Wati

WATI

Access the WATI (WhatsApp Team Inbox) API with managed authentication. Send WhatsApp messages, manage contacts, and work with message templates.

Quick Start

# Get contacts list
python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://gateway.maton.ai/wati/api/v1/getContacts?pageSize=10&pageNumber=1')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Base URL

https://gateway.maton.ai/wati/{native-api-path}

Replace {native-api-path} with the actual WATI API endpoint path. The gateway proxies requests to your WATI instance and automatically injects your API token.

Authentication

All requests require the Maton API key in the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer $MATON_API_KEY

Environment Variable: Set your API key as MATON_API_KEY:

export MATON_API_KEY="YOUR_API_KEY"

Getting Your API Key

1. Sign in or create an account at maton.ai
2. Go to maton.ai/settings
3. Copy your API key

Connection Management

Manage your WATI connections at https://ctrl.maton.ai.

List Connections

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://ctrl.maton.ai/connections?app=wati&status=ACTIVE')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Create Connection

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
data = json.dumps({'app': 'wati'}).encode()
req = urllib.request.Request('https://ctrl.maton.ai/connections', data=data, method='POST')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
req.add_header('Content-Type', 'application/json')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Get Connection

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://ctrl.maton.ai/connections/{connection_id}')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Response:

{
  "connection": {
    "connection_id": "21fd90f9-5935-43cd-b6c8-bde9d915ca80",
    "status": "ACTIVE",
    "creation_time": "2025-12-08T07:20:53.488460Z",
    "last_updated_time": "2026-01-31T20:03:32.593153Z",
    "url": "https://connect.maton.ai/?session_token=...",
    "app": "wati",
    "metadata": {}
  }
}

Open the returned url in a browser to complete authorization.

Delete Connection

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://ctrl.maton.ai/connections/{connection_id}', method='DELETE')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

Specifying Connection

If you have multiple WATI connections, specify which one to use with the Maton-Connection header:

python <<'EOF'
import urllib.request, os, json
req = urllib.request.Request('https://gateway.maton.ai/wati/api/v1/getContacts?pageSize=10&pageNumber=1')
req.add_header('Authorization', f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}')
req.add_header('Maton-Connection', '21fd90f9-5935-43cd-b6c8-bde9d915ca80')
print(json.dumps(json.load(urllib.request.urlopen(req)), indent=2))
EOF

If omitted, the gateway uses the default (oldest) active connection.

API Reference

Contacts

Get Contacts

GET /wati/api/v1/getContacts?pageSize=10&pageNumber=1

Query Parameters:

• pageSize - Number of results per page
• pageNumber - Page number (1-indexed)
• name (optional) - Filter by contact name
• attribute (optional) - Filter by attribute (format: [{"name": "name", "operator": "contain", "value": "test"}])
• createdDate (optional) - Filter by created date (YYYY-MM-DD)

Attribute operators: contain, notContain, exist, notExist, ==, !=, valid, invalid

Add Contact

POST /wati/api/v1/addContact/{whatsappNumber}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "name": "John Doe",
  "customParams": [
    {
      "name": "member",
      "value": "VIP"
    }
  ]
}

Update Contact Attributes

POST /wati/api/v1/updateContactAttributes/{whatsappNumber}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "customParams": [
    {
      "name": "member",
      "value": "VIP"
    }
  ]
}

Messages

Get Messages

GET /wati/api/v1/getMessages/{whatsappNumber}?pageSize=10&pageNumber=1

Query Parameters:

• pageSize - Number of results per page
• pageNumber - Page number (1-indexed)

Send Session Message

Send a text message within an active session (24-hour window):

POST /wati/api/v1/sendSessionMessage/{whatsappNumber}
Content-Type: application/x-www-form-urlencoded

messageText=Hello%20from%20WATI!

Send Session File

Send a file within an active session:

POST /wati/api/v1/sendSessionFile/{whatsappNumber}?caption=Check%20this%20out
Content-Type: multipart/form-data

file=@document.pdf

Message Templates

Get Message Templates

GET /wati/api/v1/getMessageTemplates?pageSize=10&pageNumber=1

Send Template Message

Send a pre-approved template message to a single contact:

POST /wati/api/v1/sendTemplateMessage?whatsappNumber={whatsappNumber}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "template_name": "order_update",
  "broadcast_name": "order_update",
  "parameters": [
    {
      "name": "name",
      "value": "John"
    },
    {
      "name": "ordernumber",
      "value": "12345"
    }
  ]
}

Send Template Messages (Bulk)

Send template messages to multiple contacts:

POST /wati/api/v1/sendTemplateMessages
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "template_name": "order_update",
  "broadcast_name": "order_update",
  "receivers": [
    {
      "whatsappNumber": "14155551234",
      "customParams": [
        {
          "name": "name",
          "value": "John"
        },
        {
          "name": "ordernumber",
          "value": "12345"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "whatsappNumber": "14155555678",
      "customParams": [
        {
          "name": "name",
          "value": "Jane"
        },
        {
          "name": "ordernumber",
          "value": "67890"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Send Template Message via CSV

POST /wati/api/v1/sendTemplateMessageCSV?template_name=order_update&broadcast_name=order_update
Content-Type: multipart/form-data

whatsapp_numbers_csv=@contacts.csv

Message Templates (v2 API)

The v2 API provides enhanced response format with message tracking IDs.

