API Channel

API Channel is a flexible programmatic gateway in ChatbotX designed for developers and enterprises. It enables bidirectional messaging between ChatbotX and any external system, including custom mobile apps, proprietary web portals, SMS gateways, enterprise CRM/ERP solutions, and third-party messaging services. With API Channel, your application can push inbound messages into the unified ChatbotX Inbox to be processed by human agents, Flow Automations, and AI Agents, while receiving outbound replies in real time via an HTTP Callback Webhook.

Real-World Applications

API Channel provides unlimited flexibility for integrating custom conversational workflows:

In-App Mobile & Web Chat

Embed a native chat experience directly into your iOS/Android app or customer web portal. Users chat natively within your app while your team manages conversations centrally in ChatbotX Inbox.

Third-Party Messaging Gateways

Connect specialized messaging platforms and regional chat networks (such as Viber, LINE, WeChat, Discord, or internal team tools) directly to ChatbotX.

Two-Way SMS Gateways

Bridge telephony SMS providers (such as Twilio, Sinch, or local telco gateways). Incoming SMS messages arrive in Inbox, and AI Agent responses are dispatched back to customers via SMS.

Enterprise CRM & ERP Sync

Integrate enterprise systems like Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoho, or Odoo to dispatch real-time transactional alerts, order updates, and customer support tickets.

Custom WhatsApp Gateway Bridges

Route personal or business phone numbers through self-hosted gateway solutions to manage direct 1:1 customer interactions without Meta Cloud API conversation fees.

Workflow Automation (n8n, Make, Zapier)

Connect ChatbotX with automation engines like n8n, Make.com, or Zapier to build intelligent multi-step workflows, query databases in real time, and trigger instant AI responses.

How the API Channel Works

The API Channel operates on a two-way communication model:

[ Your Application / System ] ─── (1) REST API (Inbound Message) ───► [ ChatbotX Inbox / AI Agent ]
[ Your Application / System ] ◄── (2) Webhook POST (Outbound Reply) ─ [ ChatbotX Inbox / AI Agent ]

Inbound Messages (Client to ChatbotX): Your server or application sends an HTTP POST request to the ChatbotX API containing the subscriber information and message content.
Outbound Messages (ChatbotX to Client): When an AI Agent, Flow Automation, or live human agent replies, ChatbotX sends an HTTP POST payload to your configured Callback URL.

The API Channel is designed specifically for bidirectional conversation handling. If your use case only requires dispatching one-way transactional notifications into ChatbotX without receiving automated replies, refer to the API Overview instead.

Setting Up an API Channel in ChatbotX

Follow these steps to create an API Channel inside your ChatbotX workspace:

Step 1: Open the API Channel Settings

Log in to your ChatbotX dashboard.
Navigate to Channels from the left navigation menu.
Select API and click Connect.

Step 2: Configure Channel Details

Enter the following configuration fields:

Channel Name: A descriptive name for the channel (for example: Mobile App Customer Support or Internal CRM Bridge).
Callback URL: The public HTTPS endpoint on your server where ChatbotX will send outbound replies and webhook events.

Step 3: Retrieve and Activate the Channel API Token

Once created, ChatbotX generates a unique Channel API Token.

Keep your Channel API Token secure. It is required for authenticating all inbound API requests to this channel.

Technical API Reference

All API Channel requests require authentication using your Channel API Token passed in the Authorization header:

Authorization: Bearer cbx_api_your_channel_token_here
Content-Type: application/json

👉 Interactive API Reference: ChatbotX API Channel Documentation

1. Verify Token & Fetch Channel Identity (`GET /v1/channels/api/me`)

Validates the Channel API Token and retrieves metadata regarding the connected Inbox in your workspace.

curl -X GET "https://app.chatbotx.io/api/v1/channels/api/me" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer cbx_api_your_token_here"

{
  "inboxId": "105",
  "inboxName": "Mobile App Customer Support",
  "workspaceId": "42"
}

2. Send Inbound Message to ChatbotX (`POST /v1/channels/api/messages`)

Pushes customer messages from your application directly into the ChatbotX Inbox. The system automatically creates or updates the subscriber profile (contact) and triggers active Flow Automations or AI Agents. Supports text messages, multimedia attachments (images, audio, video, documents), geographical location coordinates (location), and postbackPayload.

curl -X POST "https://app.chatbotx.io/api/v1/channels/api/messages" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer cbx_api_your_token_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "contact": {
      "sourceId": "user_app_99182",
      "firstName": "John",
      "lastName": "Doe",
      "email": "john.doe@example.com",
      "phoneNumber": "+1234567890",
      "avatar": "https://example.com/avatar.jpg"
    },
    "message": {
      "sourceId": "msg_001",
      "text": "Hello, I need help with my recent order",
      "contentType": "text",
      "attachments": [
        {
          "url": "https://example.com/item.jpg",
          "fileType": "image",
          "mimeType": "image/jpeg",
          "name": "item.jpg"
        }
      ]
    }
  }'

