🚀 Overview

WhatsApp API Gateway (WHAPI) is a self-hosted / developer-friendly solution that lets you send and receive WhatsApp messages,
manage media, groups, and channels, and connect WhatsApp to your CRM, ERP, helpdesk, or custom SaaS using clean REST endpoints. Unlike
closed or meta-approved flows, WHAPI focuses on being easy to integrate, fast to pair (via QR), and flexible enough for agencies and automation
platforms. It’s distributed on GPL resource sites (e.g. wpshop.net) for developers who want full source access. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}

Who is it for? SaaS founders, WooCommerce / Perfex / Worksuite integrators, WhatsApp chatbot builders, and internal IT teams that need
“just an HTTP endpoint” to trigger WhatsApp from forms, invoices, or support tickets — without paying per-message markups. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}

✨ Key Features

• 📤 Send & receive messages (text, media, documents, locations) via simple HTTP/JSON endpoints. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
• 📥 Webhooks – get POST callbacks for incoming messages, delivery status, reactions, and group events. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
• 👥 Group & channel management – create groups, add/remove members, post into channels (where supported). :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
• 🧠 Developer-first API – RESTful, documented, Postman collection and SDKs (PHP, Node, Python) similar to whapi.cloud docs. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
• 🪪 QR pairing – connect a business number quickly without official Meta approval, ideal for MVPs and internal tools. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
• 📊 Dashboard / analytics – see connected numbers, message counts, error logs, and webhook deliveries. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
• 🧵 Queues & retries – outgoing messages can be queued and re-sent on failure for better deliverability. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
• 🔐 Token-based auth – protect your gateway with bearer tokens, IP allowlists, and per-app keys.
• 🌍 Multi-language / multi-framework friendly – call it from PHP, Laravel, Node.js, Python, Go, or no-code tools (n8n, Make). :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}

⚙️ Technical Stack

• Backend: PHP/Laravel or Node.js (depending on distribution) exposing REST endpoints. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
• Transport: WhatsApp-Web style multi-device bridge via WHAPI service. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
• Database: MySQL/MariaDB or SQLite for tokens, messages, and webhook logs.
• Server: Apache/Nginx on Linux VPS or shared hosting with HTTPS. SSL is strongly recommended for webhook security.
• Docs & SDKs: Based on whapi.cloud public docs / GitHub reference to ease integration. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}

Expertise: If you’ve ever consumed a REST API, you can integrate WHAPI. You just send POST https://your-gateway/messages/text with bearer token, and you’re done.

🧩 Installation Guide

1. 📦 Upload the WHAPI package to your server (public_html/whapi or your app directory).
2. 🗄️ Create DB and update .env/config.php with DB name, user, password, app URL.
3. 🔐 Generate API token for your CRM/app and set allowed origins/IPs.
4. 📱 Pair your WhatsApp number by scanning the QR shown in the admin panel (multi-device). :contentReference[oaicite:14]{index=14}
5. 🔔 Set webhook URL (e.g. https://yourcrm.com/whatsapp/webhook) to receive inbound messages.
6. ✅ Test with a simple curl / Postman request to send text/media; check delivery in the dashboard.

Tip: put the gateway behind HTTPS + reverse proxy (Nginx) and enable background workers/cron for queue processing.

📦 Deliverables

• 🗂️ Full source code of “WhatsApp API Gateway (WHAPI)”
• 📘 Installation & pairing guide (QR, tokens, webhooks)
• 📄 Postman / API collection for quick tests
• 🧾 Sample code snippets (PHP, JS, Python)
• 📄 This SEO/E-E-A-T HTML description for GPL/resource listing

📱 Supported Platforms

• 🖥️ Web / server (Linux, cPanel, VPS, Docker)
• 📱 Works with any WhatsApp-enabled device/number (paired via multi-device) :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}
• 🔌 Integrates with third-party apps, CRMs, ticketing, chatbots, no-code tools (via REST/Webhook)

🧠 Notes

License: on wpshop.net this item is typically provided under GPL for educational/testing or self-hosted use. For commercial offerings, multi-number reselling, or SLA-level support, use the official WHAPI.cloud or original marketplace version. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}

Customization tips: add a billing layer for “messages per month”, integrate with n8n/Make, or plug into Perfex/Worksuite/RISE CRM as a custom gateway.

SEO assurance: build landing pages around “self-hosted WhatsApp API”, “WhatsApp gateway for CRM”, “WhatsApp webhook PHP” to capture automation traffic.

👨‍💻 Original Developer Credit

“WhatsApp API Gateway (WHAPI)” is distributed via wpshop.net based on the original WHAPI/whapi.cloud project concept and API docs.
Please keep the original developer/author reference and link back to the marketplace page when redistributing. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}

Original GPL resource listing

🔒 Disclaimer

This description is for informational and GPL/resource-directory purposes only and is not an official Meta/WhatsApp Business API product.
Using unofficial gateways may violate WhatsApp’s ToS; for mission-critical or at-scale marketing, consider the official WhatsApp Business / Cloud API.
Always check local regulations and WhatsApp policies before sending bulk or automated messages. :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}