[Custom Component] OpenWA WhatsApp - Self-Hosted WhatsApp Notifications

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Hi everyone,

I've been looking for a way to get WhatsApp notifications without relying on expensive cloud bridges or 3rd party services that have limited free
tiers. I ended up using the OpenWA API and decided to write a custom integration for it so we can trigger messages directly from our automations.

It's completely self-hosted, meaning your messages go through your own server.

Why I built this:
I wanted a reliable way to get critical alerts (like water leaks or security/door alerts) on WhatsApp without the lag or cost of typical SMS
gateways.

What it does:

  • Sends text messages to any contact or group.
  • Fully configured via the HA UI.
  • Supports templates, so you can send dynamic data (e.g., "The living room temperature is {{ states('sensor.temp') }}°C").

I've put together a full guide and the code on GitHub, including a 1-line Docker command to get the API server running if you're new to OpenWA.

Repo: openwa-whatsapp

I'm still polishing it and would love to know if anyone else has a specific use case they'd like to see supported!

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Is it possible to do this without the docker image? Or run the docker image inside HA?

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you can try this

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I’m working on an addon, but haven’t got a chance to test it. In my setup, I set up the docker container on my unraid and then linked my phone with the QR code. After that I started working on the hacs component.

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I did finish the work in creating the add-on GitHub - nomi25home/homeassistant-openwa-addon · GitHub