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Flow FrameworkOpen-source, one codebase for every chat Unified APIiMessage, WhatsApp and Telegram Flow CloudHosting, tests and observability

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WhatsApp AI agent API

Launch an AI agent on WhatsApp, without the Meta setup.

Get WhatsApp API access through Flow and ship an agent that takes orders, books appointments and answers customers in seconds, with buttons, voice notes and read receipts.

Start building free Flow Framework on GitHub

Flow is a WhatsApp Tech Provider: your number is connected through Flow.

What you can build

Agents that do the task,
right in the chat.

Travel

A trip concierge that rebooks in one message

Check-in times, door codes and changes to the booking, answered from your own systems at 2am in the guest’s language.

Learning

Daily practice as a conversation

Quizzes, voice notes for pronunciation and a nudge before the streak breaks.

Fintech

Money questions answered with real numbers

Balances, card freezes and spending summaries for signed-in customers.

Retail

Shopping that ends in a checkout

Stock checks, sizes and reorders, with the receipt in the same thread.

Brand examples are illustrations of what could be built, not those companies' products.

The usual way vs. Flow

The WhatsApp API takes weeks to set up.
With Flow it’s an afternoon.

Building it yourself~4 weeks

  1. Meta Business account and verification 2–5 days
  2. Meta app, phone number, webhook 1–2 days
  3. Template approval 1–2 days
  4. Agent loop, state, memory 1 week
  5. Retries, dedupe, media, 24h window 1 week
  6. Hosting, logs, tests 3–5 days

And then it only works on WhatsApp. iMessage, Telegram, ChatGPT and Claude are each a new build.

With Flow Frameworkan afternoon

  1. Create the project1 min
  2. Write your tools1–2 hrs
  3. Test, connect your number, go live30 min
tools/book-table.ts
import { tool } from "@flow-engineer/flow";
import { z } from "zod";

export default tool({
  name: "book_table",
  description: "Book a table when the customer asks for one.",
  input: z.object({ time: z.string(), guests: z.number() }),
  run: async ({ time, guests }) => api.bookings.create({ time, guests }),
});

How Flow works

Write it once. Ship it to WhatsApp and everywhere else.

  • Tools, not plumbingYou write what the agent can do. Flow handles webhooks, retries, ordering, media and each channel’s formatting.
  • Memory per customerEach customer’s conversation is kept between chats, so they can pick up where they left off.
  • Tested before it’s liveScenario tests with simulated users run before every release, and every turn is traced after.

Get started

How to build a WhatsApp AI agent with Flow.

  1. Create a Flow project

    Run npx @flow-engineer/flow new my-agent, or ask Claude Code or Codex to set it up. You get one folder: the agent’s instructions, its tools, its skills and its tests.

  2. Write what it can do as tools

    Each job is a TypeScript function with a typed input that calls your API: check an order, book a slot, find a deal. No protocol code.

  3. Test it on simulated users

    Run npx @flow-engineer/flow test. Simulated users try the scenarios that matter, including people who change their mind or ask for something your agent should refuse.

  4. Connect your WhatsApp number

    Bring your number or get one through Flow. Flow handles WhatsApp Business onboarding as a Tech Provider, so there is no Meta app or webhook for you to set up.

  5. Go live

    Switch it on. The same project ships to iMessage, Telegram, ChatGPT and Claude when you want it there.

terminal
$ npx @flow-engineer/flow new my-agent
$ cd my-agent
$ npx @flow-engineer/flow test
✓ 24 scenarios passing

Already have an agent? Call the Flow Messaging API from any language instead.

Guide

WhatsApp AI agents, explained.

What is a WhatsApp AI agent?

A program that reads a customer’s WhatsApp messages, works out what they want with a language model, calls your systems (orders, bookings, accounts) and replies in the same chat. Unlike a menu bot, it handles free text, voice notes and photos, and it finishes the task instead of sending a link.

Is an AI chatbot allowed on WhatsApp in 2026?

Yes, for business tasks. Since 15 January 2026 WhatsApp’s Business terms bar general-purpose AI assistants (which is why consumer chatbots like ChatGPT left WhatsApp), but agents that serve your own customers, such as support, bookings, orders and sales, are allowed. Build the agent around your product’s jobs, which is what Flow’s tools are for.

WhatsApp Business API vs the WhatsApp Business app

The Business app runs on one phone and is meant for people replying by hand. An AI agent needs the WhatsApp Business Platform (the Cloud API), which receives messages by webhook and sends replies over HTTP. With Flow, that access comes through Flow as a Tech Provider.

The 24-hour window and templates

When a customer messages you, you can reply freely for 24 hours. Messages outside that window, like reminders and order updates, must use templates WhatsApp has approved, and only to people who opted in. Flow checks the window for you and says when a template is needed.

How much does the WhatsApp API cost?

Meta charges per message by category (marketing, utility, authentication) and country, and rates change, so check Meta’s current pricing page. Flow’s own pricing is on the pricing section.

Can I build a WhatsApp chatbot with ChatGPT or Claude?

Yes: Flow lets you pick the model. The agent uses it to understand messages and decide which of your tools to call, so you can change models without rewriting the WhatsApp side.

FAQ

WhatsApp questions,
answered.

How do I get WhatsApp Business API access?

Through a Meta Business account and app, or through a provider. Flow is a WhatsApp Tech Provider: you connect your number through Flow and skip Meta’s developer setup.

Can I put an AI chatbot on WhatsApp in 2026?

Yes, if it serves your business: support, bookings, orders, sales. WhatsApp’s terms bar general-purpose AI assistants on the Business API since 15 January 2026.

Can I use my existing number?

Yes. Bring a number you own or get a new one through Flow. A number that is active on the regular WhatsApp app has to move off it first.

Can the agent message customers first?

Yes, customers who opted in, with WhatsApp-approved templates for reminders, updates and follow-ups. After they reply, it can talk freely for 24 hours.

Does it support buttons, voice notes and images?

Yes. Reply buttons and lists, images, documents and voice notes go both ways, with typing indicators, reactions and read receipts.

Which programming language do I use?

Flow Framework is TypeScript. If you already have an agent in another language, use the Flow Messaging API over REST instead.

Is the WhatsApp API free?

No. Meta charges per message by category and country. Check Meta’s pricing page for current rates.

Can the same agent run on iMessage and Telegram?

Yes. The same Flow project ships to WhatsApp, iMessage and Telegram, and as an MCP server and CLI for ChatGPT and Claude.

Put your agent on WhatsApp this week.

One open-source TypeScript project. The same agent on iMessage, Telegram, ChatGPT, Claude and more.

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