WhatsApp Messaging API — MCP Server

Send WhatsApp messages from Claude, Cursor, or any MCP client. Create a session, scan a QR code, and send text, images and files — no Meta Business approval and no WhatsApp Business account required.

Wraps the WhatsApp Messaging API.

Quick start

Get a free API key from RapidAPI — no credit card.

Add this to your MCP client config (Claude Desktop: claude_desktop_config.json):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "whatsapp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "whatsapp-messaging-api-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "WHATSAPP_API_KEY": "your-rapidapi-key"
      }
    }
  }
}

Restart the client. Ask it to create a WhatsApp session and show you the QR code.

Nothing to install or build — npx fetches the package on first run.

Tools

Tool	Description
`list_sessions`	List all sessions on this API key
`create_session`	Create a new session
`get_session_status`	Check a session's current status
`get_qr_code`	Get the QR code to authenticate a session
`request_pairing_code`	Get an 8-digit pairing code instead of a QR
`check_contact_exists`	Check if a phone number is on WhatsApp before sending
`send_text_message`	Send a text message
`send_image`	Send an image via URL
`send_file`	Send a file (PDF, document) via URL

Typical flow

create_session → get_qr_code → scan with WhatsApp (Settings → Linked Devices)
get_session_status until it reports WORKING
check_contact_exists, then send_text_message / send_image / send_file

Sessions stay authenticated between runs, so steps 1-2 are one-time per number.

Configuration

Variable	Required	Description
`WHATSAPP_API_KEY`	yes	Your RapidAPI key. The server exits on startup if it is missing.

The key is read from the environment and sent only to the API host. It is never logged.

Local development

git clone https://github.com/jevil25/whatsapp-messaging-api-mcp.git
cd whatsapp-messaging-api-mcp
npm install
npm run dev      # runs src/index.ts directly via tsx, no build step
npm run build    # compile to dist/
npm test         # boots the built server and drives a real MCP handshake

npm test needs no credentials — it passes a dummy key, which gets far enough to list tools because nothing in the handshake makes an API call.

To point an MCP client at your local build, use "command": "node" with "args": ["/absolute/path/to/dist/index.js"].

See DEVELOPING.md for the release process.

License

MIT