Browsers

Browser configuration constant and platform identification utilities

Overview

The Browsers constant provides predefined browser configurations for WhatsApp Web connections. Different browser configurations can affect the connection behavior, message history sync, and device identification.

Type Definition

type BrowsersMap = {
  ubuntu(browser: string): [string, string, string]
  macOS(browser: string): [string, string, string]
  baileys(browser: string): [string, string, string]
  windows(browser: string): [string, string, string]
  appropriate(browser: string): [string, string, string]
}

Each function returns a WABrowserDescription tuple: [OS, Browser, Version]

Available Configurations

Browsers.ubuntu()

browser · string · required

The browser name to use (e.g., ‘Chrome’, ‘Firefox’, ‘MyApp’).

return · [string, string, string]

Returns ['Ubuntu', browser, '22.04.4']

import { Browsers } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

const config = Browsers.ubuntu('Chrome')
// Returns: ['Ubuntu', 'Chrome', '22.04.4']

const sock = makeWASocket({
  browser: Browsers.ubuntu('MyApp'),
  auth: state
})

Browsers.macOS()

browser · string · required

The browser name to use (e.g., ‘Safari’, ‘Chrome’, ‘Desktop’).

return · [string, string, string]

Returns ['Mac OS', browser, '14.4.1']

import { Browsers } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

const config = Browsers.macOS('Safari')
// Returns: ['Mac OS', 'Safari', '14.4.1']

// This is the default configuration
const sock = makeWASocket({
  browser: Browsers.macOS('Chrome'), // Default
  auth: state
})

Browsers.baileys()

browser · string · required

The browser/app name to use (e.g., ‘MyApp’, ‘Bot’).

return · [string, string, string]

Returns ['Baileys', browser, '6.5.0']

import { Browsers } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

const config = Browsers.baileys('MyBot')
// Returns: ['Baileys', 'MyBot', '6.5.0']

const sock = makeWASocket({
  browser: Browsers.baileys('WhatsAppBot'),
  auth: state
})

Browsers.windows()

browser · string · required

The browser name to use (e.g., ‘Edge’, ‘Chrome’).

return · [string, string, string]

Returns ['Windows', browser, '10.0.22631']

import { Browsers } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

const config = Browsers.windows('Edge')
// Returns: ['Windows', 'Edge', '10.0.22631']

const sock = makeWASocket({
  browser: Browsers.windows('Chrome'),
  auth: state
})

Browsers.appropriate()

browser · string · required

The browser name to use.

return · [string, string, string]

Returns browser configuration based on your current operating system and release version.

import { Browsers } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

// Automatically detects OS and uses appropriate configuration
const config = Browsers.appropriate('Chrome')
// On macOS: ['Mac OS', 'Chrome', '14.4.1']
// On Ubuntu: ['Ubuntu', 'Chrome', '22.04.4']
// On Windows: ['Windows', 'Chrome', '10.0.22631']
// On others: ['Ubuntu', 'Chrome', release()]

const sock = makeWASocket({
  browser: Browsers.appropriate('MyApp'),
  auth: state
})

Platform Mapping

The appropriate() function uses the following platform detection:

const PLATFORM_MAP = {
  aix: 'AIX',
  darwin: 'Mac OS',
  win32: 'Windows',
  android: 'Android',
  freebsd: 'FreeBSD',
  openbsd: 'OpenBSD',
  sunos: 'Solaris',
  linux: undefined,    // Falls back to 'Ubuntu'
  haiku: undefined,    // Falls back to 'Ubuntu'
  cygwin: undefined,   // Falls back to 'Ubuntu'
  netbsd: undefined    // Falls back to 'Ubuntu'
}

getPlatformId()

Utility function to get the platform ID for a given browser string.

browser · string · required

The browser name (case-insensitive).

return · string

Returns the platform type ID. Defaults to ‘1’ (Chrome) if not found.

import { getPlatformId } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

const platformId = getPlatformId('chrome')
// Returns platform ID based on proto.DeviceProps.PlatformType

Usage Examples

QR Code Connection with Custom Browser

import makeWASocket, { Browsers } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

const sock = makeWASocket({
  browser: Browsers.ubuntu('MyApp'),
  printQRInTerminal: true,
  auth: state
})

