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# Send a message

POST https://%7BYour_Space_Name%7D.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages
Content-Type: application/json

Create and queue an outbound message for delivery. The channel is determined by the `from` number:

- **SMS/MMS** when `from` is a purchased SignalWire phone number or shortcode. The message is MMS when `media` is present or `send_as_mms` is set, otherwise SMS.
- **WhatsApp** when `from` is a `whatsapp:`-prefixed [WhatsApp number](/docs/platform/messaging/whatsapp/send-messages). Set `message_type` for a content message, or `template_id` for an [approved template](/docs/platform/messaging/whatsapp/message-templates). Free-form WhatsApp content is only allowed within the 24-hour customer service window.

Use this SignalWire REST operation for JSON requests. Integrations built around form-encoded requests and Message SIDs can use the Compatibility API's [Create message](/docs/compatibility-api/rest/messages/create-message) operation instead.

#### Permissions

The API token used to authenticate must have the following scope(s) enabled to make a successful request: _Messaging_.

[Learn more about API scopes](/docs/platform/your-signalwire-api-space).

Reference: https://signalwire.com/docs/apis/rest/messages/create-message

## Authentication

- `Authorization` header (basic auth, required) — SignalWire Basic Authentication using Project ID and API Token. The client sends HTTP requests with the Authorization header containing the word Basic followed by a space and a base64-encoded string of project_id:token. The project ID will be used as the username and the API token as the password. Example: ``` Authorization: Basic base64(project_id:token) ```

## Request

### Body (application/json)

This endpoint expects a Message.SendMessageRequest.

- `Message.SendMessageRequest`

## Response

### 201

Response returned when a message is successfully created and queued for delivery.

- `id` (string, required) — The unique ID of the message. This is the `MessageSegment` ID, consistent with the dashboard and the `/api/messaging/logs` endpoint.
- `from` (string, required) — The source phone number.
- `to` (string, required) — The destination phone number.
- `body` (string, required) — The message body text. Returns an empty string when the message has been redacted.
- `status` (enum, required) — Delivery state of the message.
  - Allowed values: `queued`, `initiated`, `sent`, `delivered`, `undelivered`, `failed`, `read`
- `direction` (enum, required) — The direction of the message.
  - Allowed values: `inbound`, `outbound`
- `kind` (enum, required) — The kind of message.
  - Allowed values: `sms`, `mms`, `whatsapp`
- `media` (list of string, required) — Array of URLs for any media attachments on the message. Empty for SMS.
- `number_of_segments` (integer, required) — Number of segments the message body was split into for delivery.
- `error_code` (string, required, nullable) — Provider-specific error code if delivery failed. Null when no error occurred.
- `error_message` (string, required, nullable) — Human-readable error message if delivery failed. Null when no error occurred.
- `created_at` (datetime, required) — Date and time when the message was created.
- `project_id` (string, required) — The ID of the project the message belongs to.
- `status_callback_url` (string, required, nullable) — Callback URL configured to receive message status events. Null if no callback was configured.
- `message_uri` (string, required) — Relative URL for retrieving the message via the `/api/messaging/logs` endpoint.

## Errors

### 400 Bad Request Error

The request is invalid.

- `error` (enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `Bad Request`

### 401 Unauthorized Error

Access is unauthorized.

- `error` (enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `Unauthorized`

### 422 Unprocessable Entity Error

The request contains invalid parameters. See errors for details.

- `errors` (list of Types.StatusCodes.RestApiErrorItem, required) — List of validation errors.

### 500 Internal Server Error

An internal server error occurred.

- `error` (enum, required)
  - Allowed values: `Internal Server Error`

## Types

### Message.CreateMessageRequest

Request body for sending a new SMS or MMS message.

