Packages Overview
Packages Overview
The Open-WA v5 monorepo consists of multiple modular packages. While most users only need @open-wa/wa-automate, you can use these individual packages for more granular control.
Main Packages
| Package | Description |
|---|---|
wa-automate | The main entry point. Re-exports core functionality and includes the CLI/API server. |
client | The type-safe API client for interacting with WhatsApp. |
cli | Command-line interface for managing sessions and starting the Easy API. |
core | The internal engine handling driver orchestration and event emitters. |
Which package to install
- Most users should install
@open-wa/wa-automate. - Plugin developers should install
@open-wa/plugin-sdk. - Remote consumers should install
@open-wa/socket-client. - Media handling tools should install
@open-wa/decrypt.
Stability notes
Open-WA v5 is still in alpha overall. Treat the v5 package set as an active development surface unless a package documents a stable contract.
The main user-facing paths, @open-wa/wa-automate, @open-wa/socket-client, and @open-wa/decrypt, are the safest places to start. Driver packages and lower-level internals are still settling as the v5 architecture matures.
Driver explanations
- Use Puppeteer when you want the standard browser automation path.
- Use Playwright when you want a higher-performance driver and are comfortable testing the fit for your setup.
- Use Lightpanda only for experimental lightweight browser work.
Plugin SDK link
If you want to build plugins, start with the plugins getting started guide.
Drivers
Open-WA supports multiple browser drivers through a unified interface.
| Package | Driver |
|---|---|
driver-playwright | High-performance automation using Playwright. |
driver-puppeteer | Industry standard automation using Puppeteer. |
driver-lightpanda | Experimental, lightweight driver. |
Utilities & SDKs
| Package | Description |
|---|---|
plugin-sdk | Tools and types for building custom Open-WA plugins. |
session-sync | Sync your session data to remote S3 or Zstd storage. |
screencaster | Stream your headless browser screen to a client. |
decrypt | Zero-dependency WhatsApp media decryption. |
hyperemitter | Schema-driven event emitter powering the v5 architecture. |
Part of the @open-wa v5 monorepo.
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