Installation

Install Baileys and its dependencies to start building WhatsApp integrations

System Requirements

Before installing Baileys, ensure your system meets these requirements:

• Node.js: Version 20.0.0 or higher
• Package Manager: npm, yarn, pnpm, or bun
• Operating System: Linux, macOS, or Windows

Baileys requires Node.js 20+ due to its use of modern JavaScript features and native modules.

Installing Baileys

Choose your preferred package manager to install Baileys:

npm

npm install @whiskeysockets/baileys

Edge Version (Latest Features)

If you want the latest features and fixes (with no stability guarantee), install directly from GitHub:

npm

npm install github:WhiskeySockets/Baileys

The edge version may contain breaking changes and unstable features. Use in production at your own risk.

Optional Dependencies

Baileys has several optional dependencies that enable additional features:

Link Preview Generation

To generate link previews in messages:

npm

npm install link-preview-js

Media Thumbnail Generation

For automatic thumbnail generation in images and stickers, install one of:

jimp (JavaScript)

npm

npm install jimp

sharp (Native, Faster)

npm

npm install sharp

sharp is faster and more memory efficient, but requires native compilation. jimp is pure JavaScript and works everywhere.

Video Thumbnail Generation

For video thumbnails, install ffmpeg on your system:

Ubuntu/Debian

sudo apt update
sudo apt install ffmpeg

macOS

brew install ffmpeg

Windows

Download from ffmpeg.org and add to PATH

Audio Processing

For audio format conversion (optional):

npm

npm install audio-decode

TypeScript Setup

Baileys is written in TypeScript and includes full type definitions. For TypeScript projects, no additional setup is required.

Importing in Your Project

TypeScript

import makeWASocket from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

Verification

Verify your installation by creating a simple test file:

test.ts

import makeWASocket from '@whiskeysockets/baileys'

console.log('Baileys imported successfully!')
console.log('makeWASocket is a', typeof makeWASocket)

Run it:

Node + TypeScript

npx tsx test.ts

You should see:

Baileys imported successfully!
makeWASocket is a function

Breaking Changes Notice

Version 7.0.0 introduced multiple breaking changes. If you’re upgrading from an earlier version, check the migration guide.

Next Steps

Quick Start Guide

Create your first connection and send a message

Authentication

Learn about authentication and session management

Socket Configuration

Explore all available configuration options

Example Code

View the complete example implementation