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twilio-messaging-webhooks

✓ Official★ 4,081

by openai · part of openai/plugins

Receive and respond to inbound messages and track outbound delivery status via Twilio webhooks — across SMS, MMS, WhatsApp, and RCS. Covers webhook request parameters, replying with TwiML, validating webhook signatures for security, and handling status callbacks. Use this skill whenever an agent needs to handle incoming messages on any channel or track outbound message delivery in real time.

🧩 One of 7 skills in the openai/plugins package — works on its own, and pairs well with its siblings.

This is the playbook your agent receives when the skill activates — you don't need to read it to use the skill, but it's here to audit before installing.

Overview

Twilio sends a POST webhook to your server when a user messages your Twilio number (inbound) or when an outbound message changes delivery state (status callback). Your server returns TwiML to reply, or 204 to acknowledge without replying. The same webhook pattern works across SMS, MMS, WhatsApp, and RCS.

Key Patterns

Configure Webhook URL via API

For SMS/MMS on a phone number:

Python

client.incoming_phone_numbers("PNxxxxxxxxxx").update(
    sms_url="https://yourapp.com/incoming",
    sms_method="POST"
)

Node.js

await client.incomingPhoneNumbers("PNxxxxxxxxxx").update({
    smsUrl: "https://yourapp.com/incoming",
    smsMethod: "POST",
});

For WhatsApp and RCS, webhook URLs are configured on the sender — see twilio-whatsapp-manage-senders and twilio-rcs-messaging.

Inbound Webhook Parameters

ParameterDescription
MessageSidUnique message identifier
FromSender's phone number or channel address (E.164, or whatsapp:+...)
ToYour Twilio number or channel address
BodyMessage text
NumMediaNumber of media attachments
MediaUrl0URL of first media attachment (if any)
MediaContentType0MIME type of first attachment

Handle Inbound Media (MMS / WhatsApp / RCS)

Python (Flask)

@app.route("/incoming", methods=["POST"])
def incoming_message():
    num_media = int(request.form.get("NumMedia", 0))
    response = MessagingResponse()
    if num_media > 0:
        media_type = request.form.get("MediaContentType0")
        response.message(f"Got your {media_type} attachment!")
    else:
        response.message("Got your message.")
    return str(response)

Node.js (Express)

app.post("/incoming", (req, res) => {
    const numMedia = parseInt(req.body.NumMedia || "0", 10);
    const twiml = new twilio.twiml.MessagingResponse();
    if (numMedia > 0) {
        twiml.message(`Got your ${req.body.MediaContentType0} attachment!`);
    } else {
        twiml.message("Got your message.");
    }
    res.type("text/xml").send(twiml.toString());
});

Acknowledge Without Replying

Python

return str(MessagingResponse())  # Empty <Response/>

Node.js

res.type("text/xml").send(new twilio.twiml.MessagingResponse().toString());

Status Callbacks (delivery tracking)

Status callbacks fire for all channels — SMS, MMS, WhatsApp, and RCS.

Python

message = client.messages.create(
    messaging_service_sid="MGxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx",
    to="+15558675310",
    body="Hello!",
    status_callback="https://yourapp.com/status"
)

Node.js

const message = await client.messages.create({
    messagingServiceSid: "MGxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx",
    to: "+15558675310",
    body: "Hello!",
    statusCallback: "https://yourapp.com/status",
});

Python (Flask) — status callback handler

@app.route("/status", methods=["POST"])
def message_status():
    message_sid = request.form.get("MessageSid")
    status = request.form.get("MessageStatus")
    error_code = request.form.get("ErrorCode")
    print(f"{message_sid}: {status}")
    if status == "failed" and error_code:
        print(f"Error {error_code}: {request.form.get('ErrorMessage')}")
    return "", 204

Node.js (Express) — status callback handler

app.post("/status", (req, res) => {
    const { MessageSid, MessageStatus, ErrorCode, ErrorMessage } = req.body;
    console.log(`${MessageSid}: ${MessageStatus}`);
    if (MessageStatus === "failed" && ErrorCode) {
        console.log(`Error ${ErrorCode}: ${ErrorMessage}`);
    }
    res.sendStatus(204);
});

Status flow: queued → sent → delivered (or undelivered/failed)

Webhook Signature Validation

Python (Flask)

from twilio.request_validator import RequestValidator

validator = RequestValidator(os.environ["TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN"])

@app.route("/incoming", methods=["POST"])
def incoming_message():
    if not validator.validate(request.url, request.form, request.headers.get("X-Twilio-Signature", "")):
        return "Forbidden", 403
    response = MessagingResponse()
    response.message("Hello!")
    return str(response)

Node.js

const { validateRequest } = require("twilio");

app.post("/incoming", (req, res) => {
    const isValid = validateRequest(
        process.env.TWILIO_AUTH_TOKEN,
        req.headers["x-twilio-signature"],
        `https://${req.headers.host}${req.path}`,
        req.body
    );
    if (!isValid) return res.status(403).send("Forbidden");
    const twiml = new twilio.twiml.MessagingResponse();
    twiml.message("Hello!");
    res.type("text/xml").send(twiml.toString());
});

CANNOT

  • Cannot exceed 15-second webhook response time — Twilio retries on timeout
  • Cannot return arbitrary content types — Use Content-Type: text/xml with TwiML for replies; 204 for status callbacks
  • Cannot use ngrok URLs across restarts — URLs change on restart. Use a stable tunnel for persistent testing.
  • Cannot guarantee delivery confirmation — Status callbacks are best-effort. delivered requires carrier confirmation.

Next Steps

  • Send outbound messages: twilio-send-message
  • Manage sender pools: twilio-messaging-services