/wacli

name: wacli
description: "Send third-party WhatsApp messages or sync/search WhatsApp history via wacli, not normal active chats."
homepage: https://wacli.sh
metadata:
  {
    "openclaw":
      {
        "emoji": "📱",
        "requires": { "bins": ["wacli"] },
        "install":
          [
            {
              "id": "brew",
              "kind": "brew",
              "formula": "steipete/tap/wacli",
              "bins": ["wacli"],
              "label": "Install wacli (brew)",
            },
            {
              "id": "go",
              "kind": "go",
              "module": "github.com/openclaw/wacli/cmd/wacli@latest",
              "bins": ["wacli"],
              "label": "Install wacli (go)",
            },
          ],
      },
  }

wacli

Use `wacli` only when the user explicitly asks you to message someone else on WhatsApp or when they ask to sync/search WhatsApp history. Do NOT use `wacli` for normal user chats; OpenClaw routes WhatsApp conversations automatically. If the user is chatting with you on WhatsApp, you should not reach for this tool unless they ask you to contact a third party.

Safety

• Require explicit recipient + message text.
• Confirm recipient + message before sending.
• If anything is ambiguous, ask a clarifying question.

Auth + sync

• `wacli auth` (QR login + initial sync)
• `wacli sync --follow` (continuous sync)
• `wacli doctor`

Find chats + messages

• `wacli chats list --limit 20 --query "name or number"`
• `wacli messages search "query" --limit 20 --chat <jid>`
• `wacli messages search "invoice" --after 2025-01-01 --before 2025-12-31`

Inspect / verify messages

• `wacli messages show --chat <jid> --id <message_id> --json --full`
• `messages show` requires both `--chat` and `--id`; do not pass the message ID as a positional argument.
• After sending, verify the stored message when exact formatting matters, especially multiline text.

History backfill

• `wacli history backfill --chat <jid> --requests 2 --count 50`

Send

• Text: `wacli send text --to "+14155551212" --message "Hello! Are you free at 3pm?"`
• Group: `wacli send text --to "1234567890-123456789@g.us" --message "Running 5 min late."`
• File: `wacli send file --to "+14155551212" --file /path/agenda.pdf --caption "Agenda"`
• Multiline: `--message` is literal by default; pass `--message-escapes` to interpret `\n`, `\r`, `\t`.

Notes

• Store dir: `~/.wacli` (override with `--store`).
• Use `--json` for machine-readable output when parsing.
• Backfill requires your phone online; results are best-effort.
• WhatsApp CLI is not needed for routine user chats; it's for messaging other people.
• JIDs: direct chats look like `<number>@s.whatsapp.net`; groups look like `<id>@g.us` (use `wacli chats list` to find).