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Whinself Learning Center

Welcome to Whinself, your self-hosted WhatsApp API REST client. This documentation will help you understand how to deploy and use your own WhatsApp API server with full control and privacy.

What is Whinself?​

Whinself is a powerful, self-hosted REST API client for WhatsApp Messenger. It allows you to deploy your own WhatsApp API server, giving you complete control over your WhatsApp integration while maintaining data privacy and security.

Important: Whinself is an unofficial, third-party tool that is not affiliated with, authorized, maintained, sponsored, or endorsed by WhatsApp or any of its affiliates. WhatsApp is a registered trademark of Meta Platforms, Inc.

With Whinself, you can:

  • Self-host your WhatsApp API: Deploy and manage your own WhatsApp API server
  • Full Control: Have complete control over your WhatsApp integration
  • Data Privacy: Keep your data secure and private on your own infrastructure
  • REST API Interface: Simple and intuitive REST API for WhatsApp interactions
  • Docker Support: Easy deployment using Docker containers
  • Flexible Configuration: Configure through JSON files or environment variables
  • Event Notifications: Receive real-time notifications for WhatsApp events
  • QR Code Management: Handle WhatsApp QR code generation and display
  • Logging Options: Multiple logging options including stdout and SSE

Key Features​

  • Self-hosted: Deploy and manage your own WhatsApp API server
  • REST API: Simple and intuitive REST API interface
  • Full Control: Complete control over your WhatsApp integration
  • Privacy: Keep your data secure and private
  • Scalable: Built for both small and large-scale deployments
  • Easy Integration: Simple integration with your existing applications
  • Docker Support: Containerized deployment for easy setup
  • Configurable: Flexible configuration through JSON or environment variables
  • Event System: Real-time event notifications
  • Logging: Multiple logging options for debugging and monitoring
  • Multi-architecture: Support for x86_64, ARM64, and ARM platforms

Use Cases​

Whinself can be used in various scenarios such as:

  • Customer Service: Build a customer service platform that handles WhatsApp messages
  • Notifications: Send automated notifications to users via WhatsApp
  • Chatbots: Create intelligent chatbots that communicate through WhatsApp
  • Integration: Connect WhatsApp with your existing systems (CRM, ERP, etc.)
  • Business Automation: Automate business processes that require WhatsApp communication
  • Marketing Campaigns: Run marketing campaigns via WhatsApp messaging
  • Survey Collection: Collect survey responses or feedback through WhatsApp

How It Works​

Whinself works by establishing a connection between your server and the WhatsApp network using your personal WhatsApp account credentials:

┌─────────────┐     ┌───────────┐     ┌───────────┐     ┌───────────────┐
│ Your Server │────▶│ Whinself  │────▶│ WhatsApp  │────▶│ End Users'    │
│ Application │◀────│ Container │◀────│ Network   │◀────│ WhatsApp      │
└─────────────┘     └───────────┘     └───────────┘     └───────────────┘
  1. Setup: Deploy Whinself container on your server
  2. Connect: Link Whinself to WhatsApp via QR code scanning using the WhatsApp app on your phone
  3. Integrate: Connect your applications to Whinself using the REST API
  4. Communicate: Send and receive WhatsApp messages through your applications

Note that this requires authenticating with your existing WhatsApp account, and you are responsible for ensuring your use complies with WhatsApp's Terms of Service.

Prerequisites​

Before you begin using Whinself, make sure you have:

  • A WhatsApp account
  • A container capable host to run your Whinself instance
  • Docker installed (version 20.10 or higher)
  • Basic understanding of REST APIs and containers deployment
  • Acceptance of WhatsApp's Terms of Service for your usage

Getting Started​

Ready to deploy your own WhatsApp API server? Check out our Installation Guide to get started with Whinself.

Documentation Structure​

The documentation is organized into the following sections:

  1. Installation & Configuration

  2. Basic Operations

    • Dashboard - Using the management dashboard
    • Contacts - Managing WhatsApp contacts
    • Chats - Sending and receiving messages
    • Groups - Managing WhatsApp groups
    • More... - Additional operational guides

  3. Tutorials & Advanced Topics

    • Various tutorials and advanced usage scenarios

Need Help?​

If you have questions or need help, please: