Messenger API & Webhook Integration for Bots (2026 Tutorial)

Automating notifications through messenger bots streamlines development workflows, enabling instant alerts when builds complete, errors occur, or deployments finish. This guide provides step-by-step instructions for embedding bots that can send automated messages via webhooks across popular messaging platforms. Whether you need to notify your team about CI/CD pipeline results, server monitoring alerts, or any automated process completion, these integrations make it possible. We cover only platforms with straightforward bot integration capabilities - some secure messengers prioritize privacy over automation features and are intentionally excluded.

Understanding Webhook-Based Bot Automation

Webhook-based bots operate on a simple principle: your application sends an HTTP POST request to a specific URL, and the messaging platform delivers that content to a channel or user. This architecture is ideal for automation scenarios like:

• Build notifications - Alert when compilation succeeds or fails with error details
• Deployment updates - Notify teams when code reaches staging or production
• Monitoring alerts - Send server health warnings or downtime notifications
• Scheduled reports - Deliver daily metrics or status summaries

The core workflow involves:

1. Creating a bot or webhook URL on the target platform
2. Configuring your automation tool (CI/CD, monitoring system, custom script) to send HTTP requests
3. Formatting the message payload according to platform specifications

Understanding how different messenger platforms handle security and encryption is crucial for choosing the right platform for your notifications. For a deeper dive into platform-specific security considerations, see our Ultimate Guide about Messengers in 2026.

Messenger Bot Integration Guides

Below are step-by-step guides for each platform that supports easy webhook-based bot integration for sending automated messages.

Discord Webhook Bot

Discord offers one of the simplest webhook implementations, requiring no bot application or authentication tokens for basic message sending.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Open Server Settings - Right-click your server name and select "Server Settings"
2. Navigate to Integrations - Click "Integrations" in the left sidebar
3. Create Webhook - Click "Webhooks" then "New Webhook"
4. Configure Webhook - Name your webhook (e.g., "Build Bot"), select the target channel, and optionally upload an avatar
5. Copy Webhook URL - Click "Copy Webhook URL" and store it securely

Sending Messages via Webhook

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"content": "✅ Build completed successfully!\n\nProject: MyApp\nBranch: main\nDuration: 3m 42s"}' \
  https://discord.com/api/webhooks/YOUR_WEBHOOK_ID/YOUR_WEBHOOK_TOKEN

Rich Embed Example for Error Notifications

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "embeds": [{
      "title": "❌ Build Failed",
      "color": 15158332,
      "fields": [
        {"name": "Project", "value": "MyApp", "inline": true},
        {"name": "Branch", "value": "feature/login", "inline": true},
        {"name": "Error", "value": "```TypeError: Cannot read property of undefined```"}
      ],
      "timestamp": "2026-01-15T10:30:00.000Z"
    }]
  }' \
  YOUR_WEBHOOK_URL

Official Documentation: Discord Webhook Documentation

Slack Webhook Bot

Slack provides Incoming Webhooks as part of their Slack Apps system, offering rich message formatting and channel flexibility.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create Slack App - Visit api.slack.com/apps and click "Create New App"
2. Choose Creation Method - Select "From scratch" and name your app (e.g., "CI/CD Notifications")
3. Enable Incoming Webhooks - Navigate to "Incoming Webhooks" in the left sidebar and toggle it on
4. Add Webhook to Workspace - Click "Add New Webhook to Workspace"
5. Select Channel - Choose the channel where notifications should appear and click "Allow"
6. Copy Webhook URL - Your unique webhook URL is now displayed

Sending Messages via Webhook

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"text": "✅ Deployment to production completed successfully!"}' \
  https://hooks.slack.com/services/T00000000/B00000000/XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Block Kit Message for Detailed Notifications

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "blocks": [
      {
        "type": "header",
        "text": {"type": "plain_text", "text": "🚨 Build Failed"}
      },
      {
        "type": "section",
        "fields": [
          {"type": "mrkdwn", "text": "*Project:*\nMyApp"},
          {"type": "mrkdwn", "text": "*Branch:*\nmain"},
          {"type": "mrkdwn", "text": "*Error:*\n`Module not found`"}
        ]
      }
    ]
  }' \
  YOUR_WEBHOOK_URL

Official Documentation: Slack Incoming Webhooks Guide

Microsoft Teams Webhook Bot

Microsoft Teams supports Incoming Webhooks for channel notifications, integrated through the connectors system.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Open Channel Settings - Navigate to the target channel, click the three dots (•••) next to the channel name
2. Select Connectors - Click "Connectors" (or "Manage channel" then "Connectors" in newer versions)
3. Find Incoming Webhook - Search for "Incoming Webhook" and click "Configure"
4. Name Your Webhook - Provide a name (e.g., "Build Alerts") and optionally upload an image
5. Create and Copy URL - Click "Create" and copy the webhook URL provided

