| name | whatsapp |
| description | Send and receive WhatsApp messages. Chat with individuals and groups, send media, and manage conversations. |
| metadata | {"picobot":{"emoji":"💬","requires":{"bins":["npm"]},"install":[{"id":"bridge","kind":"script","description":"Install WhatsApp bridge via 'picobot channels login'"}]}} |
WhatsApp Skill
Use this skill to send and receive WhatsApp messages. You can chat with individuals and groups, send media, and manage your WhatsApp conversations through picobot.
Setup
Before using this skill, you need to set up the WhatsApp bridge:
- Ensure you have Node.js >= 18 and npm installed
- Run:
picobot channels login
- Scan the QR code with your WhatsApp mobile app
- Once connected, you can start sending and receiving messages
Sending Messages
To send a WhatsApp message:
whatsapp send --to "+1234567890" --message "Hello from picobot!"
whatsapp send --to "12036301234567890@g.us" --message "Hello team!"
whatsapp send --to "+1234567890" --message "Check this out!" --media "/path/to/image.jpg"
whatsapp send --to "+1234567890" --message "Please review this document" --media "/path/to/document.pdf"
Receiving Messages
Messages received via WhatsApp will automatically appear in your picobot conversation. You can:
- Respond directly to incoming messages
- Use picobot's AI capabilities to analyze and respond to messages
- Forward messages to other channels or skills
Managing Conversations
To manage your WhatsApp conversations:
whatsapp chats list --limit 10
whatsapp chats history --contact "+1234567890" --limit 50
whatsapp chats clear --contact "+1234567890"
Media Handling
When you receive media files via WhatsApp:
- Images, videos, and documents are automatically downloaded
- You can access them using picobot's file tools
- Media paths are provided in message metadata
- You can forward media to other contacts or save them locally
Group Management
To manage WhatsApp groups:
whatsapp group create --name "Project Team" --participants "+1234567890,+0987654321"
whatsapp group add --group-id "12036301234567890@g.us" --participants "+1122334455"
whatsapp group remove --group-id "12036301234567890@g.us" --participants "+1122334455"
whatsapp group info --group-id "12036301234567890@g.us"
Status and Presence
To check your WhatsApp connection status:
whatsapp status
whatsapp profile
whatsapp status set --message "Available for work"
Integration with Other Skills
You can combine WhatsApp with other skills for powerful workflows:
picobot agent -m "Summarize my unread emails from today" | whatsapp send --to "+1234567890" --message
picobot agent -m "List my meetings for tomorrow" | whatsapp send --to "+1234567890" --message
Troubleshooting
If you encounter issues:
- Ensure the bridge is running:
ps aux | grep npm
- Check connection status:
whatsapp status
- Restart the bridge if needed: Stop and start picobot
- Re-scan QR code: Run
picobot channels login again
- Check logs for error messages
Security Notes
- Your WhatsApp authentication data is stored locally in
~/.picobot/runtime/whatsapp-auth/
- The bridge runs locally on your machine - no data leaves your device except through WhatsApp's normal channels
- Be cautious when sharing sensitive information through any messaging platform