Add the official WhatsApp API to your app with VS Code and GitHub Copilot

What you can ask Copilot to do

• Create a Gambot account and walk you through connecting WhatsApp with Meta.
• Generate and test the server-side code that sends WhatsApp messages and templates.
• Receive incoming messages through a webhook and verify the endpoint.
• Explain and recover from errors using Gambot’s machine-readable error fields.

Requirements

• A VS Code version with MCP support and Copilot agent mode enabled for your account/organization (MCP availability can be controlled by your admin).
• 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.

Setup

.vscode/mcp.json (hosted, OAuth)

{
  "servers": {
    "gambot": {
      "type": "http",
      "url": "https://gambot-mcp.azurewebsites.net/mcp"
    }
  }
}

.vscode/mcp.json (local, token from a prompt so it is never stored in the file)

{
  "inputs": [
    { "id": "gambot_token", "type": "promptString", "description": "Gambot API token (optional at first)", "password": true }
  ],
  "servers": {
    "gambot": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "gambot-mcp"],
      "env": { "GAMBOT_TOKEN": "${input:gambot_token}" }
    }
  }
}

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.

Related

• WhatsApp MCP overview — the full server, tools and hosted option.
• Other clients: Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, OpenAI Codex, Gemini CLI, ChatGPT, Windsurf, Replit, Lovable, Base44.
• 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