Frequently Asked Questions
Run 'npm run dev' in the frontend project's root directory. In a separate terminal, navigate to the 'backend' directory and run 'node server.js'.
Use the provided Vue frontend application to enter recipient phone numbers and your message. The app interacts with a Node.js backend that uses the MessageBird API to send the messages. Each recipient receives an individual SMS, allowing for better status tracking.
Vite is a modern frontend build tool that offers a fast development server and optimized builds. It's used in this MessageBird integration project to streamline the Vue.js frontend development process.
The Node.js backend handles secure interaction with the MessageBird API, including API key management and sending logic. It acts as an intermediary between the Vue frontend and MessageBird to enhance security and manage the complexities of bulk messaging.
Use an Alphanumeric Sender ID when you want to brand your messages with your company name. Keep in mind, replies are not possible with these IDs, and they might require pre-registration depending on the country.
The tutorial suggests a database schema for storing recipients, message logs, and user data. Although not implemented in the example, this is highly recommended for production to enable features like recipient management and tracking message status.
For the frontend, navigate to the 'sent-messagebird-broadcast' directory and run 'npm install'. For the backend, navigate to the 'backend' directory and run 'npm install express dotenv @messagebird/api cors'.
The '.env' file in the backend directory stores sensitive information like your MessageBird API key and originator. It's crucial to add this file to your '.gitignore' to prevent committing these secrets to version control.
The backend code includes error handling at both individual message and batch levels. It distinguishes between submission, delivery, and network errors, though delivery errors require webhooks for full tracking.
While the API might support longer messages, the example application sets a limit of 1600 characters per message. This limit is implemented in both the frontend and backend for consistency.
The article does not specify a limit. MessageBird's API documentation should detail limits on recipients per API call. This application sends one message per recipient, not a single message to all.
The article provides a conceptual example using the 'async-retry' library for exponential backoff. This is recommended for handling transient errors and increasing the reliability of message delivery.
Although the frontend only accepts direct input, the article suggests a database schema with RecipientList and Recipient models, indicating how list management could be implemented.
The E.164 format (+14155552671) ensures consistent and internationally recognized phone number formatting, which is essential for successful message delivery via the MessageBird API.
This guide details how to build a web application enabling users to send bulk SMS or WhatsApp messages using MessageBird. We'll create a Vue frontend using Vite for a fast development experience and a Node.js backend API to securely interact with the MessageBird service.
This application solves the common need to send announcements, notifications, or marketing messages to a list of recipients efficiently without manually messaging each one. By the end, you'll have a functional frontend to input recipients and a message, a backend API to handle the sending logic via MessageBird, and an understanding of key considerations for a production environment.
Technologies Used:
.env
file.System Architecture:
Prerequisites:
1. Setting up the Project
We'll set up both the frontend (Vue/Vite) and the backend (Node.js/Express) projects.
Frontend Setup (Vite + Vue)
Create Vite Project: Open your terminal and run the Vite scaffolding command. Choose
vue
andvue-ts
orvue
(JavaScript) as you prefer. This guide will use JavaScript.Navigate and Install Dependencies:
Project Structure (Frontend): Vite creates a standard structure. We'll primarily work within the
src
directory:Run Development Server:
This starts the Vite development server, typically at
http://localhost:5173
. You should see the default Vue welcome page.Backend Setup (Node.js + Express)
Create Backend Directory: Inside your main project folder (
sent-messagebird-broadcast
), create a directory for the backend API.Initialize Node.js Project:
This creates a
package.json
file.Install Backend Dependencies: We need Express for the server,
dotenv
for environment variables, the MessageBird SDK, andcors
for handling cross-origin requests from the frontend.Project Structure (Backend):
Create
.env
File: Create a file named.env
in thebackend
directory. Add your MessageBird Live API Key. Important: Add.env
to your.gitignore
file to avoid committing secrets.Create Basic Server (
server.js
):Run Backend Server: Open a new terminal window, navigate to the
backend
directory, and run:You should see
Backend server listening on port 3001
.Now you have both frontend and backend development servers running.
2. Implementing Core Functionality (Frontend Form)
Let's create the Vue component for users to enter recipients and their message.
