ChatBots are conversational agents, programs capable of conducting a conversation with an Internet user. In this tutorial I’ll walk you through an implementation of WhatsApp chatbot using  Twilio platform.

In addition to static chatbots, we will also benefit from the power of Google’s  Dialogflow to create intelligent bots, capable of understanding human language.

1. WhatsApp Chatbot

WhatsApp is the most popular OTT app in many parts of the world. Thanks to WhatsApp chatbots you can provide your customers with support on a platform they use and answer their questions immediately.

Using Twilio, Flask and Heroku, as well as many other advanced platforms like DialogFlow, we can build amazing chatbots as we will do in this tutorial.

Twilio

Twilio is a cloud communications platform as a service (CPaaS) company which allows software developers to programmatically make and receive phone calls, send and receive text messages, and perform other communication functions using its web service APIs.

With the Twilio API for WhatsApp, you can send notifications, have two-way conversations, or build chatbots.

For free, and without waiting for your Twilio number to be approved for WhatsApp, Twilio Sandbox for WhatsApp enables you to create your chatbot immediately as we are about to see in this project.

1. Create a  Twilio account
2. Create a  new project
3. On project console, open Programmable SMS Dashboard
4. Select WhatsApp Beta

Image by author

When you activate your sandbox, you will see the phone number associated with it (here +1 415 …) as well as its name (here regular-syllable)

#dialogflow #whatsapp #chatbots #firebase #twilio