Frequently Asked Questions
Use a Next.js API route as your backend to handle communication with the Sinch XMS API. Create a form on your frontend to collect recipient details, message body, and media URL, then send a POST request to the API route, which will interact with Sinch to send the MMS.
The Sinch XMS API is the core service that handles sending MMS messages. Your Next.js API route interacts with its `/batches` endpoint, sending a specifically formatted JSON payload to trigger the message dispatch.
Storing sensitive information like API tokens directly in your code is a security risk. Environment variables (like those in `.env.local`) provide a secure way to manage and access these credentials without exposing them in your codebase.
Input validation is crucial on both the client-side (in your form) and server-side (in your API route). This prevents bad data from reaching the Sinch API and causing errors. Validate for missing fields, correct phone number format (E.164), and valid media URLs.
Yes, the built-in `fetch` API can be used instead of `axios` to make the API call to Sinch. The core logic for constructing the request remains the same, just the syntax for making the HTTP request will differ slightly.
Implement error handling in your API route to catch potential errors during the API call to Sinch. Log the errors server-side, return specific error codes/messages to the frontend, and consider implementing retry mechanisms with exponential backoff for transient errors.
The API route acts as your serverless backend. It receives requests from the frontend, constructs the payload for the Sinch API (including recipient, message, and media URL), makes the API call, and returns the result (success or error) to the frontend.
The payload should be a JSON object sent to the Sinch `/batches` endpoint. It must include the recipient's number (`to`), the message body (`body`), and the publicly accessible `mediaUrl`. Authentication is handled via headers, using Bearer authorization with your Sinch API token.
You'll need a Sinch account with an MMS-enabled number, your Sinch API credentials (Service Plan ID and API Token), Node.js and npm/yarn, a publicly accessible media URL, and the Next.js project setup as described in the article.
Use environment variables to store API credentials, implement thorough input validation on both frontend and backend, enforce HTTPS for all communication, consider rate limiting, and use authentication/authorization to protect your API route if needed.
Log in to your Sinch Dashboard and navigate to the SMS/Messaging API section. Find the REST API configuration area to locate your Service Plan ID and API Token. Copy these securely.
Sinch requires the E.164 format for phone numbers (e.g., +12125551234). Validate and enforce this format on both your frontend and API route to prevent errors.
Verify that the `mediaUrl` you're providing is publicly accessible by Sinch. Also, check Sinch's documentation for any file type or size restrictions that might be causing the issue. If the URL requires any sort of authentication it will not be fetchable by Sinch.
Double-check your `SINCH_API_TOKEN`, `SINCH_SERVICE_PLAN_ID`, and `SINCH_API_BASE_URL` in your `.env.local` file and your deployment environment variables. Ensure the Authorization header has the correct `Bearer` prefix and that these values match exactly what is in your Sinch dashboard.
It means Sinch has successfully received your MMS request and added it to its queue for processing. It does *not* guarantee immediate delivery. You'll need to rely on Sinch's delivery reports for actual delivery status.
This guide provides a complete walkthrough for building a feature within a Next.js application to send Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages using the Sinch platform (specifically the XMS API) and Node.js for the backend logic.
We will build a simple web interface using Next.js to capture recipient details, a text message, and a media URL, which then securely communicates with a Next.js API route. This route acts as our Node.js backend, handling the communication with the Sinch API to dispatch the MMS message.
This approach enables you to integrate robust MMS capabilities directly into your modern web applications.
Project Goals:
Technology Stack:
/batches
endpoint.fetch
API can be used.System Architecture:
Prerequisites:
Expected Outcome:
By the end of this guide_ you will have a functional Next.js application with a page containing a form. Submitting this form (with a recipient number_ message_ and media URL) will trigger an API call to your backend_ which in turn uses the Sinch XMS API to send an MMS message to the specified recipient. You'll also have basic error handling and feedback mechanisms in place.
1. Setting up the Next.js Project
Let's start by creating a new Next.js application and setting up the basic structure and dependencies.
