RUBY QUICKSTART

Send your first WhatsApp message in under 5 minutes. You need a WA Bridges API key - get one from the dashboard.

1. INSTALL

SHELL

gem install sinatra

ENV

export WA_API_KEY="sk_..."

2. PROVISION A BRIDGE

One bridge = one WhatsApp number. customer_ref is your internal identifier (user ID, slug, etc.).

RUBY

require 'net/http'
require 'json'

API_KEY = ENV['WA_API_KEY']
BASE    = 'https://wabridges.com/api'

def wa_post(path, body)
  uri = URI("#{BASE}#{path}")
  req = Net::HTTP::Post.new(uri)
  req['Authorization'] = "Bearer #{API_KEY}"
  req['Content-Type']  = 'application/json'
  req.body = body.to_json
  res = Net::HTTP.start(uri.host, uri.port, use_ssl: true) { |h| h.request(req) }
  JSON.parse(res.body)
end

bridge = wa_post('/instances', {
  customer_ref: 'user-123',
  webhook_url:  'https://yourbackend.com/hook'
})
pp bridge

RESPONSE

{"id": 42, "customer_ref": "user-123", "state": "running"}

3. PAIR A PHONE

Request a pairing code. Open WhatsApp on the phone, go to Linked Devices → Link a device → Link with phone number, then enter the code.

RUBY

result = wa_post('/instances/user-123/proxy/pair', { phone: '15550001234' })
puts "Enter this code on the phone: #{result['code']}"

RESPONSE

{"code": "ABCD-EFGH"}

Once paired, the bridge fires a connected webhook event. Poll /proxy/status or wait for the event.

4. SEND A MESSAGE

RUBY

msg = wa_post('/instances/user-123/proxy/send/text', {
  chat: '15559876543',
  body: 'Hello from the API!'
})
puts msg['message_id']

RESPONSE

{"message_id": "ACE41E...", "timestamp": 1777180605}

5. RECEIVE EVENTS

Inbound messages and events are delivered via POST to your webhook_url. Return 200 immediately.

RUBY

require 'sinatra'
require 'json'

post '/hook' do
  payload = JSON.parse(request.body.read)
  status 200
  if payload['event'] == 'message' && !payload['from_me']
    puts "#{payload['name']}: #{payload['body']}"
    # reply with wa_post(...)
  end
  ''
end

See the webhook guide for all event types and fields.