Send Template Message (v2)

POST /wati/api/v2/sendTemplateMessage?whatsappNumber={whatsappNumber}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "template_name": "order_update",
  "broadcast_name": "order_update",
  "parameters": [
    {
      "name": "name",
      "value": "John"
    }
  ]
}

Response:

{
  "result": true,
  "error": null,
  "templateName": "order_update",
  "receivers": [
    {
      "localMessageId": "38aca0c0-f80a-409c-81ed-607fa5206529",
      "waId": "14155551234",
      "isValidWhatsAppNumber": true,
      "errors": []
    }
  ],
  "parameters": [
    {"name": "name", "value": "John"}
  ]
}

Send Template Messages (v2 - Bulk)

POST /wati/api/v2/sendTemplateMessages
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "template_name": "order_update",
  "broadcast_name": "order_update",
  "receivers": [
    {
      "whatsappNumber": "14155551234",
      "customParams": [
        {"name": "name", "value": "John"}
      ]
    },
    {
      "whatsappNumber": "14155555678",
      "customParams": [
        {"name": "name", "value": "Jane"}
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Response:

{
  "result": true,
  "error": null,
  "templateName": "order_update",
  "receivers": [
    {
      "localMessageId": "c486f386-d86d-431d-aa3b-fb1b6c494e58",
      "waId": "14155551234",
      "isValidWhatsAppNumber": true,
      "errors": []
    },
    {
      "localMessageId": "d597f497-e97e-542e-bb4c-718gb6d5a069",
      "waId": "14155555678",
      "isValidWhatsAppNumber": true,
      "errors": []
    }
  ]
}

Interactive Messages

Send Interactive Buttons Message

POST /wati/api/v1/sendInteractiveButtonsMessage?whatsappNumber={whatsappNumber}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "header": {
    "type": "text",
    "text": "Order Status"
  },
  "body": "Your order #12345 is ready. What would you like to do?",
  "footer": "Reply within 24 hours",
  "buttons": [
    {
      "text": "Track Order"
    },
    {
      "text": "Contact Support"
    }
  ]
}

Send Interactive List Message

POST /wati/api/v1/sendInteractiveListMessage?whatsappNumber={whatsappNumber}
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "header": "Choose an option",
  "body": "Please select from the menu below",
  "footer": "Powered by WATI",
  "buttonText": "View Options",
  "sections": [
    {
      "title": "Products",
      "rows": [
        {
          "title": "Product A",
          "description": "Best seller item"
        },
        {
          "title": "Product B",
          "description": "New arrival"
        }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Operators

Assign Operator

POST /wati/api/v1/assignOperator?email=agent@example.com&whatsappNumber={whatsappNumber}

Media

Get Media

GET /wati/api/v1/getMedia?fileName={fileName}

Pagination

WATI uses page-based pagination:

GET /wati/api/v1/getContacts?pageSize=50&pageNumber=1

Parameters:

• pageSize - Results per page
• pageNumber - Page number (1-indexed)

Code Examples

JavaScript

const response = await fetch(
  'https://gateway.maton.ai/wati/api/v1/getContacts?pageSize=10&pageNumber=1',
  {
    headers: {
      'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.MATON_API_KEY}`
    }
  }
);
const data = await response.json();

Python

import os
import requests

response = requests.get(
    'https://gateway.maton.ai/wati/api/v1/getContacts',
    headers={'Authorization': f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}'},
    params={'pageSize': 10, 'pageNumber': 1}
)
data = response.json()

Send Template Message

import os
import requests

response = requests.post(
    'https://gateway.maton.ai/wati/api/v1/sendTemplateMessage',
    headers={
        'Authorization': f'Bearer {os.environ["MATON_API_KEY"]}',
        'Content-Type': 'application/json'
    },
    params={'whatsappNumber': '14155551234'},
    json={
        'template_name': 'order_update',
        'broadcast_name': 'order_update',
        'parameters': [
            {'name': 'name', 'value': 'John'},
            {'name': 'ordernumber', 'value': '12345'}
        ]
    }
)

Notes

• WhatsApp numbers should include country code without + or spaces (e.g., 14155551234)
• Session messages can only be sent within 24 hours of the last customer message
• Template messages require pre-approved templates from WhatsApp
• Interactive messages (buttons/lists) have specific character limits set by WhatsApp
• IMPORTANT: When using curl commands, use curl -g when URLs contain brackets to disable glob parsing
• IMPORTANT: When piping curl output to jq or other commands, environment variables like $MATON_API_KEY may not expand correctly in some shell environments

Error Handling

Resources

• WATI API Documentation
• WATI Help Center
• Maton Community
• Maton Support