1.1 Create the Next.js App:
Open your terminal and run the following command_ replacing
sinch-mms-nextjs
with your desired project name:Follow the prompts. We recommend selecting:
src/
directory: No (we'll use the defaultpages
structure)pages
directory and API routes for clarity)1.2 Navigate into the Project Directory:
1.3 Install Dependencies:
We need
axios
to make HTTP requests from our backend API route to Sinch. If you prefer the built-infetch
_ you can skip this step.1.4 Configure Environment Variables:
Sensitive information like API keys should never be hardcoded. We'll use environment variables. Create a file named
.env.local
in the root of your project.Open
.env.local
and add the following lines_ replacing the placeholder values with your actual Sinch credentials and number:Explanation of Environment Variables:
SINCH_SERVICE_PLAN_ID
: Your unique identifier for the API plan you're using. Found in the Sinch Customer Dashboard.SINCH_API_TOKEN
: The secret token used to authenticate your API requests. Also found in the Sinch Customer Dashboard. Treat this like a password.SINCH_NUMBER
: The MMS-capable phone number associated with your Sinch account that will be used as the sender ('From' number). It must be in E.164 format (e.g.,+12125551234
).SINCH_API_BASE_URL
: The base URL for the Sinch Messaging API specific to your account's region. Ensure this matches your account setup.Important: Add
.env.local
to your.gitignore
file (create one if it doesn't exist) to prevent accidentally committing your credentials.create-next-app
usually does this automatically.Project Structure (Relevant Files):
2. Implementing Core Functionality: The API Route
Now, let's create the backend logic within a Next.js API route. This route will receive requests from our frontend, construct the payload for Sinch, and make the API call.
2.1 Create the API Route File:
Create a new file:
pages/api/send-mms.js
2.2 Implement the API Handler:
Paste the following code into
pages/api/send-mms.js
:Code Explanation:
to
,body
,mediaUrl
) and validates the phone number (E.164) and media URL format.payload
for the Sinch/xms/v1/.../batches
endpoint.from
: Your Sinch number.to
: An array containing the recipient's E.164 number.body
: The text part of the message.parameters.media_body.url
: Specifies the media URL for MMS via the XMS API. This URL must be publicly accessible.Authorization
andContent-Type
headers.axios.post
(orfetch
) to send the request. Includes basic logging (with a warning about logging sensitive data in production).201 Created
status from Sinch. Returns a200 OK
response to the frontend with success status and the SinchbatchId
.3. Building the Frontend Interface
Now, let's create a simple React component on a Next.js page to collect the user input and trigger our API route.
3.1 Modify the Index Page:
Replace the contents of
pages/index.js
with the following code:Code Explanation:
useState
for form inputs (to
,body
,mediaUrl
), loading state (isLoading
), and feedback (statusMessage
).handleSubmit
Function:fetch
to POST data to/api/send-mms
.statusMessage
for success (showing Batch ID) or failure (showing error details from the API).fetch
.finally
block.statusMessage
below the form, styled for success/error. Disables the button during loading.meta
andlink
tags with standard double quotes.4. Integrating with Sinch (Credentials & Dashboard)
This section reiterates how to obtain and securely manage your Sinch API credentials, which we've already placed in
.env.local
.4.1 Obtaining Credentials:
4.2 Obtaining Your Sinch Number:
+1xxxxxxxxxx
).4.3 Secure Storage:
SINCH_SERVICE_PLAN_ID
,SINCH_API_TOKEN
,SINCH_NUMBER
) into your.env.local
file..env.local
or any file containing your API token to version control (like Git). Ensure.env*.local
is in your.gitignore
file.5. Error Handling and Logging
We've implemented basic error handling in both the API route and the frontend.
