Add the official WhatsApp API to your Base44 app

How it fits together

Base44 lets you add custom MCP servers to your account so the builder chat can use external tools while you build. Those MCP connections are not available to your running app (flows, automations or backend functions). For the live app, call the Gambot REST API from a Base44 backend function and keep the token in the app’s secrets.

Requirements

• No Gambot account yet? Connect the server without a token and ask your agent to “set up WhatsApp with Gambot”. It creates a free-trial account for you (no API key needed) and hands you one link to connect your WhatsApp number to Meta in the browser — that single step must be done by a person. Prefer the browser? Create an account.
• After WhatsApp is connected, copy your API token (gmbt_…) from Settings → General into an environment variable — never into the chat. Where the client supports it, sign in with OAuth on the hosted server instead and there is no token to copy.
• MCP connections require a Base44 plan that includes them (Builder or higher at the time of writing).

Setup

MCP server URL for Base44

https://gambot-mcp.azurewebsites.net/mcp

Backend function: base44/functions/send-whatsapp/entry.ts

import { secrets } from "base44:runtime";

export default async function (req: Request): Promise<Response> {
  const { to, text } = await req.json();
  const res = await fetch("https://api.gambot.co.il/api/v1/messages/send-text", {
    method: "POST",
    headers: {
      Authorization: `Bearer ${secrets.get("GAMBOT_TOKEN")}`, // read inside the handler
      "Content-Type": "application/json",
    },
    body: JSON.stringify({ to, text }),
  });
  return new Response(await res.text(), {
    status: res.status,
    headers: { "Content-Type": "application/json" },
  });
}

Example prompts

Troubleshooting

• Tools not showing? Restart the client after editing its MCP config, then check its MCP/tools panel for “gambot”.
• AUTHENTICATION_REQUIRED? The token is missing or invalid. Copy a fresh one from Settings → General.
• CONVERSATION_WINDOW_CLOSED? The 24-hour window is closed — send an approved template instead. This is WhatsApp behavior, and the error tells the agent exactly that (template_required: true).
• Is the WhatsApp number connected? Ask the agent to run gambot_setup_whatsapp_integration; it reports the exact state and the next step.
• If the function returns 401, the secret is missing or wrong: read it with secrets.get() inside the handler (not at module load) and re-check the value.
• Incoming messages: every Base44 backend function has its own HTTP endpoint, which you can register as the Gambot webhook URL.

Related

• WhatsApp MCP overview — the full server, tools and hosted option.
• Other clients: Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, OpenAI Codex, Gemini CLI, ChatGPT, VS Code / Copilot, Windsurf, Replit, Lovable.
• Gambot Agent Skill — teach any compatible agent the whole WhatsApp integration path.
• Official API vs WhatsApp Web automation — why production should use the official API.
• REST API docs · gambot-mcp on GitHub · npm

Frequently asked questions