WhatsApp · One CLI

WhatsApp in your terminal

wacli is a single Go CLI that pairs as a linked WhatsApp Web device, mirrors message history into local SQLite with FTS5 search, and exposes send, media, contact, and group workflows for terminals, scripts, and coding agents.

Quickstart GitHub
brew install steipete/tap/wacli
PairSyncSearchSendMediaContactsChatsGroupsHistoryPresenceDoctor

Other install options →

wacli

A script-friendly WhatsApp CLI built on whatsmeow. One binary pairs as a linked WhatsApp Web device, syncs messages into a local SQLite store, and exposes search, send, media, contact, and group commands with predictable output for terminals, shell pipelines, and coding agents.

#Why wacli

  • Local mirror, fast search. All synced messages land in a SQLite store with an FTS5 index; offline messages search returns hits in milliseconds.
  • Stable output. Human-readable tables by default, --json to stdout for scripts, NDJSON --events for long-running commands. Human progress, prompts, and errors stay on stderr so pipes stay clean.
  • Single binary. No daemon, no plugin host. Run wacli auth, then wacli sync --follow to keep the store warm.
  • Built for agents. --read-only (or WACLI_READONLY=1) blocks every command that mutates WhatsApp or local state. Store locks prevent two instances from racing on the same device identity.
  • Boundable storage. sync warns when storage is uncapped; --max-messages / --max-db-size cap local growth. Send retries are bounded; media uploads/downloads cap at 100 MiB.
  • Best-effort history. history backfill requests older messages per chat from your primary device; documented as best-effort because WhatsApp Web is.

#Pick your path

  • Trying it. Read Install, then Quickstart. Pair, sync, and send your first message in under five minutes.
  • Searching old chats. Read Sync for the sync model and History for on-demand backfill.
  • Sending from scripts. Read Send for recipient resolution, replies, mentions, files, and reactions.
  • Wiring up an agent. Pair --read-only, --json, and --events from Overview; read Doctor for self-checks.
  • Looking up a flag. Open the per-command pages from Overview.

#Status

Core implementation is in place. The CHANGELOG tracks shipped behavior. WhatsApp Web is not a published API; expect occasional breakage from upstream protocol changes — wacli follows whatsmeow upstream.

#Out of scope

  • Guaranteed full-history export (WhatsApp Web history is best-effort).
  • A daemon, MCP server, web UI, or GUI.
  • End-to-end "contact creation" inside WhatsApp; local aliases and tags only.

#Disclaimer

wacli is a third-party tool that uses the WhatsApp Web protocol via whatsmeow. It is not affiliated with WhatsApp or Meta. Use at your own risk; pairing as a linked device is subject to WhatsApp's terms.

Released under the MIT license.