> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.zavu.dev/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Create WhatsApp Alternative session > Create a session and start the bridge. The QR is generated asynchronously: poll `GET /v1/whatsapp-alt/sessions/{sessionId}` until `status` is `qr_ready` and `qrCode` is present, then scan it from the phone (WhatsApp → Linked devices → Link a device). The session routes through an egress from the first QR. It defaults to the managed Zavu proxy (`egress.kind = external`); pass `egress` to override. Direct (server IP) egress is not supported. Not available with test-mode API keys. ## OpenAPI ````yaml /openapi.json post /v1/whatsapp-alt/sessions openapi: 3.0.3 info: title: Zavu Unified Messaging Layer API version: 0.2.0 description: > Unified multi-channel messaging API for Zavu. Supported channels: - **SMS**: Simple text messages - **WhatsApp**: Rich messaging with media, buttons, lists, CTA URL buttons, and templates - **Telegram**: Bot messaging with text, media, and interactive elements - **Email**: Transactional emails via Amazon SES Design goals: - Simple `send()` entrypoint for developers - Project-level authentication via Bearer token - Support for all WhatsApp message types (text, image, video, audio, document, sticker, location, contact, buttons, list, cta_url, reaction, template) - If a non-text message type is sent, WhatsApp channel is used automatically - 24-hour WhatsApp conversation window enforcement - Universal `to` field accepts phone numbers (E.164), email addresses, or numeric chat IDs (Telegram/Instagram/Messenger) servers: - url: https://api.zavu.dev security: - bearerAuth: [] paths: /v1/whatsapp-alt/sessions: post: tags: - WhatsApp Alternative summary: Create WhatsApp Alternative session description: >- Create a session and start the bridge. The QR is generated asynchronously: poll `GET /v1/whatsapp-alt/sessions/{sessionId}` until `status` is `qr_ready` and `qrCode` is present, then scan it from the phone (WhatsApp → Linked devices → Link a device). The session routes through an egress from the first QR. It defaults to the managed Zavu proxy (`egress.kind = external`); pass `egress` to override. Direct (server IP) egress is not supported. Not available with test-mode API keys. operationId: createWhatsAppAltSession requestBody: required: false content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/WhatsAppAltSessionCreateRequest' examples: default: summary: Default (managed Zavu proxy) value: displayName: Support line android: summary: Route through a customer Android device value: displayName: Support line egress: kind: android nodeId: nd_abc123 country: cl responses: '201': description: Session created. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/WhatsAppAltSessionResponse' '400': description: Invalid request, or whatsapp_alt is not available in test mode. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' '401': description: Unauthorized. content: application/json: schema: $ref: '#/components/schemas/Error' security: - bearerAuth: [] components: schemas: WhatsAppAltSessionCreateRequest: type: object properties: displayName: type: string maxLength: 200 description: Optional label for the session. egress: $ref: '#/components/schemas/WhatsAppAltEgressInput' WhatsAppAltSessionResponse: type: object required: - session properties: session: $ref: '#/components/schemas/WhatsAppAltSession' Error: type: object required: - code - message properties: code: type: string example: invalid_request message: type: string example: Phone number is invalid details: type: object additionalProperties: true WhatsAppAltEgressInput: type: object description: >- Egress to set on a session. Only `external` (managed Zavu proxy) and `android` (a customer device) are accepted — `direct` is a guaranteed ban and is rejected. required: - kind properties: kind: type: string enum: - external - android nodeId: type: string description: Egress node ID. Required when `kind` is `android`. country: type: string minLength: 2 maxLength: 2 description: >- ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code to geo-match the proxy exit. Optional; auto-derived from the number when omitted. example: cl WhatsAppAltSession: type: object required: - id - status - egress - createdAt properties: id: type: string example: jd7x2k3m4n5p6q7r8s9t0 displayName: type: string status: $ref: '#/components/schemas/WhatsAppAltSessionStatus' qrCode: type: string description: >- QR payload to render as a QR code and scan from the phone's WhatsApp (Linked devices → Link a device). Present only while `status` is `qr_ready`. Poll `GET /v1/whatsapp-alt/sessions/{sessionId}` until it appears; it rotates until scanned. phoneNumber: type: string description: Linked WhatsApp number in E.164 format, once the session is ready. example: '+56912345678' pushName: type: string description: WhatsApp profile name of the linked account. egress: $ref: '#/components/schemas/WhatsAppAltEgressSpec' senderId: type: string description: ID of the sender this session is linked to, if any. lastError: type: string nullable: true lastConnectedAt: type: string format: date-time createdAt: type: string format: date-time updatedAt: type: string format: date-time WhatsAppAltSessionStatus: type: string description: |- Connection state of the session, mirrored from the bridge. - `initializing`: session created, bridge starting. - `qr_ready`: `qrCode` is available; scan it from WhatsApp to link. - `authenticating`: QR scanned, handshaking. - `ready`: linked and connected. - `disconnected`: unlinked or dropped. - `failed`: could not connect (see `lastError`). enum: - disconnected - initializing - qr_ready - authenticating - ready - failed WhatsAppAltEgressSpec: type: object description: Egress routing for a WhatsApp Alternative session. required: - kind properties: kind: $ref: '#/components/schemas/WhatsAppAltEgressKind' nodeId: type: string description: Egress node ID. Required when `kind` is `android`. country: type: string minLength: 2 maxLength: 2 description: >- ISO 3166-1 alpha-2 country code (lowercased) used to geo-match the proxy exit to the number's country. Optional; auto-derived from the phone number when omitted. example: cl WhatsAppAltEgressKind: type: string description: >- How a WhatsApp Alternative session reaches WhatsApp. - `external`: managed Zavu proxy (an in-country mobile/residential IP). Default. - `android`: a customer-owned Android egress device that lends its IP (requires `nodeId`). `direct` (Zavu server IP) is a guaranteed ban and cannot be set through the API; it may only appear on legacy sessions. enum: - external - android - direct securitySchemes: bearerAuth: type: http scheme: bearer bearerFormat: JWT ````