Step 1: Requirements for Setting Up Your Server

1. Server Environment:

   • You need a Linux-based server (Ubuntu is recommended) for this setup. You can use cloud providers like AWS, Google Cloud, or DigitalOcean to set up your server.
   • Ensure that you have root access or sudo access to the server.

2. WhatsApp Business API Client:

   • Meta’s WhatsApp Business API Client is the core of this process. You'll be using it to interact with WhatsApp.
   • A phone number (with a dedicated SIM card) for WhatsApp Business is needed.

3. Docker:

   • WhatsApp Business API Client runs in a Docker container. Docker simplifies deployment and ensures consistency in your environment.

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Step 2: Set Up the Server

1. Provision a Server:

   • If you're using a cloud provider, create a new Ubuntu server instance. For example, on AWS EC2:
     • Select an Ubuntu instance (preferably 20.04 LTS or later).
     • Ensure the instance has at least 2 GB of RAM and 30 GB of disk space for smooth operation.
     • Allow ports 443 (HTTPS) and 80 (HTTP) for inbound connections in the security group settings.

2. Install Docker:

   • SSH into your server and install Docker:

     sudo apt update
     sudo apt install -y docker.io
     sudo systemctl enable docker
     sudo systemctl start docker

3. Install Docker Compose (to manage multi-container applications):

   sudo apt install -y docker-compose

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Step 3: Download and Install the WhatsApp Business API Client

1. Clone WhatsApp Business API Client Repository:

   • Use Docker to run the WhatsApp API client.
   • First, pull the Docker image for the WhatsApp Business API Client:

     docker pull whatsapp/business-api

2. Configure the API Client:

   • After the image is pulled, you’ll need to configure the environment variables and settings.
   • Create a configuration file for your WhatsApp Business API client. Typically, you’ll create a file like docker-compose.yml to define the services.
   • You’ll need to define things like the database credentials, API settings, and authentication for the phone number you’re registering with WhatsApp.

3. Start the API Client:

   • Run the container with Docker:

     docker-compose up -d

   • This command will start the WhatsApp Business API client in the background.

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Step 4: Set Up and Verify Your Phone Number

1. Register the Phone Number:

   • Once the client is running, you can use the POST /v1/account API to register your phone number. This will initiate the verification process.

2. Verify the Phone Number:

   • You'll be asked to provide a verification code sent via SMS or Voice call. Complete the process by sending the code to the server via the API.

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Step 5: Set Up API Access and Start Sending Messages

1. Access Your API:

   • The WhatsApp API Client will provide you with a REST API endpoint to send messages, manage contacts, and more.
   • You'll typically access the API via https://your-server-ip:443 or a custom domain if you have one.

2. Send Test Messages:

   • After the phone number is verified, you can start sending WhatsApp messages using the API.

   Example of sending a message via the API:

   curl -X POST https://your-server-ip:443/v1/messages \
     -H "Authorization: Bearer <YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN>" \
     -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
     -d '{
       "to": "recipient_number",
       "type": "text",
       "text": {
         "body": "Hello from WhatsApp Business API!"
       }
     }'

   Replace <YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN> with your API token, your-server-ip with your server’s IP or domain, and recipient_number with the phone number you are sending the message to.

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Step 6: Monitor and Maintain Your Server

1. Monitor API and Server Health:

   • Regularly monitor the server’s health (CPU, memory, disk space) and the WhatsApp API Client’s logs.
   • Use tools like Docker stats to monitor container health.

2. Update the API Client:

   • Keep the WhatsApp Business API Client and Docker up to date to avoid security vulnerabilities.

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Alternative: Use a Cloud Provider’s Managed Service

If setting up your own server feels too complex, you might consider using a cloud-based WhatsApp Business API provider like Twilio, 360dialog, or Vonage. These providers offer managed services where they handle all the backend setup for you, so you can focus on integration.

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Let me know if you want further guidance on any of these steps!