Sending Messages via Webhook

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"text": "✅ Build #1234 completed successfully on main branch"}' \
  YOUR_TEAMS_WEBHOOK_URL

Adaptive Card for Rich Notifications

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "type": "message",
    "attachments": [{
      "contentType": "application/vnd.microsoft.card.adaptive",
      "content": {
        "type": "AdaptiveCard",
        "version": "1.2",
        "body": [
          {"type": "TextBlock", "size": "Large", "weight": "Bolder", "text": "❌ Build Failed"},
          {"type": "FactSet", "facts": [
            {"title": "Project:", "value": "MyApp"},
            {"title": "Error:", "value": "Compilation failed"}
          ]}
        ]
      }
    }]
  }' \
  YOUR_TEAMS_WEBHOOK_URL

Official Documentation: Microsoft Teams Incoming Webhooks

Telegram Bot

Telegram offers a powerful Bot API that allows sending messages programmatically. Unlike webhooks, you send requests directly to Telegram's API.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create Bot via BotFather - Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
2. Start New Bot - Send /newbot command
3. Name Your Bot - Follow prompts to set display name and username (must end in "bot")
4. Save API Token - BotFather provides an API token like 123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrsTUVwxyz
5. Get Chat ID - Add the bot to your group/channel, send a message, then visit https://api.telegram.org/bot<TOKEN>/getUpdates to find the chat ID

Sending Messages via Bot API

curl -X POST \
  "https://api.telegram.org/bot/sendMessage" \
  -d "chat_id=" \
  -d "text=✅ Build completed successfully!%0A%0AProject: MyApp%0ABranch: main" \
  -d "parse_mode=HTML"

Formatted Message with HTML

curl -X POST \
  "https://api.telegram.org/bot/sendMessage" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "chat_id": "",
    "text": "❌ Build Failed\n\nProject: MyApp\nBranch: main\nError: Module not found",
    "parse_mode": "HTML"
  }'

Official Documentation: Telegram Bot API

Mattermost Webhook Bot

Mattermost is an open-source Slack alternative with excellent webhook support, ideal for self-hosted team communication.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Access Integrations - Click the hamburger menu, then "Integrations"
2. Create Incoming Webhook - Select "Incoming Webhooks" then "Add Incoming Webhook"
3. Configure Webhook - Set title, description, and select the default channel
4. Save and Copy URL - Click "Save" and copy the webhook URL

Sending Messages via Webhook

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"text": "✅ Build completed successfully!"}' \
  https://your-mattermost-server.com/hooks/YOUR_WEBHOOK_ID

Rich Attachment Message

curl -X POST -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "attachments": [{
      "fallback": "Build Failed",
      "color": "#FF0000",
      "title": "❌ Build Failed",
      "fields": [
        {"short": true, "title": "Project", "value": "MyApp"},
        {"short": true, "title": "Branch", "value": "main"},
        {"short": false, "title": "Error", "value": "```Module not found```"}
      ]
    }]
  }' \
  YOUR_WEBHOOK_URL

Official Documentation: Mattermost Incoming Webhooks

Matrix/Element Bot

Matrix is an open protocol for decentralized communication, with Element being the most popular client. Bot integration requires using the Matrix Client-Server API.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create Bot Account - Register a new Matrix account for your bot on your homeserver or matrix.org
2. Get Access Token - Log in and retrieve the access token from Element: Settings → Help & About → Advanced → Access Token
3. Get Room ID - Join the target room with your bot, then find the room ID in Room Settings → Advanced
4. Invite Bot to Room - Ensure the bot account has joined the room where you want to send messages

Sending Messages via Matrix API

curl -X PUT \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"msgtype": "m.text", "body": "✅ Build completed successfully!"}' \
  "https://matrix.org/_matrix/client/r0/rooms/YOUR_ROOM_ID/send/m.room.message/$(date +%s)"

Formatted Message with HTML

curl -X PUT \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "msgtype": "m.text",
    "body": "Build Failed\nProject: MyApp\nError: Module not found",
    "format": "org.matrix.custom.html",
    "formatted_body": "
❌ Build Failed
Project: MyApp
Error: Module not found
"
  }' \
  "https://matrix.org/_matrix/client/r0/rooms/YOUR_ROOM_ID/send/m.room.message/$(date +%s)"

Official Documentation: Matrix Client-Server API Specification

WhatsApp Business Bot

WhatsApp offers the Business API for automated messaging, though it requires business verification and has more complex setup than other platforms.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create Meta Business Account - Visit business.facebook.com and create a business account
2. Set Up WhatsApp Business - Navigate to developers.facebook.com, create an app, and add WhatsApp product
3. Configure Phone Number - Add a phone number for your bot (test numbers available for development)
4. Get Access Token - Generate a permanent access token from the app dashboard
5. Verify Business - Complete business verification for production use

