SocialKit WhatsApp Support Bot

Sets up and runs a business-specific WhatsApp support bot on the official Cloud API that answers customers only from an approved knowledge base (FAQs, order status, opening hours, bookings), handles opt-outs, and hands everything else to a person. Use when the user wants automatic WhatsApp replies for their business. Not for general-purpose chatbots or AI assistants.

WhatsApp support bot

Official Cloud API only. Setup: setup.

Scope

Meta's WhatsApp Business terms (section 4.7, from 2026-01-15) prohibit general-purpose AI assistants. This bot has no AI model: it replies only with answers written in support-kb.json and approved by the user, and hands off anything else. Do not extend it into open-ended conversation, and do not generate replies on the fly.

Steps

1. node scripts/bot.mjs --init --dir wa-bot
2. With the user, write support-kb.json from the example: business name, hand-off message, FAQs (keywords and exact answers), optional order lookup from an exported CSV. Apply socialkit-social-core voice.
3. node scripts/bot.mjs --check --dir wa-bot, then try messages: node scripts/bot.mjs --test "what time do you open?" --dir wa-bot
4. Stop. Ask the user to approve the replies in their own terminal: node scripts/bot.mjs --approve --dir wa-bot
5. Run: node scripts/bot.mjs --serve --dir wa-bot --port 8787, expose it over HTTPS (see setup) and register the URL in the Meta App Dashboard.
6. Messages the bot could not answer are in wa-bot/handoff.jsonl; a person replies to those within 24 hours.

Failure handling

• APPROVAL_REQUIRED on serve: the knowledge base changed since approval; ask again.
• Webhook verification fails in Meta: WA_VERIFY_TOKEN differs from the dashboard value.
• 401 responses in the log: WA_APP_SECRET is wrong, or the request did not come from Meta.
• Replies are charged after 1,000 free service messages per month per number.