API Route (
pages/api/send-mms.js
):400 Bad Request
for missing/invalid inputs.405 Method Not Allowed
for non-POST requests.axios.post
call, logs details server-side (console.error
), and returns specific status codes/messages to the frontend.console.log
andconsole.error
. Important: In a production environment, replaceconsole.log
/console.error
with a robust logging library (e.g., Pino, Winston). Critically, ensure that any debug logging (like the commented-out payload log in the API route) is removed or heavily sanitized in production to avoid logging sensitive information like recipient phone numbers or message content.Frontend (
pages/index.js
):fetch
call.Retry Mechanisms (Advanced):
For production, consider implementing retries with exponential backoff in the API route for transient network errors or temporary Sinch API issues (e.g., 5xx errors). Libraries like
axios-retry
can help. (Not implemented here).6. Database Schema and Data Layer (Not Applicable)
This guide focuses on the stateless action of sending an MMS and does not require a database. For applications needing message history or tracking, you would integrate a database (e.g., PostgreSQL, MongoDB) and data layer (e.g., Prisma, TypeORM).
7. Adding Security Features
/api/send-mms
to prevent abuse. Use libraries likerate-limiter-flexible
or platform features.mediaUrl
is fetched by Sinch. While basic URL validation is in place, the main security consideration isn't typically Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF) against your own server via Sinch's fetch. The risk revolves around ensuring your validation prevents users from submitting malicious or invalid URLs intended for Sinch to fetch (e.g., URLs that abuse Sinch infrastructure, or potentially URLs designed to reveal information if Sinch's fetcher had vulnerabilities, though this relies on Sinch's security). Robust URL validation on your end is key.8. Handling Special Cases (MMS Specific)
9. Implementing Performance Optimizations (Limited Scope)
Performance is mainly dictated by the Sinch API response time.
10. Adding Monitoring, Observability, and Analytics (Basic Concepts)
For production:
/api/health
endpoint.11. Troubleshooting and Caveats
401 Unauthorized
from Sinch: CheckSINCH_API_TOKEN
,SINCH_SERVICE_PLAN_ID
,SINCH_API_BASE_URL
in environment variables. EnsureBearer
prefix is correct.400 Bad Request
from Sinch (e.g.,INVALID_PARAMETER_VALUE
): Check payload format (E.164 numbers, publicmediaUrl
), required fields. Examinedetails
in the error response. Check against Sinch XMS API docs.403 Forbidden
(MMS related): VerifySINCH_NUMBER
is MMS-enabled, account supports MMS, destination is supported.mediaUrl
is public and accessible. Check file type/size limits.500 Internal Server Error
: Check server logs for exceptions (often missing/undefined environment variables).429 Too Many Requests
.201 Created
) means Sinch accepted the batch, not that the MMS was delivered. Use Delivery Reports for status updates.12. Deployment and CI/CD
12.1 Deployment Platforms: Vercel, Netlify are excellent choices for Next.js.
12.2 Environment Variables: Configure
SINCH_SERVICE_PLAN_ID
,SINCH_API_TOKEN
,SINCH_NUMBER
,SINCH_API_BASE_URL
securely in your hosting provider's settings. Do not commit.env.local
.12.3 Deployment Process (Example with Vercel):
.env.local
is gitignored).12.4 CI/CD:
npm test
).13. Verification and Testing
13.1 Manual Verification:
npm run dev
.http://localhost:3000
.13.2 Automated Testing (Concepts & Examples):
Unit Tests (API Route): Use Jest to test
pages/api/send-mms.js
. Mockaxios
/fetch
to simulate Sinch responses (success/errors) and assert handler logic.Integration Tests (Frontend-API): Use React Testing Library or Cypress to test form submission and handling of API responses (mocking
fetch
or usingcy.intercept
).End-to-End (E2E) Tests: Use Cypress/Playwright sparingly against a test environment to simulate full user flow.
13.3 Verification Checklist:
.env.local
created with correct Sinch credentials/number (and not committed to Git)..env.local
listed in.gitignore
.pages/api/send-mms.js
implemented.pages/index.js
implemented.npm run dev
).