wacli

name	wacli
description	Send WhatsApp messages to other people or search/sync WhatsApp history via the wacli CLI (not for normal user chats). Use when the user asks to send a WhatsApp message, text someone on WhatsApp, search WhatsApp chat history, sync WhatsApp conversations, backfill message history, or forward a file via WhatsApp to a third party.
homepage	https://wacli.sh
metadata	{"otto":{"emoji":"📱","requires":{"bins":["wacli"]},"install":[{"id":"brew","kind":"brew","formula":"steipete/tap/wacli","bins":["wacli"],"label":"Install wacli (brew)"},{"id":"go","kind":"go","module":"github.com/steipete/wacli/cmd/wacli@latest","bins":["wacli"],"label":"Install wacli (go)"}]}}

wacli

Use wacli only when the user explicitly asks you to message someone else on WhatsApp or when they ask to sync/search WhatsApp history. Do NOT use wacli for normal user chats; Otto routes WhatsApp conversations automatically. If the user is chatting with you on WhatsApp, you should not reach for this tool unless they ask you to contact a third party.

Safety

• Require explicit recipient + message text.
• Confirm recipient + message before sending.
• If anything is ambiguous, ask a clarifying question.

Auth + sync

• wacli auth (QR login + initial sync)
• wacli sync --follow (continuous sync)
• wacli doctor

Find chats + messages

• wacli chats list --limit 20 --query "name or number"
• wacli messages search "query" --limit 20 --chat <jid>
• wacli messages search "invoice" --after 2025-01-01 --before 2025-12-31

History backfill

• wacli history backfill --chat <jid> --requests 2 --count 50

Send

• Text: wacli send text --to "[phone]" --message "Hello! Are you free at 3pm?"
• Group: wacli send text --to "[e-mail]" --message "Running 5 min late."
• File: wacli send file --to "[phone]" --file /path/agenda.pdf --caption "Agenda"

Notes

• Store dir: ~/.wacli (override with --store).
• Use --json for machine-readable output when parsing.
• Backfill requires your phone online; results are best-effort.
• WhatsApp CLI is not needed for routine user chats; it’s for messaging other people.
• JIDs: direct chats look like <number>@s.whatsapp.net; groups look like <id>@g.us (use wacli chats list to find).