- `to` (string, required) — Destination phone number in E.164 format (`+` followed by 5-17 digits). Also accepts passthrough numbers like `988`/`+988`.
- `from` (string, required) — Source phone number. Must be a purchased SignalWire phone number on the project in E.164 format, or a shortcode (5-6 digits). Verified caller IDs are not permitted.
- `body` (string, optional) — Message body text. Required if `media` is not provided. Subject to provider-specific character limits.
- `media` (list of string, optional) — Array of HTTP or HTTPS URLs for media attachments. Presence of media makes the message MMS. Maximum 8 items.
- `send_as_mms` (boolean, optional, default: false) — Force the message to be sent as MMS even when no media attachments are provided.
- `status_callback` (string, optional) — A valid URL to receive message status callback events at each state change. See the [Message status callback](/docs/apis/rest/webhooks/message-status-callback) webhook for the payload your URL will receive.
- `custom_variables` (MessageCreateMessageRequestCustomVariables, optional) — Your own key/value string pairs to attach to the message — for example, an order or case number you want to recognize later. When you also set `status_callback`, SignalWire includes these pairs as a `custom_variables` object in every status callback it sends to that URL, so you can match each callback to a record in your own system. If you don't set `status_callback`, there is nowhere for the variables to be delivered. Each value must be a non-empty string of at most 1024 bytes. You can send at most 20 pairs. Each key must start with a letter or underscore and contain only letters, numbers, and underscores, and cannot begin with the reserved prefixes `signalwire_`, `sw_`, `rtc_`, or `internal_` (case-insensitive). Keys are case-sensitive.

### Message.WhatsAppTemplateMessageRequest

Send an approved WhatsApp template. Use this to reach a customer for the first time or outside the 24-hour window. Do not include `body` or `message_type`.

- `to` (string, required) — Recipient phone number in E.164 format.
- `from` (string, required) — Your WhatsApp business number, prefixed with `whatsapp:`. The prefix is what routes the message over WhatsApp instead of SMS/MMS.
- `template_id` (string, required) — The template to send, by SignalWire template ID or Meta template ID. The template must be `approved`.
- `status_callback` (string, optional) — A valid URL to receive message status callback events at each state change.
- `custom_variables` (MessageWhatsAppTemplateMessageRequestCustomVariables, optional) — Your own key/value string pairs to attach to the message. Delivered as `custom_variables` in status callbacks when `status_callback` is set.
- `header_template_parameters` (MessageWhatsAppTemplateMessageRequestHeaderTemplateParameters, optional) — Values for the placeholders in the template header. An array for positional parameters, an object for named parameters, or a media URL string for a document/media header.
- `body_template_parameters` (MessageWhatsAppTemplateMessageRequestBodyTemplateParameters, optional) — Values for the placeholders in the template body. An array for positional parameters or an object for named parameters.
- `button_template_parameters` (list of string, optional) — Values for URL-button placeholders. Positional only (an array); named parameters are not supported for buttons.

### Types.StatusCodes.RestApiErrorItem

Details about a specific error.

- `type` (string, required) — The category of error.
- `code` (string, required) — A specific error code.
- `message` (string, required) — A description of what caused the error.
- `url` (string, required) — A link to documentation about this error.
- `attribute` (string, optional, nullable) — The request parameter that caused the error, if applicable.

### MessageCreateMessageRequestCustomVariables

Your own key/value string pairs to attach to the message — for example, an order or case number you want to recognize later. When you also set `status_callback`, SignalWire includes these pairs as a `custom_variables` object in every status callback it sends to that URL, so you can match each callback to a record in your own system. If you don't set `status_callback`, there is nowhere for the variables to be delivered. Each value must be a non-empty string of at most 1024 bytes. You can send at most 20 pairs. Each key must start with a letter or underscore and contain only letters, numbers, and underscores, and cannot begin with the reserved prefixes `signalwire_`, `sw_`, `rtc_`, or `internal_` (case-insensitive). Keys are case-sensitive.

### MessageWhatsAppTemplateMessageRequestCustomVariables

Your own key/value string pairs to attach to the message. Delivered as `custom_variables` in status callbacks when `status_callback` is set.

### MessageWhatsAppTemplateMessageRequestHeaderTemplateParameters

Values for the placeholders in the template header. An array for positional parameters, an object for named parameters, or a media URL string for a document/media header.

### MessageWhatsAppTemplateMessageRequestBodyTemplateParameters

Values for the placeholders in the template body. An array for positional parameters or an object for named parameters.

