WAHA API

Complete WhatsApp automation with WAHA API - Multi-engine support

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Overview

The "Start Session" operation of the WAHA API node initiates a WhatsApp session using one of several supported engines. This node enables users to programmatically start and manage WhatsApp sessions, which is essential for automating WhatsApp messaging workflows. It supports multiple WhatsApp engine types, including browser-based (Puppeteer), multi-device API without a browser, and Venom-bot.

Typical use cases include:

Automating WhatsApp message sending by first establishing a session.
Managing multiple WhatsApp sessions for different accounts or purposes.
Integrating WhatsApp communication into broader automation workflows.

For example, a user can start a session with the "WEBJS" engine to automate WhatsApp Web interactions or use the "NOWEB" engine for a headless multi-device setup.

Properties

Name	Meaning
Session Name	The name identifier for the WhatsApp session to start.
Engine	The WhatsApp engine to use for the session. Options: - WEBJS: WhatsApp Web with Puppeteer - NOWEB: Multi-device API (no browser) - VENOM: Venom-bot engine
Additional Fields	Optional extra parameters (not typically used in Start Session): includes fields like Filename, Mimetype, Link Description, Link Title, Contact Name, Contact Number, Reaction emoji, Limit number, Download Media flag. These are more relevant for other operations but available as a collection here.

Output

The output JSON contains the response from the WAHA API after attempting to start the session. This typically includes session details such as status, session ID, or any error messages returned by the API.

Example structure (simplified):

{
  "sessionId": "string",
  "status": "string",
  "message": "string"
}

No binary data is output by this operation.

Dependencies

Requires an API key credential for the WAHA API service.
Optionally uses another API key credential for an auxiliary validation service ("N8N Tools API") to validate subscription and API key before proceeding.
The node makes HTTP requests to the configured WAHA API base URL.
No local environment variables are required beyond these credentials.

Troubleshooting

Invalid Subscription or API Key: If the auxiliary validation request fails with 401 or 403, the node throws an error indicating invalid subscription or API key. Verify that the API keys are correct and active.
Unknown Operation or Resource: If an unsupported operation or resource is specified, the node throws an error indicating the unknown operation/resource.
Network or API Errors: Any HTTP request failure will be surfaced as an error. Check network connectivity and API endpoint availability.
Session Already Exists or Conflicts: Starting a session with a name already in use may cause errors depending on the backend API behavior.
Engine Selection: Ensure the selected engine is supported and properly configured on the WAHA API side.

Links and References

WAHA API Documentation (Replace with actual URL if available)
n8n Documentation on Custom Nodes
WhatsApp Automation Concepts

This summary focuses exclusively on the "Start Session" operation of the "Session" resource as requested.

WAHA APIInstall