Templates

WhatsApp messaging is template-first. Before you can POST /messages/template, you need a template that Meta has approved. This API mirrors the approval workflow: draft → submit → (Meta reviews) → approved.

Base path: /api/v1/public/templates

Template object

Component shape

Each component is one of HEADER, BODY, FOOTER or BUTTONS. The body is required; the others are optional. Variables are written as {{1}}, {{2}}, … and are replaced at send time by the components array on POST /messages/template.

Every variable needs an example value. Meta reviews the template with these values, and Lynkist refuses a template without them (400 VALIDATION_ERROR, with error.details naming the component). Where the example goes depends on the component:

A component without variables needs no example.

{
  "components": [
    {
      "type": "HEADER",
      "format": "TEXT",
      "text": "Order {{1}} update",
      "example": { "header_text": ["ORD-1042"] }
    },
    {
      "type": "BODY",
      "text": "Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} has shipped. Track it: {{3}}.",
      "example": {
        "body_text": [["Anurag", "ORD-1042", "https://example.com/track/ORD-1042"]]
      }
    },
    { "type": "FOOTER", "text": "Reply STOP to opt out." },
    {
      "type": "BUTTONS",
      "buttons": [
        {
          "type": "URL",
          "text": "Track",
          "url": "https://example.com/track/{{1}}",
          "example": ["ORD-1042"]
        },
        { "type": "PHONE_NUMBER", "text": "Call us", "phone_number": "+15550100" }
      ]
    }
  ]
}

The full grammar follows Meta's WhatsApp template component reference.

GET /templates — List approved templates

Templates whose status is approved, newest first. Uses cursor pagination.

Query parameters

curl "https://lynkist.io/api/v1/public/templates?limit=20" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LYNKIST_API_KEY"

200 OK

{
  "data": [
    {
      "id": "f47ac10b-58cc-4372-a567-0e02b2c3d479",
      "template_name": "order_confirmation",
      "language": "en_US",
      "category": "UTILITY",
      "status": "approved",
      "components": [ /* see Component shape */ ],
      "created_at": "2026-04-12T09:00:00Z",
      "updated_at": "2026-04-12T11:14:33Z"
    }
  ],
  "pagination": { "next_cursor": null, "has_more": false, "limit": 20 }
}

GET /templates/{id} — Get an approved template

curl https://lynkist.io/api/v1/public/templates/f47ac10b-58cc-4372-a567-0e02b2c3d479 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LYNKIST_API_KEY"

200 OK — the template object. 404 if not found or not approved.

POST /templates — Create a draft template

Creates a draft. The template is not yet sendable — call POST /templates/{id}/submit to push it to Meta for review.

The full request body. components is Meta's template-component array, as in Component shape:

curl -X POST https://lynkist.io/api/v1/public/templates \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LYNKIST_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "template_name": "payment_confirm",
    "language": "en_US",
    "category": "UTILITY",
    "components": [
      {
        "type": "BODY",
        "text": "Hi {{1}}, we have received your payment of {{2}} towards {{3}}. Reference number: {{4}}. Thank you!",
        "example": {
          "body_text": [["John Doe", "₹500.00", "Order #12345", "REF98765"]]
        }
      }
    ]
  }'

Request body

201 Created — returns the draft template with status: "draft".

Naming rules (enforced by Meta)

• Lowercase letters, digits and underscores only.
• 1-512 characters.
• Must be unique within your WABA.

If you submit a draft Meta rejects, the status becomes rejected and the dashboard surfaces Meta's rejection reason.

PUT /templates/{id} — Edit a template

Changes the category or the components of a template. Send only the field you change; the other one is kept. template_name and language cannot change — Meta keys a template by them. To change them, create a new template.

curl -X PUT https://lynkist.io/api/v1/public/templates/f47ac10b-58cc-4372-a567-0e02b2c3d479 \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LYNKIST_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "components": [
      {
        "type": "BODY",
        "text": "Hi {{1}}, your order {{2}} is confirmed and will ship today.",
        "example": { "body_text": [["Anurag", "ORD-1042"]] }
      }
    ]
  }'

Request body

You cannot change category and components in the same request.

When you can edit

These are Meta's rules. Lynkist applies them before it calls Meta.

Meta reviews an edit of an approved template again. Meta can refuse a change of category on an approved template; Lynkist then returns Meta's reason.

Over the limit, the call returns 429 with code: TEMPLATE_EDIT_QUOTA_EXCEEDED, and error.edit_quota.next_edit_at tells you when the next edit is allowed:

{
  "success": false,
  "error": {
    "code": "TEMPLATE_EDIT_QUOTA_EXCEEDED",
    "message": "Meta allows one edit per 24 hours for an approved template. …",
    "edit_quota": {
      "applies": true,
      "can_edit": false,
      "used_30d": 1,
      "remaining_30d": 9,
      "next_edit_at": "2026-10-17T09:00:00+00:00",
      "reason": "daily"
    }
  }
}

Lynkist counts only the edits made through Lynkist. An edit made in Meta Business Manager also uses the allowance, so Meta can refuse an edit that Lynkist allowed.

200 OK — the template object, plus edit_quota (the allowance after this edit; for a draft, applies is false).

POST /templates/{id}/submit — Submit for approval

Pushes a draft to Meta for review. Lynkist forwards the components verbatim — fix any rejection reasons on a new draft (Meta does not allow re-submitting a rejected template).

curl -X POST https://lynkist.io/api/v1/public/templates/f47ac10b-58cc-4372-a567-0e02b2c3d479/submit \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $LYNKIST_API_KEY"

200 OK — returns the template, now in status: "pending".

Meta typically takes 1 minute to 24 hours to review. When Meta finishes, your template moves to approved, rejected, or (rarely) disabled. Today there is no Lynkist webhook for the approval transition — poll GET /templates/{id} (or watch the dashboard) until the status changes. Template approval webhooks are on the roadmap.

Errors

See Errors for the response envelope.