Custom WhatsApp Channel Plugin for Claude Code Using Baileys
A developer has created a custom channel plugin that adds WhatsApp functionality to Claude Code, filling a gap left by Anthropic's official Channels feature for messaging platform integration.
What It Does
The plugin enables Claude Code to communicate via WhatsApp with the following capabilities:
- Receives and replies to WhatsApp messages from Claude Code
- Supports text, images, audio, video, and documents
- Emoji reactions
- Access control via phone number allowlist
- QR code pairing (same as WhatsApp Web)
Technical Implementation
The plugin was built as a custom channel using the experimental claude/channel capability, following the same architecture as the official Discord and Telegram plugins. It functions as an MCP server and uses Baileys v7, which implements the WhatsApp Web Multi-Device protocol.
Requirements and Setup
- Requires Claude Code version 2.1.80 or higher
- Needs Node.js (Bun lacks the WebSocket events that Baileys requires)
- Must use the
--dangerously-load-development-channelsflag since custom channels aren't on the official allowlist yet
Important Considerations
Baileys is an unofficial library for WhatsApp integration, so users should be aware of potential risks. The developer has submitted the plugin to the official Claude Code plugin marketplace but notes that acceptance is uncertain due to Baileys' unofficial status. The repository works as a standalone solution regardless.
The developer built this while migrating from OpenClaw (which had WhatsApp support via Baileys) to a native Claude Code setup with 6 specialized agents running 24/7 on a Mac mini, with WhatsApp being the final missing component.
📖 Read the full source: r/ClaudeAI
👀 See Also
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