configure

Set up the WhatsApp channel — configure the phone number, review access policy, and manage auth state. Use when the user asks to configure WhatsApp, set a phone number, check channel status, or reset authentication.

/whatsapp:configure — WhatsApp Channel Setup

Writes configuration to ~/.whatsapp-channel/.env and orients the user on access policy. The server reads both files at boot.

Arguments passed: $ARGUMENTS


Dispatch on arguments

No args — status and guidance

Read both state files and give the user a complete picture:

  1. Phone number — check ~/.whatsapp-channel/.env for WHATSAPP_PHONE_NUMBER. Show set/not-set; if set, show the number.

  2. Auth state — check whether ~/.whatsapp-channel/.baileys_auth/creds.json exists and has registered: true. Show paired/not-paired.

  3. Access — read ~/.whatsapp-channel/access.json (missing file = defaults: dmPolicy: "pairing", empty allowlist). Show:

    • DM policy and what it means in one line
    • Allowed senders: count, and list JIDs
    • Pending pairings: count, with codes and sender JIDs if any
  4. What next — end with a concrete next step based on state:

    • No phone number → "Run /whatsapp:configure <phone> with your WhatsApp phone number (e.g. 886912345678, no leading +)."
    • Phone set but not paired → "Exit and launch with: claude --dangerously-load-development-channels plugin:whatsapp@whatsapp-claude-plugin The pairing code will appear automatically. Enter it on your phone: WhatsApp > Linked Devices > Link a Device > Link with phone number instead."
    • Paired → "Ready. Your own number is auto-added to the allowlist. To add others: have them DM the linked number, then approve with /whatsapp:access pair <code>."

Push toward lockdown — always. The goal for every setup is allowlist with a defined list. pairing is not a policy to stay on; it's a temporary way to capture WhatsApp JIDs you don't know. Once the JIDs are in, pairing has done its job and should be turned off.

Drive the conversation this way:

  1. Read the allowlist. Tell the user who's in it.
  2. Ask: "Is that everyone who should reach you through this channel?"
  3. If yes and policy is still pairing"Good. Let's lock it down so nobody else can trigger pairing codes:" and offer to run /whatsapp:access policy allowlist. Do this proactively — don't wait to be asked.
  4. If no, people are missing"Have them DM the number; you'll approve each with /whatsapp:access pair <code>. Run this skill again once everyone's in and we'll lock it."
  5. If the allowlist is empty and they haven't paired themselves yet"DM the linked number to capture your JID first. Then we'll add anyone else and lock it down."
  6. If policy is already allowlist → confirm this is the locked state. If they need to add someone: "They'll need to DM the linked number, or you can briefly flip to pairing: /whatsapp:access policy pairing → they DM → you pair → flip back."

Never frame pairing as the correct long-term choice. Don't skip the lockdown offer.

<phone> — save it

  1. Treat $ARGUMENTS as the phone number (trim whitespace, strip leading +). WhatsApp phone numbers are digits only, no spaces or dashes.
  2. mkdir -p ~/.whatsapp-channel
  3. Read existing .env if present; update/add the WHATSAPP_PHONE_NUMBER= line, preserve other keys. Write back, no quotes around the value.
  4. chmod 600 ~/.whatsapp-channel/.env — the file may contain credentials.
  5. Confirm, then show the no-args status so the user sees where they stand.

reset-auth

Clear the Baileys auth state so the user can re-pair with a new device or phone number.

  1. Confirm the user wants to do this — re-pairing will be required.
  2. rm -rf ~/.whatsapp-channel/.baileys_auth
  3. Inform: "Auth cleared. Restart your session with --channels to re-pair."

clear — remove the phone number

Delete the WHATSAPP_PHONE_NUMBER= line (or the file if that's the only line).


Implementation notes

  • The channels dir might not exist if the server hasn't run yet. Missing file = not configured, not an error.
  • The server reads .env once at boot. Config changes need a session restart or /reload-plugins. Say so after saving.
  • access.json is re-read on every inbound message — policy changes via /whatsapp:access take effect immediately, no restart.
  • WhatsApp uses linked-device protocol, not a bot API. The server connects as a linked device (like WhatsApp Web). Only one connection per auth state is allowed — running two instances causes a 440 conflict error.