## Examples

**Request**

```json
{
  "from": "+15559876543",
  "to": "+15551234567"
}
```

**Response**

```json
{
  "id": "c2d3e4f5-a6b7-8901-cdef-234567890abc",
  "from": "+15559876543",
  "to": "+15551234567",
  "body": "Your order #12345 has shipped!",
  "status": "queued",
  "direction": "outbound",
  "kind": "sms",
  "media": [],
  "number_of_segments": 1,
  "error_code": null,
  "error_message": null,
  "created_at": "2024-05-06T12:20:00Z",
  "project_id": "a1b2c3d4-e5f6-7890-abcd-ef1234567890",
  "status_callback_url": null,
  "message_uri": "/api/messaging/logs/c2d3e4f5-a6b7-8901-cdef-234567890abc"
}
```

**SDK Code**

```python
import requests

url = "https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages"

payload = {
    "from": "+15559876543",
    "to": "+15551234567"
}
headers = {
    "Content-Type": "application/json"
}

response = requests.post(url, json=payload, headers=headers, auth=("<project_id>", "<api_token>"))

print(response.json())
```

```javascript
const url = 'https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages';
const credentials = btoa("<project_id>:<api_token>");

const options = {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: {
    Authorization: `Basic ${credentials}`,
    'Content-Type': 'application/json'
  },
  body: '{"from":"+15559876543","to":"+15551234567"}'
};

try {
  const response = await fetch(url, options);
  const data = await response.json();
  console.log(data);
} catch (error) {
  console.error(error);
}
```

```go
package main

import (
	"fmt"
	"strings"
	"net/http"
	"io"
)

func main() {

	url := "https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages"

	payload := strings.NewReader("{\n  \"from\": \"+15559876543\",\n  \"to\": \"+15551234567\"\n}")

	req, _ := http.NewRequest("POST", url, payload)

	req.SetBasicAuth("<project_id>", "<api_token>")
	req.Header.Add("Content-Type", "application/json")

	res, _ := http.DefaultClient.Do(req)

	defer res.Body.Close()
	body, _ := io.ReadAll(res.Body)

	fmt.Println(res)
	fmt.Println(string(body))

}
```

```ruby
require 'uri'
require 'net/http'

url = URI("https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages")

http = Net::HTTP.new(url.host, url.port)
http.use_ssl = true

request = Net::HTTP::Post.new(url)
request.basic_auth("<project_id>", "<api_token>")
request["Content-Type"] = 'application/json'
request.body = "{\n  \"from\": \"+15559876543\",\n  \"to\": \"+15551234567\"\n}"

response = http.request(request)
puts response.read_body
```

```java
import com.mashape.unirest.http.HttpResponse;
import com.mashape.unirest.http.Unirest;

HttpResponse<String> response = Unirest.post("https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages")
  .basicAuth("<project_id>", "<api_token>")
  .header("Content-Type", "application/json")
  .body("{\n  \"from\": \"+15559876543\",\n  \"to\": \"+15551234567\"\n}")
  .asString();
```

```php
<?php
require_once('vendor/autoload.php');

$client = new \GuzzleHttp\Client();

$response = $client->request('POST', 'https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages', [
  'body' => '{
  "from": "+15559876543",
  "to": "+15551234567"
}',
  'headers' => [
    'Content-Type' => 'application/json',
  ],
    'auth' => ['<project_id>', '<api_token>'],
]);

echo $response->getBody();
```

```csharp
using RestSharp;
using RestSharp.Authenticators;

var client = new RestClient("https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages");
client.Authenticator = new HttpBasicAuthenticator("<project_id>", "<api_token>");
var request = new RestRequest(Method.POST);

request.AddHeader("Content-Type", "application/json");
request.AddParameter("application/json", "{\n  \"from\": \"+15559876543\",\n  \"to\": \"+15551234567\"\n}", ParameterType.RequestBody);
IRestResponse response = client.Execute(request);
```

```swift
import Foundation

let credentials = Data("<project_id>:<api_token>".utf8).base64EncodedString()

let headers = [
  "Authorization": "Basic \(credentials)",
  "Content-Type": "application/json"
]
let parameters = [
  "from": "+15559876543",
  "to": "+15551234567"
] as [String : Any]

let postData = JSONSerialization.data(withJSONObject: parameters, options: [])

let request = NSMutableURLRequest(url: NSURL(string: "https://{your_space_name}.signalwire.com/api/messaging/messages")! as URL,
                                        cachePolicy: .useProtocolCachePolicy,
                                    timeoutInterval: 10.0)
request.httpMethod = "POST"
request.allHTTPHeaderFields = headers
request.httpBody = postData as Data

let session = URLSession.shared
let dataTask = session.dataTask(with: request as URLRequest, completionHandler: { (data, response, error) -> Void in
  if (error != nil) {
    print(error as Any)
  } else {
    let httpResponse = response as? HTTPURLResponse
    print(httpResponse)
  }
})

dataTask.resume()
```