Sending Messages via Cloud API

curl -X POST \
  "https://graph.facebook.com/v17.0/YOUR_PHONE_NUMBER_ID/messages" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_ACCESS_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "messaging_product": "whatsapp",
    "to": "RECIPIENT_PHONE_NUMBER",
    "type": "text",
    "text": {"body": "✅ Build completed successfully!"}
  }'

Official Documentation: WhatsApp Cloud API Documentation

Facebook Messenger Bot

Facebook Messenger bots require a Facebook App and Page, with messages sent through the Send API.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Create Facebook App - Visit developers.facebook.com and create a new app (select "Business" type)
2. Add Messenger Product - In your app dashboard, click "Add Product" and select Messenger
3. Connect Facebook Page - Link a Facebook Page to your app (create one if needed)
4. Generate Page Access Token - In Messenger settings, generate a token for your page
5. Get PSID - Users must message your page first; capture their Page-Scoped ID (PSID) from webhook events

Sending Messages via Send API

curl -X POST \
  "https://graph.facebook.com/v17.0/me/messages" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "recipient": {"id": "USER_PSID"},
    "message": {"text": "✅ Build completed successfully!"},
    "access_token": "YOUR_PAGE_ACCESS_TOKEN"
  }'

Official Documentation: Facebook Messenger Platform Documentation

Messengers Without Easy Bot Support

The following messengers prioritize privacy and security over automation features, making webhook-based bot integration either impossible or impractical:

• Signal - No official bot API. Signal prioritizes end-to-end encryption and user privacy, deliberately avoiding automation features that could compromise security.
• Session - Decentralized messenger without bot infrastructure. The onion routing architecture makes automated messaging impractical.
• Briar - Peer-to-peer messenger designed for activists and journalists. No server infrastructure means no webhook capability.
• Wire - While Wire has some enterprise API features, there's no simple webhook system for automated notifications.
• Wickr - Enterprise-focused with no public bot API. Automation requires Wickr Enterprise with custom integration.
• SimpleX - Privacy-first design without user identifiers makes bot integration architecturally incompatible.
• Threema - Offers Threema Gateway for businesses, but it's a paid service requiring contracts, not a simple webhook setup.
• Viber - Has a bot API but requires business account approval and is primarily designed for customer service, not developer notifications.
• LINE - Offers Messaging API but requires business account verification and is complex for simple notification use cases.
• WeChat - Official Account API exists but requires Chinese business registration and government approval.

For secure communication needs where these platforms are preferred, consider using them alongside a supported platform for automation, or explore our guide on keeping private messages truly secure.

Practical Implementation Example

Here's a complete Node.js example that sends build notifications to multiple platforms simultaneously:

const axios = require('axios');

const notifiers = {
  discord: async (message, webhookUrl) => {
    await axios.post(webhookUrl, { content: message });
  },

  slack: async (message, webhookUrl) => {
    await axios.post(webhookUrl, { text: message });
  },

  telegram: async (message, token, chatId) => {
    await axios.post(`https://api.telegram.org/bot${token}/sendMessage`, {
      chat_id: chatId,
      text: message,
      parse_mode: 'HTML'
    });
  },

  teams: async (message, webhookUrl) => {
    await axios.post(webhookUrl, { text: message });
  }
};

async function notifyBuildResult(success, project, branch, error = null) {
  const emoji = success ? '✅' : '❌';
  const status = success ? 'succeeded' : 'failed';
  let message = `${emoji} Build ${status}\n\nProject: ${project}\nBranch: ${branch}`;
  if (error) message += `\nError: ${error}`;

  const notifications = [
    notifiers.discord(message, process.env.DISCORD_WEBHOOK),
    notifiers.slack(message, process.env.SLACK_WEBHOOK),
    notifiers.telegram(message, process.env.TELEGRAM_TOKEN, process.env.TELEGRAM_CHAT_ID),
    notifiers.teams(message, process.env.TEAMS_WEBHOOK)
  ];

  await Promise.allSettled(notifications);
}

// Usage in your CI/CD pipeline
notifyBuildResult(false, 'MyApp', 'main', 'Module not found: @utils/helper');

Conclusion

Implementing webhook-based bot notifications across messenger platforms enables powerful automation for development workflows. Discord and Slack offer the lowest barrier to entry with simple webhook URLs, while Telegram provides excellent reliability with minimal setup. For enterprise environments, Microsoft Teams and Mattermost integrate well with existing infrastructure. Matrix offers a self-hosted, privacy-respecting option with full API access.

Start with one platform, validate your notification workflow, then expand to additional channels as needed. The code examples provided work immediately - your next step is to create a webhook on your preferred platform and send your first automated message within the next 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions