whatsapp-templates

What this skill does

# WhatsApp Templates

## When to Use

Use this skill when building code to create, manage, or send WhatsApp template messages. Templates are required to initiate conversations outside the 24-hour window.

## When Templates Are Required

```
Has user messaged you in the last 24 hours?
  -> YES: Send free-form message (text, image, buttons, etc.)
  -> NO: Must use template message
Need to send bulk/broadcast messages?
  -> YES: Use template (recommended for consistency)
Want proactive outbound notifications?
  -> YES: Must use template
```

## Template Categories

| Category | Use Case | Examples |
|----------|----------|---------|
| `UTILITY` | Transactional updates | Order confirmations, shipping updates, appointment reminders |
| `MARKETING` | Promotional content | Sales, offers, product announcements |
| `AUTHENTICATION` | OTP/verification codes | Login codes, 2FA, password resets |

## Create Template

```typescript
const template = await zavu.templates.create({
  name: "order_confirmation",
  language: "en",
  body: "Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has been confirmed and will ship within 24 hours.",
  whatsappCategory: "UTILITY",
  variables: ["customer_name", "order_id"],
});
console.log(template.id); // tpl_xxx
```

**Python:**
```python
template = zavu.templates.create(
    name="order_confirmation",
    language="en",
    body="Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has been confirmed and will ship within 24 hours.",
    whatsapp_category="UTILITY",
    variables=["customer_name", "order_id"],
)
```

**Go:**
```go
template, err := client.Templates.Create(context.TODO(), zavudev.TemplateCreateParams{
    Name:             zavudev.String("order_confirmation"),
    Language:         zavudev.String("en"),
    Body:             zavudev.String("Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has been confirmed and will ship within 24 hours."),
    WhatsappCategory: zavudev.String("UTILITY"),
    Variables:        []string{"customer_name", "order_id"},
})
```

**Ruby:**
```ruby
template = client.templates.create(
    name: "order_confirmation",
    language: "en",
    body: "Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has been confirmed and will ship within 24 hours.",
    whatsapp_category: "UTILITY",
    variables: ["customer_name", "order_id"],
)
```

**PHP:**
```php
$template = $client->templates->create([
    'name' => 'order_confirmation',
    'language' => 'en',
    'body' => 'Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has been confirmed and will ship within 24 hours.',
    'whatsappCategory' => 'UTILITY',
    'variables' => ['customer_name', 'order_id'],
]);
```

## Channel-Specific Bodies

Templates can have different bodies per channel. The default `body` is used for WhatsApp; SMS, Telegram, and Instagram fall back to `body` if no channel-specific body is set.

```typescript
const template = await zavu.templates.create({
  name: "order_confirmation",
  language: "en",
  body: "Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has been confirmed and will ship within 24 hours.",
  smsBody: "Order {{2}} confirmed. Ships in 24h.",       // SMS fallback
  telegramBody: "✅ Order {{2}} confirmed for {{1}}.",    // Telegram-specific
  instagramBody: "Order {{2}} confirmed!",               // Instagram-specific
  whatsappCategory: "UTILITY",
  variables: ["customer_name", "order_id"],
});
```

`whatsappCategory` only applies to the WhatsApp `body`. Channel-specific bodies don't require a category.

## Template with Buttons

```typescript
// Quick reply buttons
const template = await zavu.templates.create({
  name: "feedback_request",
  language: "en",
  body: "Hi {{1}}, how was your experience with order {{2}}?",
  whatsappCategory: "MARKETING",
  variables: ["customer_name", "order_id"],
  buttons: [
    { type: "quick_reply", text: "Great!" },
    { type: "quick_reply", text: "Could be better" },
  ],
});

// URL button
const template = await zavu.templates.create({
  name: "track_order",
  language: "en",
  body: "Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has shipped!",
  whatsappCategory: "UTILITY",
  variables: ["customer_name", "order_id"],
  buttons: [
    { type: "url", text: "Track Order", url: "https://example.com/track/{{1}}" },
  ],
});

// Phone button
const template = await zavu.templates.create({
  name: "contact_support",
  language: "en",
  body: "Need help? Call our support team.",
  whatsappCategory: "UTILITY",
  buttons: [
    { type: "phone", text: "Call Support", phoneNumber: "+14155551234" },
  ],
});
```

## OTP Authentication Templates

```typescript
// Copy code button
const template = await zavu.templates.create({
  name: "login_otp",
  language: "en",
  body: "Your verification code is {{1}}. Do not share this code.",
  whatsappCategory: "AUTHENTICATION",
  variables: ["otp_code"],
  addSecurityRecommendation: true,
  codeExpirationMinutes: 5,
  buttons: [
    { type: "otp", text: "Copy Code", otpType: "COPY_CODE" },
  ],
});

// One-tap autofill (Android)
const template = await zavu.templates.create({
  name: "login_otp_autofill",
  language: "en",
  body: "Your verification code is {{1}}.",
  whatsappCategory: "AUTHENTICATION",
  variables: ["otp_code"],
  addSecurityRecommendation: true,
  codeExpirationMinutes: 10,
  buttons: [
    {
      type: "otp",
      text: "Autofill",
      otpType: "ONE_TAP",
      packageName: "com.example.app",
      signatureHash: "abc123hash",
    },
  ],
});
```

## Submit for Meta Approval

Templates must be approved by Meta before use:

```typescript
// Submit template for review
const submitted = await zavu.templates.submit({
  templateId: "tpl_abc123",
  senderId: "snd_abc123",
  category: "UTILITY",
});
console.log(submitted.status); // "pending"
```

Track approval via webhooks (`template.status_changed` event) or polling:

```typescript
const template = await zavu.templates.get({ templateId: "tpl_abc123" });
console.log(template.status); // draft | pending | approved | rejected
```

## Send Template Message

```typescript
await zavu.messages.send({
  to: "+14155551234",
  messageType: "template",
  content: {
    templateId: "tpl_abc123",
    templateVariables: { "1": "John", "2": "ORD-12345" },
  },
});
```

**Python:**
```python
zavu.messages.send(
    to="+14155551234",
    message_type="template",
    content={
        "templateId": "tpl_abc123",
        "templateVariables": {"1": "John", "2": "ORD-12345"},
    },
)
```

## Template Lifecycle

```
draft -> pending (submitted to Meta) -> approved (ready to use)
                                     -> rejected (edit and resubmit)
```

## Other Operations

```typescript
// List templates
const templates = await zavu.templates.list({ limit: 50 });
for (const tpl of templates.items) {
  console.log(tpl.id, tpl.name, tpl.status);
}

// Get template
const tpl = await zavu.templates.get({ templateId: "tpl_abc123" });

// Delete template (draft only)
await zavu.templates.delete({ templateId: "tpl_abc123" });
```

## Constraints

- Template names: lowercase, underscores only (e.g., `order_confirmation`)
- Variables use positional format: `{{1}}`, `{{2}}`, `{{3}}`
- Max 3 buttons per template
- Button text: max 25 characters
- OTP `ONE_TAP` requires Android `packageName` and `signatureHash`
- `addSecurityRecommendation` only for AUTHENTICATION templates
- `codeExpirationMinutes`: 1-90, only for AUTHENTICATION
- Meta approval typically takes minutes to hours, but can take up to 24h
- Rejected templates can be edited and resubmitted