{
  "accepted": true,
  "messageSourceId": "msg_001"
}

3. Notify Contact Typing Indicator (`POST /v1/channels/api/typing`)

Sends a real-time signal notifying ChatbotX Inbox that the user is currently composing a message (triggering the “typing…” animation for human agents).

curl -X POST "https://app.chatbotx.io/api/v1/channels/api/typing" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer cbx_api_your_token_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "contact": {
      "sourceId": "user_app_99182"
    },
    "typing": true
  }'

// HTTP 204 No Content - Successfully accepted

4. Notify Messages Read Status (`POST /v1/channels/api/read`)

Informs ChatbotX Inbox that the customer has opened and viewed replies sent by AI Agents or human team members.

curl -X POST "https://app.chatbotx.io/api/v1/channels/api/read" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer cbx_api_your_token_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "contact": {
      "sourceId": "user_app_99182"
    }
  }'

// HTTP 204 No Content - Successfully accepted

5. Report Outbound Delivery Status (`POST /v1/channels/api/delivery-status`)

Reports the delivery state of an outbound message dispatched to the customer’s device (delivered, read, or failed with error details).

curl -X POST "https://app.chatbotx.io/api/v1/channels/api/delivery-status" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer cbx_api_your_token_here" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "messageId": "msg_outbound_88219",
    "status": "delivered",
    "timestamp": "2026-08-28T10:00:00Z"
  }'

// HTTP 204 No Content - Successfully accepted

Receiving Agent Replies via Callback URL (Outbound Webhook)

When an AI Agent, Flow Automation, or live human agent sends a reply within ChatbotX Inbox, the system automatically posts an HTTP POST event payload to the Callback URL configured in your API Channel settings. Sample Outbound Webhook payload received by your server:

{
  "event": "message:created",
  "messageId": "msg_outbound_88219",
  "conversationId": "conv_5501",
  "contact": {
    "sourceId": "user_app_99182",
    "name": "John Doe"
  },
  "message": {
    "text": "Hello, your order has been confirmed successfully!",
    "contentType": "text",
    "attachments": []
  },
  "timestamp": "2026-08-28T10:00:00Z"
}

Getting started

Installation

Configuration

Reverse Proxies

Super Admin

Channels

Real-World Applications

In-App Mobile & Web Chat

Third-Party Messaging Gateways

Two-Way SMS Gateways

Enterprise CRM & ERP Sync

Custom WhatsApp Gateway Bridges

Workflow Automation (n8n, Make, Zapier)

How the API Channel Works

Setting Up an API Channel in ChatbotX

Step 1: Open the API Channel Settings

Step 2: Configure Channel Details

Step 3: Retrieve and Activate the Channel API Token

Technical API Reference

1. Verify Token & Fetch Channel Identity (`GET /v1/channels/api/me`)

2. Send Inbound Message to ChatbotX (`POST /v1/channels/api/messages`)

3. Notify Contact Typing Indicator (`POST /v1/channels/api/typing`)

4. Notify Messages Read Status (`POST /v1/channels/api/read`)

5. Report Outbound Delivery Status (`POST /v1/channels/api/delivery-status`)

Receiving Agent Replies via Callback URL (Outbound Webhook)

​Real-World Applications

In-App Mobile & Web Chat

Third-Party Messaging Gateways

Two-Way SMS Gateways

Enterprise CRM & ERP Sync

Custom WhatsApp Gateway Bridges

Workflow Automation (n8n, Make, Zapier)

​How the API Channel Works

​Setting Up an API Channel in ChatbotX

​Step 1: Open the API Channel Settings

​Step 2: Configure Channel Details

​Step 3: Retrieve and Activate the Channel API Token

​Technical API Reference

​1. Verify Token & Fetch Channel Identity (GET /v1/channels/api/me)

​2. Send Inbound Message to ChatbotX (POST /v1/channels/api/messages)

​3. Notify Contact Typing Indicator (POST /v1/channels/api/typing)

​4. Notify Messages Read Status (POST /v1/channels/api/read)

​5. Report Outbound Delivery Status (POST /v1/channels/api/delivery-status)

​Receiving Agent Replies via Callback URL (Outbound Webhook)

Real-World Applications

How the API Channel Works

Setting Up an API Channel in ChatbotX

Step 1: Open the API Channel Settings

Step 2: Configure Channel Details

Step 3: Retrieve and Activate the Channel API Token

Technical API Reference

1. Verify Token & Fetch Channel Identity (`GET /v1/channels/api/me`)

2. Send Inbound Message to ChatbotX (`POST /v1/channels/api/messages`)

3. Notify Contact Typing Indicator (`POST /v1/channels/api/typing`)

4. Notify Messages Read Status (`POST /v1/channels/api/read`)

5. Report Outbound Delivery Status (`POST /v1/channels/api/delivery-status`)

Receiving Agent Replies via Callback URL (Outbound Webhook)