> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.wsapi.chat/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quickstart

> Get up and running with WSAPI in under 5 minutes

Send your first WhatsApp message through the WSAPI in just a few steps.

## Prerequisites

* A WSAPI account — [sign up at wsapi.chat](https://wsapi.chat)
* A WhatsApp-enabled phone number
* An API client (curl, Postman, or any HTTP library)

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create an account">
    Head to [wsapi.chat](https://wsapi.chat) and create your account. New accounts automatically receive a **free trial** with a fully functional instance.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get your API key">
    Navigate to the **Settings -> API Key** section in your dashboard. Generate your API key and copy it, you'll need it for every request.

    <Warning>
      Keep your API key secret. Never expose it in client-side code or public repositories. Rotate it immediately if you suspect exposure.
    </Warning>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Pair your WhatsApp instance">
    Go to **Instances**, find your instance, and click **Pair**. Scan the QR code with your phone's WhatsApp app to connect.

    Once paired, your instance status changes to **Logged In**.

    Copy the **Instance ID** from the Instance Overview, as you'll need it for API requests alongside your **API Key**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Send your first message">
    Make your first API call to send a WhatsApp message:

    <CodeGroup>
      ```bash curl theme={null}
      curl -X POST https://api.wsapi.chat/messages/text \
        -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
        -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
        -H "X-Instance-Id: YOUR_INSTANCE_ID" \
        -d '{
          "to": "1234567890@s.whatsapp.net",
          "text": "Hello from WSAPI!"
        }'
      ```

      ```python Python theme={null}
      import requests

      response = requests.post(
          "https://api.wsapi.chat/messages/text",
          headers={
              "Content-Type": "application/json",
              "X-Api-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY",
              "X-Instance-Id": "YOUR_INSTANCE_ID",
          },
          json={
              "to": "1234567890@s.whatsapp.net",
              "text": "Hello from WSAPI!",
          },
      )
      print(response.json())
      ```

      ```javascript Node.js theme={null}
      const response = await fetch("https://api.wsapi.chat/messages/text", {
        method: "POST",
        headers: {
          "Content-Type": "application/json",
          "X-Api-Key": "YOUR_API_KEY",
          "X-Instance-Id": "YOUR_INSTANCE_ID",
        },
        body: JSON.stringify({
          to: "1234567890@s.whatsapp.net",
          text: "Hello from WSAPI!",
        }),
      });
      const data = await response.json();
      console.log(data);
      ```

      ```csharp C# theme={null}
      using var client = new HttpClient();
      client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-Api-Key", "YOUR_API_KEY");
      client.DefaultRequestHeaders.Add("X-Instance-Id", "YOUR_INSTANCE_ID");

      var response = await client.PostAsJsonAsync(
          "https://api.wsapi.chat/messages/text",
          new { to = "1234567890@s.whatsapp.net", text = "Hello from WSAPI!" }
      );
      var result = await response.Content.ReadAsStringAsync();
      Console.WriteLine(result);
      ```
    </CodeGroup>

    <Note>
      Replace `1234567890` with the recipient's phone number including country code (no `+` prefix).
    </Note>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure event delivery">
    Click **Settings** on your dashboard to configure how you receive events. Choose between:

    * **Webhook** — WSAPI sends events to your endpoint via HTTP POST
    * **Pull Mode (SSE)** — Your app connects to WSAPI via Server-Sent Events

    See [Configuring Your Instance](/basics/configuring-instance) for details.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Next steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Free Trial" icon="gift" href="/basics/free-trial">
    Learn about what's included in your free trial
  </Card>

  <Card title="API Reference" icon="code" href="/api-reference/overview">
    Explore all available endpoints
  </Card>

  <Card title="SDKs & Libraries" icon="cube" href="/sdks/overview">
    Use our official SDKs for Node.js, .NET, and Python
  </Card>

  <Card title="Events" icon="webhook" href="/events/overview">
    Receive real-time events from WhatsApp
  </Card>
</CardGroup>