// QR code will show "MyApp" on Ubuntu

Desktop Configuration for Full History

To receive more message history, use a desktop configuration:

import makeWASocket, { Browsers } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

const sock = makeWASocket({
  browser: Browsers.macOS('Desktop'),
  syncFullHistory: true,
  auth: state
})

Dynamic Browser Selection

import makeWASocket, { Browsers } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

const useQR = true
const appName = 'MyWhatsAppBot'

const sock = makeWASocket({
  browser: useQR 
    ? Browsers.ubuntu(appName)  // Shows on QR code scan
    : Browsers.appropriate(appName), // Matches system
  printQRInTerminal: useQR,
  auth: state
})

Pairing Code with Custom Name

import makeWASocket, { Browsers } from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

const sock = makeWASocket({
  browser: Browsers.baileys('MyCustomBot'),
  printQRInTerminal: false,
  auth: state
})

if (!sock.authState.creds.registered) {
  const code = await sock.requestPairingCode('1234567890')
  console.log(`Pairing code: ${code}`)
}

Browser Configuration Impact

Message History

Different browser configurations can affect how much message history you receive:

• Desktop configurations (e.g., Browsers.macOS('Desktop')) typically receive more history
• Mobile-like configurations may receive less history
• Combined with syncFullHistory: true for maximum history sync

const sock = makeWASocket({
  browser: Browsers.macOS('Desktop'),
  syncFullHistory: true,
  auth: state
})

Device Identification

The browser configuration is visible in WhatsApp’s “Linked Devices” section:

// Shows as "Chrome on Ubuntu" in WhatsApp
browser: Browsers.ubuntu('Chrome')

// Shows as "MyApp on Baileys" in WhatsApp
browser: Browsers.baileys('MyApp')

Default Configuration

When not specified, Baileys uses:

const DEFAULT_CONNECTION_CONFIG = {
  browser: Browsers.macOS('Chrome'),
  // ... other defaults
}

Complete Example

import makeWASocket, { 
  Browsers,
  useMultiFileAuthState,
  DisconnectReason 
} from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'
import { Boom } from '@hapi/boom'

const { state, saveCreds } = await useMultiFileAuthState('auth_info')

const sock = makeWASocket({
  browser: Browsers.ubuntu('MyWhatsAppClient'),
  syncFullHistory: true,
  auth: state
})

sock.ev.on('connection.update', (update) => {
  const { connection, lastDisconnect, qr } = update
  
  if (connection === 'close') {
    const shouldReconnect = 
      (lastDisconnect?.error as Boom)?.output?.statusCode !== DisconnectReason.loggedOut
    
    if (shouldReconnect) {
      console.log('Reconnecting...')
      // Reconnect logic
    }
  } else if (connection === 'open') {
    console.log('Connected! Device shows as "MyWhatsAppClient on Ubuntu"')
  }
  
  if (qr) {
    console.log('Scan this QR code with WhatsApp')
    // QR will display "MyWhatsAppClient" as the client name
  }
})

sock.ev.on('creds.update', saveCreds)

Best Practices

1. Use descriptive names: Choose browser names that identify your application

   browser: Browsers.ubuntu('MyCompanyBot')
   

2. Match your deployment: Use appropriate() for automatic OS detection

   browser: Browsers.appropriate('MyApp')
   

3. Desktop for history: Use desktop configurations when full history is needed

   browser: Browsers.macOS('Desktop')
   syncFullHistory: true
   

4. Consistent branding: Keep the same browser name across reconnections

   const APP_NAME = 'MyApp'
   browser: Browsers.ubuntu(APP_NAME)
   

Source Code Reference

From src/Utils/browser-utils.ts:19-26:

export const Browsers: BrowsersMap = {
  ubuntu: browser => ['Ubuntu', browser, '22.04.4'],
  macOS: browser => ['Mac OS', browser, '14.4.1'],
  baileys: browser => ['Baileys', browser, '6.5.0'],
  windows: browser => ['Windows', browser, '10.0.22631'],
  appropriate: browser => [PLATFORM_MAP[platform()] || 'Ubuntu', browser, release()]
}

See Also

• makeWASocket - Main socket creation function
• SocketConfig - Complete socket configuration
• WABrowserDescription Type - Type definition