WhatsApp · Schema

WhatsApp Message Template

Schema for creating WhatsApp message templates via the Business Management API POST /{waba-id}/message_templates endpoint. Templates must be approved by Meta before use.

Properties

Name	Type	Description
name	string	Template name. Must be lowercase with underscores only.
language	string	Language/locale code (e.g., en_US, pt_BR, es)
category	string	Template category determining approval criteria and pricing
parameter_format	string	POSITIONAL uses {{1}}, {{2}} placeholders. NAMED uses {{variable_name}}.
components	array	Template component definitions

View JSON Schema on GitHub

JSON Schema

{
  "$schema": "https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema",
  "$id": "https://developers.facebook.com/schemas/whatsapp/message-template.json",
  "title": "WhatsApp Message Template",
  "description": "Schema for creating WhatsApp message templates via the Business Management API POST /{waba-id}/message_templates endpoint. Templates must be approved by Meta before use.",
  "type": "object",
  "required": ["name", "language", "category", "components"],
  "properties": {
    "name": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Template name. Must be lowercase with underscores only.",
      "maxLength": 512,
      "pattern": "^[a-z][a-z0-9_]*$"
    },
    "language": {
      "type": "string",
      "description": "Language/locale code (e.g., en_US, pt_BR, es)"
    },
    "category": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": ["AUTHENTICATION", "MARKETING", "UTILITY"],
      "description": "Template category determining approval criteria and pricing"
    },
    "parameter_format": {
      "type": "string",
      "enum": ["POSITIONAL", "NAMED"],
      "default": "POSITIONAL",
      "description": "POSITIONAL uses {{1}}, {{2}} placeholders. NAMED uses {{variable_name}}."
    },
    "components": {
      "type": "array",
      "description": "Template component definitions",
      "items": {
        "$ref": "#/$defs/Component"
      }
    }
  },
  "$defs": {
    "Component": {
      "type": "object",
      "required": ["type"],
      "properties": {
        "type": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": ["HEADER", "BODY", "FOOTER", "BUTTONS"],
          "description": "Component type"
        },
        "format": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": ["TEXT", "IMAGE", "VIDEO", "DOCUMENT", "LOCATION"],
          "description": "Header format. Required for HEADER components."
        },
        "text": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "Component text content. Supports {{N}} variables for HEADER (max 1) and BODY."
        },
        "example": {
          "type": "object",
          "description": "Example values for variables. Required when variables are used.",
          "properties": {
            "header_text": {
              "type": "array",
              "items": { "type": "string" },
              "description": "Example values for TEXT header variables"
            },
            "header_handle": {
              "type": "array",
              "items": { "type": "string" },
              "description": "Upload handle URLs for media headers"
            },
            "body_text": {
              "type": "array",
              "items": {
                "type": "array",
                "items": { "type": "string" }
              },
              "description": "Example values for body variables"
            }
          }
        },
        "add_security_recommendation": {
          "type": "boolean",
          "description": "AUTHENTICATION templates only. Adds security disclaimer to body."
        },
        "code_expiration_minutes": {
          "type": "integer",
          "minimum": 1,
          "maximum": 90,
          "description": "AUTHENTICATION templates only. OTP expiration in minutes."
        },
        "buttons": {
          "type": "array",
          "description": "Button definitions. Required for BUTTONS component.",
          "items": {
            "$ref": "#/$defs/Button"
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "Button": {
      "type": "object",
      "required": ["type"],
      "properties": {
        "type": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": ["QUICK_REPLY", "URL", "PHONE_NUMBER", "COPY_CODE", "FLOW", "OTP", "CATALOG", "MPM"],
          "description": "Button type"
        },
        "text": {
          "type": "string",
          "maxLength": 25,
          "description": "Button display text"
        },
        "url": {
          "type": "string",
          "format": "uri",
          "description": "URL for URL buttons. May contain one {{1}} variable at the end."
        },
        "phone_number": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "Phone number for PHONE_NUMBER buttons (E.164 format)"
        },
        "example": {
          "type": ["string", "array"],
          "description": "Example values for button variables"
        },
        "flow_id": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "Flow ID for FLOW buttons"
        },
        "flow_action": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": ["navigate", "data_exchange"],
          "description": "Flow action type"
        },
        "navigate_screen": {
          "type": "string",
          "description": "Screen ID for flow navigation"
        },
        "otp_type": {
          "type": "string",
          "enum": ["COPY_CODE", "ONE_TAP", "ZERO_TAP"],
          "description": "OTP delivery type for OTP buttons"
        },
        "supported_apps": {
          "type": "array",
          "description": "Android apps for ONE_TAP/ZERO_TAP OTP",
          "items": {
            "type": "object",
            "properties": {
              "package_name": { "type": "string" },
              "signature_hash": { "type": "string" }
            }
          }
        }
      }
    }
  }
}