DEV Community

Cover image for Build a WhatsApp Bot in 5 Minutes with Omdaa API
Omdaa API
Omdaa API

Posted on Edited on Originally published at omdaa.com

Build a WhatsApp Bot in 5 Minutes with Omdaa API

#javascript #whatsapp #nodejs #tutorial

Build a WhatsApp Bot in 5 Minutes with Omdaa API

WhatsApp is where your customers already are. In this tutorial you will send your first message, set up webhooks, and enable AI replies using Omdaa API — a developer-friendly WhatsApp Business platform that is free forever.

Series: Free Forever WhatsApp Dev · Full version on omdaa.com blog

Why Omdaa?

  • Free Forever — unlimited sessions & messages, no credit card
  • Official SDKs: Node.js (@omdaafreeapi/omdaa-api-client), Python, PHP, Go, Laravel — omdaa-sdk
  • Instant Webhooks with retries + circuit breaker
  • Omdaa AI auto-replies built-in
  • n8n, Zapier, and Cursor MCP (109 tools, v2.3)

Step 1: Create an account

Sign up free at omdaa.com/register — everything stays free, no subscription.

Step 2: Install the SDK 

npm install @omdaafreeapi/omdaa-api-client
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Python / PHP:

pip install omdaa
composer require omdaapi/omdaa-php
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Step 3: Get your API key

From the dashboard: API Keys → Create key. Copy it to your environment:

export OMDAA_API_KEY=your-api-key-here
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Step 4: Connect a WhatsApp session

Open Dashboard → Sessions, create a session, and scan the QR code with WhatsApp on your phone. Note the sessionId (e.g. default).

Or from Cursor MCP: create_session → get_qr.

Step 5: Send your first message 

const { OmdaaClient } = require('@omdaafreeapi/omdaa-api-client');

const client = new OmdaaClient({
  apiKey: process.env.OMDAA_API_KEY,
});

async function main() {
  const res = await client.messages.sendText({
    sessionId: 'default',
    to: '201234567890', // country code + number, no +
    message: 'Hello from Omdaa API!',
  });
  console.log('Sent:', res.data?.messageId);
}

main().catch(console.error);
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

TypeScript / ESM:

import { OmdaaClient } from '@omdaafreeapi/omdaa-api-client';

const client = new OmdaaClient({ apiKey: process.env.OMDAA_API_KEY! });
await client.messages.sendText({
  sessionId: 'default',
  to: '201234567890',
  message: 'Hello from Omdaa API!',
});
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Step 6: Set up a webhook 

await client.webhooks.set({
  url: 'https://yoursite.com/api/whatsapp-webhook',
  enabled: true,
  events: ['message', 'message.received', 'session'],
});

const test = await client.webhooks.test();
console.log('Webhook test:', test);
Enter fullscreen mode Exit fullscreen mode

Your endpoint receives JSON for inbound messages, delivery status, and session events — build bot logic there, pipe to n8n, or enable Omdaa AI for automatic replies without an external LLM key.

Step 7 (optional): Omdaa AI bot

Go to Dashboard → Omdaa AI, pick your session, create a bot, and enable Use Omdaa AI. Unlimited AI replies are included in Free Forever.

Prefer agents? Cursor MCP

  1. Cursor Directory → omdaa-api → Add to Cursor
  2. Set OMDAA_API_KEY
  3. Use send_text_message, set_webhook, upsert_openai_bot

Next in this series

  1. Build a WhatsApp Bot in 5 Minutes ← you are here
  2. Free Forever Migration Guide
  3. Omdaa AI + n8n
  4. Zapier MCP → Google Sheets

Resources

Omdaa API — Free Forever. No paid plans. Start building today.

Top comments (0)