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Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio

twilio.com

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Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio

#11

Post by Zhyl »

kuu wrote: post #6
Zhyl wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

I ran it off of a $5/month 'droplet' from Digital Ocean. As they are the only hosting provider I have ever used I can neither endorse nor critically review the service. I have, however, had no issues with them and find their various documentations floating around to be very useful and highly accessible.

Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio

#12

Post by axrami5 »

namanaggarwal wrote: post #2

I 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

Whatsapp doesn't really expose an API. They require you to maintain docker containers that binds to phone numbers. It has issues. Generally I agree but their business model requires "good behavior" by the partners.

Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio

#14

Post by m4tthumphrey »

pmlnr wrote: post #10
namanaggarwal wrote: post #2

I 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.

Twilio's bread and butter is telephony developer relations. Why would WhatsApp get into this market when they can outsource it for free to Twilio who has the product and documentation nailed. The support however is a different story. Once the demand is high enough, WhatsApp are free to revisit. It also keeps WhatsApp low (relatively speaking) cost to run.

Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio

#15

Post by bikamonki »

namanaggarwal wrote: post #2

I 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

FB paid something like 20bn for Whatsapp almost 6 years ago. Something like 4bn was paid in cash. How do you make that money back if: a) users do not pay a subscription and b) ads are not printed in the app? You leverage the app's immense user base asking businesses to pay for API services so they can implement chat-bots, notifications, in-app tools, etc.

Why using res-sellers, like carriers use re-sellers to sell SMS integration? Distribution and fair-use control. First, companies like Twilio are the natural partners to sell one more channel to customers that already integrate to SMS. Second, partners will help enforce and control anti-spam efforts. If opening Whatsapp API turns it into a spam jungle like email or sms, it will certainly lose its appeal and users will start switching to the next new spam-free chat app.

Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio

#18

Post by is0tope »

Zhyl wrote: post #11
kuu wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

I ran it off of a $5/month 'droplet' from Digital Ocean. As they are the only hosting provider I have ever used I can neither endorse nor critically review the service. I have, however, had no issues with them and find their various documentations floating around to be very useful and highly accessible.

Definitely want to agree with the point about documentation. I pretty much always end up using it if I need to set up docker on a new machine, or do other web app related ops tasks.

Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio

#19

Post by mmsimanga »

namanaggarwal wrote: post #2

I 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

WhatsApp founders always promised that there would be no advertising on WhatsApp. Yes I know they are gone. I confess I am not on Twitter and use Facebook once every 2 to three months. I am in about 6 WhatsApp groups and every evening I sit down to catch up on what's been happening by reading the group posts. I think the success of WhatsApp is that there literally no bots unless you sign up for one. Instead of selling adverts charging organisations to develop WhatsApp bots just might be the way to keep WhatsApp free of rubbish.

Other advantage of WhatsApp over social media is you don't know is something is viral because you can't count the likes.

Re: Build a WhatsApp Chatbot with Python, Flask and Twilio

#20

Post by kuu »

Zhyl wrote: post #11
kuu wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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?

I ran it off of a $5/month 'droplet' from Digital Ocean. As they are the only hosting provider I have ever used I can neither endorse nor critically review the service. I have, however, had no issues with them and find their various documentations floating around to be very useful and highly accessible.

Thanks for the info!
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