Create Component File: In the frontend project, create
src/components/BroadcastForm.vue
.Implement the Form: Add the following code to
BroadcastForm.vue
. We use Vue 3's Composition API (setup
script).v-model
for two-way data binding between the textareas and reactive refs (recipientsInput
,messageBody
). ThehandleBroadcastSubmit
function prevents default form submission, parses recipients, performs basic validation, and usesfetch
to send data to our backend API. It handles loading states and displays feedback messages based on the API response.Use the Component in
App.vue
: Replace the content ofsrc/App.vue
to include our new form.If you check your browser (where the frontend
npm run dev
is running), you should now see the broadcast form. Submitting it will currently log a message in the backend console and show a placeholder success message in the frontend, as the backend logic isn't fully implemented yet.3. Building a Complete API Layer (Backend)
Let's enhance the backend
POST /api/broadcast
endpoint to handle the request properly, validate input, and prepare for MessageBird integration.Update
server.js
: Modify the/api/broadcast
route handler inbackend/server.js
.recipients
array and themessage
string, including format checks (basic E.164 check) and length limits. We added a placeholder comment for where authentication/authorization logic would go in a real-world application. The main logic block is wrapped in atry...catch
to handle potential errors during processing (especially when we add MessageBird calls). We simulate a successful response structure that the frontend expects.Testing the Endpoint: You can test this endpoint using
curl
or a tool like Postman.Curl Example: (Run from your terminal)
Expected Response (JSON):
Test edge cases like sending empty recipients, an empty message, or malformed numbers to ensure the validation works.
4. Integrating with MessageBird
Now, let's integrate the MessageBird SDK into our backend API to actually send the messages.
Get MessageBird Credentials:
backend/.env
file asMESSAGEBIRD_API_KEY
.backend/.env
file asMESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR
.Implement Sending Logic in
server.js
: Replace the placeholder comment in thetry
block of the/api/broadcast
route with the MessageBird sending logic.MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR
from environment variables.recipients
array.params
) including the originator, the single recipient, and the message body. Sending one API call per recipient allows for individual status tracking and error handling, which is generally better for bulk sends than putting all recipients in one API call (though MessageBird supports that too).messagebird.messages.create(params, callback)
to initiate the sending.messagebird.messages.create
call in aPromise
. This allows us to manage the asynchronous nature of these calls. The promiseresolves
even if the MessageBird API returns an error for a specific number, capturing the failure details. This prevents one failed number from stopping the entire batch.Promise.all(messagePromises)
waits for all the individual send attempts to complete (either successfully submitted or failed).results
array, containing the status for each recipient.200 OK
response back to the frontend, including a summary message and the detailedresults
array. The frontend can then interpret this data.Restart Backend: Stop (
Ctrl+C
) and restart your backend server (node server.js
) to apply the changes.Test: Use the frontend application to send a message to one or two real phone numbers (including your own) that you can verify. Check your phone and the MessageBird Dashboard logs (Logging > Messages) to confirm messages are sent. Observe the backend console logs and the feedback message in the frontend.
5. Error Handling, Logging, and Retry Mechanisms
Production systems need robust error handling and logging.
Backend Enhancements:
Improved Logging: Replace
console.log
/console.error
with a more structured logger likewinston
orpino
for production. For this guide, we'll stick toconsole
, but highlight its limitations.Specific Error Handling: The current
try...catch
aroundPromise.all
handles errors during the mapping orPromise.all
itself. The individual promise wrappers handle errors from the MessageBird API for each message.Retry Mechanisms (Conceptual): For transient errors (e.g., temporary network issues connecting to MessageBird), implement a retry strategy.
async-retry
or implement manually with exponential backoff (wait longer between retries).Frontend Enhancements:
Clearer Feedback: The current feedback is okay, but could be more detailed based on the
details
array returned from the backend.Add corresponding styles for
.detailed-results
,.status-success
,.status-error
.6. Creating a Database Schema and Data Layer (Optional)
While not strictly required for basic sending, storing data enhances the application:
Conceptual Schema (using Prisma as an example ORM):