xiry.

Development · GitHub repo

OpenWA

Self-hosted WhatsApp API gateway with multi-session support and dashboard

From the Xiry library · Updated 3 October 2026

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OpenWA is an open-source WhatsApp API gateway that turns WhatsApp accounts into REST endpoints and webhooks without SaaS message fees. It supports multi-session management, pluggable storage backends, and fine-grained API key scoping to let external bots and integrations interact safely.

What it's for

  • Run automated WhatsApp bots and transactional messaging without per-message vendor fees
  • Scope API access by session or specific chats to safely connect AI agents or external tools
  • Deliver incoming WhatsApp messages and status events to webhook endpoints or n8n workflows

Features

  • Multi-session concurrency on a single instance
  • Dual engine support (whatsapp-web.js for lower ban risk, Baileys for lower memory)
  • Built-in React management dashboard and Swagger API documentation
  • Pluggable backends for SQLite, PostgreSQL, Redis cache, and S3 storage
  • Granular token permissions (session-scoped and chat-scoped API keys)
  • HMAC-signed webhooks with pre-dispatch filtering
  • Docker-ready deployment with rootless container execution

Pricing

Open source. Free and open source under MIT license

Details

Type
GitHub repo
Category
Development
Topic
API Gateways
Open source
Yes
Platforms
Self-hosted, API, Web, Linux
For
Developers and businesses building custom WhatsApp bots, alerts, and workflow automations on self-hosted infrastructure.
Alternative to
Twilio WhatsApp API, Meta WhatsApp Cloud API
Tags
whatsapp, api, gateway, automation, nestjs, self hosted, typescript

Why it was saved

  • @wassimyounes_, 22 May 2026: Enables businesses and developers to automate WhatsApp messaging, connect webhooks, and run bots across multiple numbers without third-party vendor lock-in or licensing fees.

Related

Updated