Glossary
Core terms used throughout the open-wa docs.
ChatId
A ChatId is the identifier accepted by a chat or messaging method. The current schema accepts a numeric direct-contact JID such as 447700900000@c.us, a numeric group JID such as 447123456789-1445627445@g.us, or a numeric LID JID such as 12345678901234@lid. An incoming event can expose the value through fields such as from and chatId; preserve that returned value instead of reconstructing it.
ContactId
A ContactId is a chat ID for a direct contact. The schema requires the numeric @c.us form, such as 447700900000@c.us; display names, invite URLs, and guessed LIDs are not contact IDs.
Driver
A driver is the browser automation backend open-wa uses to control WhatsApp Web. Common drivers include Puppeteer, Playwright, and Lightpanda.
Easy API
The HTTP and runtime-transport surface served by an open-wa process. Running npx @open-wa/wa-automate starts it locally; the process can expose client methods, interactive API docs, and generated schemas.
Event namespace
An event namespace is the naming convention used for runtime events, such as message.received, client.ready, and core.stopping.
GroupChatId
A GroupChatId is an assigned WhatsApp group identifier ending in @g.us. Keep the full value returned by an event or group method; an invite URL is an invite token and does not become a group ID until a group method resolves it.
Headless / headful
headless means the browser runs without a visible UI. headful means the browser window is visible for debugging or manual observation.
Host account
The WhatsApp account that authenticates and owns the session.
License tiers
License tiers are the different licensing levels that gate certain features, such as free, insiders, and restricted.
LID
A LID is an opaque WhatsApp identifier ending in @lid. The current API schema accepts a numeric value before that suffix. Keep the ID supplied by the runtime; don't derive one from a phone number or assume every incoming LID has the same representation. The Chat ID primer explains which inputs the current API accepts.
MCP
MCP means Model Context Protocol. It is a standard for connecting AI assistants to external tools. When MCP is enabled for an Easy API instance and configured with its API key, open-wa exposes Easy API methods as MCP tools.
Proxy
A proxy is a middleman service that forwards traffic between your app and WhatsApp. In open-wa contexts, this can include Cloudflare Session Proxy and SOCKS or HTTP proxies.
Re-auth
Re-auth is the process of bringing an existing session back online without a fresh QR scan when the necessary auth state is still usable.
Re-scan
A re-scan is the user action of scanning a fresh QR code after a session can no longer be restored automatically.
Session
A session is a named automation instance. The sessionId is the stable identifier you use to distinguish one runtime from another.
Session data
Session data is the authentication material that restores a session. Its portability depends on the auth/runtime mode that you use.
SocketClient
The remote consumer client used to connect to an Easy API instance without embedding the full browser automation runtime in your own app.
Tunnel
A tunnel, such as Cloudflare Tunnel, exposes a local service through a public relay URL without requiring an inbound listening port on your machine or network. The relay URL is still an internet-facing entry point, so apply the service's authentication and access controls.
WAPI
WAPI is the internal WhatsApp Web API that open-wa bridges to. It is the abstraction layer between the browser runtime and WhatsApp Web.
Webhook
A webhook is an HTTP POST notification sent to your endpoint when WhatsApp events occur.
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