open Route 53
Select Hosted Zone
Add TXT verification record
Add DKIM CNAME records
Save changes

DNS propagation generally completes within:

5–15 minutes

Step 5: Configure Custom MAIL FROM Domain

Using a custom MAIL FROM domain improves deliverability and branding.

Example:

mail.alerts.yourcompany.com

Navigate to:

SES → Verified Identities → Domain → MAIL FROM Domain

Select:

Use Custom MAIL FROM Domain

Add MX Record

Type: MX

Value:
10 feedback-smtp.ap-south-1.amazonses.com

Add SPF Record

Type: TXT

Value:
v=spf1 include:amazonses.com -all

Step 6: Create Configuration Set (Optional but Recommended for monitoring)

Configuration Sets help monitor:

Deliverability
Bounce rates
Complaint rates
Reputation metrics

Steps:

Open SES
Navigate to Configuration Sets
Click Create Configuration Set
Enter a name

Example:

alerts-config

Enable Reputation Metrics
Attach SNS or CloudWatch event destinations

Step 7: Request Production Access

New AWS SES accounts start in Sandbox Mode.

Sandbox restrictions:

Can only send to verified email addresses
Limited sending quotas

To move to production:

Open SES Dashboard
Select Request Production Access
Fill in:

Use Case: Transactional Emails
Email Type: Transactional
Website: https://yourcompany.com

Approval typically takes:

2–24 hours

Step 8: Create SMTP Credentials

Navigate to:

SES → SMTP Settings

Click:

Create SMTP Credentials

AWS creates an IAM user and generates:

SMTP Username
SMTP Password

SMTP Endpoint (Mumbai Region)

Host:
email-smtp.ap-south-1.amazonaws.com

Port:
587

Encryption:
TLS

Important

Always use the SMTP endpoint that matches the region where credentials were generated.

Step 9: Test Email Delivery

You can test email delivery using:

Option 1

SMTP integration from your application.

Option 2

AWS SES test email functionality.

Option 3

Python Boto3 SDK.

After receiving the email:

Open Gmail → Show Original

Verify:

SPF: PASS
DKIM: PASS
DMARC: PASS

Step 10: Configure DMARC

DMARC adds an additional layer of protection against email spoofing.

Create:

Type: TXT

Host:
_dmarc.alerts.yourcompany.com

Value:
v=DMARC1; p=none; rua=mailto:admin@yourcompany.com;

After monitoring reports, you can move from:

p=none

p=quarantine

and eventually

p=reject

for stronger protection.

Email Deliverability Best Practices

Warm Up New Domains

Start with:

10–20 emails per day

and gradually increase volume.

Maintain Low Bounce Rates

Recommended:

Bounce Rate < 5%

Maintain Low Complaint Rates

Recommended:

Complaint Rate < 0.1%

Send Multipart Emails

Always send:

HTML version
Plain text version

Monitor Reputation Dashboard

Review:

Delivery rates
Bounce rates
Complaint rates
Reputation status

regularly.

High-Level Email Flow

Application
      ↓
AWS SES
      ↓
Domain Verification
      ↓
SPF + DKIM + DMARC
      ↓
Recipient Inbox
      ↓
High Deliverability

Conclusion

AWS SES provides a reliable, scalable, and cost-effective solution for sending transactional and notification emails. By properly configuring Domain Verification, DKIM, SPF, DMARC, Custom MAIL FROM, and SMTP credentials, you can significantly improve email deliverability and protect your domain reputation.

If you're building SaaS platforms, ERP systems, notification services, fintech applications, or customer communication platforms, AWS SES is one of the most efficient email delivery services available today.