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MESSAGES API

Send & receive SMS with the Messages API

A messaging API is a programmatic interface that lets your business send, receive, and manage messages using standardized HTTP requests. With the Sinch Engage Messages API, you can send WhatsApp and text messages, request delivery reports, check status by message ID, and retrieve replies.

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CORE WORKFLOWS

What you can do with the Messages API

Use the Messages API to send WhatsApp and text messages, track processing status, retrieve replies, and confirm replies after you process them.

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Scheduled sending

Send a text message with a scheduled parameter. Use it for time-based messaging like appointment reminders.

Delivery reports

Request delivery reports when you send a message. A delivery report is a notification when message status changes.

Status checks by message ID

Capture the message ID from the send response. Use it to check message status later.

Replies and confirmation

Retrieve replies sent from a handset by calling the reply function. Confirm processed replies so they are not returned again.

HOW IT WORKS

What the Messages API does

Send SMS and WhatsApp messages by passing content, destination number, scheduling options, delivery report preferences, and optional metadata. The API returns a message ID you can use to check status and retrieve handset replies.

INTEGRATION

How the Messages API fits your existing systems

Integrate the Messages API with standard HTTP requests or an SDK to fit it into your existing systems. Add a callback_url to enable webhooks, and include metadata to pass custom message context.

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CAPABILITIES

Messages API capabilities

The Messages API supports a structured workflow for sending messages and managing responses so you can build messaging into your applications.

  • Send messages with content and destination_number

  • Schedule messages with scheduled

  • Request delivery reports with delivery_report

  • Check message status by message ID

  • Retrieve replies from handsets

  • Confirm replies and include up to 10 metadata pairs

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IMPROVE YOUR WORKFLOW

Start using the Messages API

To begin, you’ll need a Sinch Engage account and Ruby installed. Then, install the Ruby SDK to send messages, check status updates, and retrieve replies.

Install the Ruby SDK to begin building with the Messages API.

Create an app.rb file in your project folder and open it in your editor.

Send a message with content and destination number. You can also include metadata, scheduling, and delivery report settings.

Use the message ID in the response to check message status. Call the reply function to retrieve replies from recipient handsets.

Confirm processed replies so they don’t appear again in future checks. Add a callback_url in send_message to enable webhooks.

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WHY SINCH ENGAGE?

Why choose an application with API capabilities?

Sinch Engage combines an easy-to-use application with API capabilities so your team can launch and manage messaging without developer-heavy workflows. You get the usability business teams need and the integration flexibility technical teams expect.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about the Messages API

A messaging API is a programmatic interface that lets applications send, receive, and manage messages using standardized HTTP requests. The Messages API is one way to implement that pattern.

In the Messages API tutorial, the send message body includes fields like content and destination_number. It can also include metadata, scheduled, and delivery_report.

When you send a message, the Messages API returns a message ID in the response object. Use that message ID to check message status.

Replies sent from a handset appear when you call the reply function in the tutorial workflow. After you process replies, confirm them so they don’t get returned again.

In the Messages API tutorial, you can activate webhooks by including a callback_url parameter in the message body of your send_message function. The source material doesn’t specify additional webhook behavior.

Yes. The Messages API supports up to 10 key/value metadata pairs in a message. Use metadata when you do not want to store persistent data in the application.

You need a MessageMedia developer account and Ruby installed. The tutorial also references installing the Ruby SDK with gem install messagemedia_messages_sdk.

Delivery reports are a notification about a change in the status of a message while it’s processed. In the tutorial workflow, you can request delivery_report in the message body.

Yes. The tutorial shows a scheduled field in the message body. It also describes appointment reminders with a confirmation one day before and a reminder one hour before.

After one or more reply messages are processed, confirm them with the confirm replies endpoint. Confirmed replies aren’t returned in later requests to check replies.