Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you need to know about OpenWA

Get answers to common questions about features, setup, security, and more. Our comprehensive FAQ covers everything from basic usage to advanced configuration.

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Common Questions

Find answers to the most frequently asked questions about OpenWA

Getting Started

OpenWA is a free, open-source WhatsApp API Gateway designed for developers who need full control over their messaging infrastructure. It provides a pluggable architecture with no vendor lock-in or hidden paywalls.
Yes! OpenWA is 100% free and open-source under the MIT License. There are no licensing fees, feature locks, or hidden costs. Full source code access is included.
OpenWA requires Node.js 22 LTS. For production deployments, we recommend at least 2GB RAM and 10GB storage. Docker is recommended for easy deployment.

Features & Functionality

OpenWA supports text messages, media (images, videos, documents, audio), message reactions, bulk messaging, message status tracking, groups API, WhatsApp Channels, labels management, and more.
Yes! OpenWA is multi-session ready, allowing you to run multiple WhatsApp accounts concurrently on a single instance with complete isolation.
Yes, OpenWA includes a modern React UI dashboard for session management, webhook configuration, API key management, and monitoring.

Technical Details

Open supports SQLite (zero-config) and PostgreSQL (production-grade). The architecture is pluggable allowing for additional database adapters.
Media can be stored locally or on S3-compatible services like MinIO. Storage adapters are pluggable and can be configured via environment variables.
Yes, Redis is supported as an optional caching layer to improve performance. The cache system is pluggable and can be configured via environment variables.

Security & Compliance

OpenWA uses API key authentication with HMAC signatures for webhook verification. Additional security features include rate limiting, CIDR whitelisting, and audit logging.
Yes, webhooks support HMAC signature verification to ensure payloads come from OpenWA and haven't been tampered with. You can configure a secret for verification.
Yes, OpenWA supports CIDR whitelisting to restrict API access to specific IP addresses or ranges for enhanced security.
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