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Last edited April 2, 2026

Requirements

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Check the basic skills and runtime needs before starting with whatsapp-web.js.

Tip

If you can build a small Node.js script with async handlers, you are ready to continue.

1. Knowledge prerequisites

You should be comfortable with:

  1. Core JavaScript.
  2. Async flow with promises and async await.
  3. Node.js module and process basics.
  4. Event driven architecture using EventEmitter.

Without this baseline, debugging and architecture choices become unnecessarily painful.

Warning

Starting without async and event basics usually leads to unstable message handling.

2. Runtime prerequisites

Recommended minimum:

  1. Node.js 18 or higher.
  2. A package manager like npm, pnpm, or yarn.
  3. A stable OS runtime, Windows, macOS, or Linux.
  4. An active WhatsApp account with linked device access.

Quick terminal check:

node --version
npm --version

Learning resources

  1. JavaScript.info
  2. Node.js Documentation
  3. NodeSchool
  4. EventEmitter API

Readiness checklist before installation

You are ready for the next chapter when:

  1. Your Node version is current.
  2. You understand async and event handling basics.
  3. You have a clean project directory.
  4. You know your target runtime model, local or distributed.