WAHA: A Self-Hosted WhatsApp REST API for Developers

Ever wanted to integrate WhatsApp messaging into your app but got stuck with API limitations or cloud services? WAHA (WhatsApp HTTP API) is an open-source solution that lets you run your own WhatsApp REST API server in minutes—no third-party dependencies, just your code talking to WhatsApp directly.

With over 2.7k GitHub stars and support for multiple backend engines (Node.js, Go, or browser-based), WAHA is built for developers who want control, flexibility, and no vendor lock-in.

What It Does

WAHA is a self-hosted REST API that bridges your applications and WhatsApp. Instead of relying on external services, you deploy it on your own infrastructure. It handles:

• Sending/receiving messages
• Managing contacts and groups
• Media uploads/downloads
• Session persistence

You get a standard HTTP interface to interact with WhatsApp, making it easy to automate workflows, build chatbots, or sync communications with your backend.

Why It’s Cool

• Three Engine Choices:
  • WEBJS: Browser-based (uses Puppeteer)
  • NOWEB: Node.js + WebSockets (no browser overhead)
  • GOWS: Go + WebSockets (lightweight and fast)
• Docker-Friendly: Pre-built images mean you can go from docker-compose up to a live API in seconds.
• No Cloud Dependency: Host it on your terms—ideal for privacy-focused or air-gapped environments.
• Active Development: Regular updates and a clear changelog (check the repo).

How to Try It

1. Quick Start:

   git clone https://github.com/devlikeapro/waha.git
   cd waha
   docker-compose up -d
   

   The API will be live at http://localhost:3000 (see the docs for endpoints).

2. Demo Dashboard:
   WAHA includes a web dashboard to test features—spin it up and play with messages, groups, and more at http://localhost:3000/dashboard.

Final Thoughts

WAHA is a solid pick if you need WhatsApp integration without handing over control (or data) to a SaaS provider. The multi-engine support means you can optimize for performance or ease of use, and the Docker setup removes deployment headaches.

Downsides? You’ll need to handle session management and scaling yourself—but for many projects, that’s a fair trade for independence.

Want to automate notifications, build a support bot, or just tinker? Give WAHA a shot.

Follow @githubprojects for more cool open-source finds.