# Quickstart

> Send your first WhatsApp message with the watsi API in 5 minutes.

Source: https://docs.watsi.ai/en/quickstart

This guide walks you through creating an API key, listing your conversations, and sending a WhatsApp message via the watsi API.

> **Prerequisites**

- A watsi account with a connected WhatsApp Business number
- An existing conversation (send a message to your WhatsApp Business number to create one)

### Create an API key

Open **Settings → API Keys** in the [watsi dashboard](https://app.watsi.ai/settings) and click **Generate new key**. Copy the key immediately — it is shown only once.

### List your conversations

Verify your key works by fetching conversations. Replace `YOUR_API_KEY` with the key from Step 1.

```bash Request
curl https://api.watsi.ai/api/v1/conversations \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"
```

```json Response
{
  "chats": [
    {
      "id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
      "customer": {
        "name": "Maria Garcia",
        "phone": "+5491155551234"
      },
      "last_message_at": "2025-03-15T10:30:00.000Z",
      "status": "open"
    }
  ],
  "hasMore": false
}
```

### Send a message

Pick a conversation ID from the previous response and send a text message. Messages can only be sent within the 24-hour WhatsApp messaging window (since the customer's last inbound message).

```bash Request
curl -X POST https://api.watsi.ai/api/v1/messages \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "conversation_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
    "body": "Hello from the watsi API!"
  }'
```

```json Response
{
  "message": {
    "id": "msg_01HXYZ987654321",
    "conversation_id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
    "body": "Hello from the watsi API!",
    "direction": "outbound",
    "status": "sent",
    "created_at": "2025-03-15T10:35:00.000Z"
  }
}
```

### Check message status

The message `status` field will update as WhatsApp processes delivery. You can also receive real-time status updates via webhooks.

## Next steps

- [Authentication guide](/guides/authentication)
    Learn about API key scopes and security best practices.
- [API reference](/reference)
    Explore all endpoints interactively.
- [Webhook tutorial](/webhooks/tutorial)
    Receive events when messages arrive or statuses change.
- [Pagination & filtering](/guides/pagination)
    Navigate large result sets efficiently.