Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio
1–10 of 66 posts
Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio
#2I really didn't like the WhatsApp approach on this. Basically only partnering with few big vendors like twilio and then asking people to build apps via them (by basically paying for it).
Other apps like telegram allows anyone to directly interact with them
Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio
#3I really didn't like the WhatsApp approach on this. Basically only partnering with few big vendors like twilio and then asking people to build apps via them (by basically paying for it). Other apps like telegram allows anyone to directly interact with them
I registered for the WhatsApp Developers Programme a few months back and was told that 'It's not ready yet, but we'll contact you when it is'. Yesterday I got an email telling me that basically I have to partner with (and pay for) services from Twilio or couple of others if I want 'developer' type access.
It seems that independent developers will never get legal access to integrate automation or build CRM type apps using WhatsApp, which sucks considering how prevalent WhatsApp usage is.
Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio
#4This is funny because just today I decided to join Telegram to develop a bot.
Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio
#5This is funny because just today I decided to join Telegram to develop a bot.
Telegram bot writing is silly easy. If you use the python module you can basically just write the whole thing as a set of functions in a file (with decorators that watch telegram for triggers) and one function that automatically polls and does all the responding at the end.
I managed to bang out a few when I had a day off a few months back. Very satisfying.
Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio
#6This is funny because just today I decided to join Telegram to develop a bot.
Telegram bot writing is silly easy. If you use the python module you can basically just write the whole thing as a set of functions in a file (with decorators that watch telegram for triggers) and one function that automatically polls and does all the responding at the end. I managed to bang out a few when I had a day off a few months back. Very satisfying.
I have to check the documentation first, but I'm glad to hear that it's so easy. BTW, any recommendation about where to host the bot running?
Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio
#7In the 90's I built an IRC chatbot, at the time users were naive enough to think it was a real person, so I kept adding conversation lines.
Over time it grew into thousands of lines and some people came back to the channel just to chat with it. My friends and I had some good laughs, good times heh.
Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio
#8I really didn't like the WhatsApp approach on this. Basically only partnering with few big vendors like twilio and then asking people to build apps via them (by basically paying for it). Other apps like telegram allows anyone to directly interact with them
Facebook (same company) also allows anyone to build a bot. Maybe they wanted to monetize Whatsapp this way, but thought it would be less controversial if it's through an intermediary.
Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio
#9Nah I'm good thanks
Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio
#10I really didn't like the WhatsApp approach on this. Basically only partnering with few big vendors like twilio and then asking people to build apps via them (by basically paying for it). Other apps like telegram allows anyone to directly interact with them
Paying isn't necessarily the issue. WhatsApp needs to make money, and this is a fairly clear way.
The issue is the 3rd party. I don't understand why it needs to go through another service.