February 2019 Summaries

Sending WhatsApp messages using the Twilio API is made possible by integrating PHP with the Twilio Sandbox Channel, which provides a secure and reliable way for businesses to communicate with their customers. The process begins by setting up a local development environment with PHP 7.0 or higher, Composer, and a Twilio account activated with the WhatsApp Sandbox Channel. A project is created under the Programmable SMS dashboard, where users can connect to their sandbox by sending a join space-known to +14155238886. Once connected, users can start sending WhatsApp messages using the provided PHP code, which sets up a connection with the Twilio API and sends a message to a specified phone number. The process is completed by updating the values in the `.env` file with the obtained Twilio SID and Twilio Token and running the application using `php twilioWhatsAppMessaging.php`. This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide for businesses looking to integrate WhatsApp messaging into their applications.

Registering a SIP phone directly to Twilio allows for standards-based voice calls using a SIP endpoint, with flexibility to choose termination transport (PSTN, registered device, or Twilio Programmable Voice SDK endpoint). This enables features like IVR, speech collection, and intelligent routing decisions. To accomplish this, users need a Twilio account, a SIP client such as X-Lite, and E.164 formatted usernames for the SIP Domain registration credential list. The benefits of using Twilio SIP Domains include access to a large selection of standards-based endpoints, lower call leg costs, and flexibility in call routing logic. Two approaches are presented for outbound calls: TwiML Bins and Twilio Functions, with the latter offering more possibilities for dynamic call flows. Users can create a Twilio Function using NPM modules like google-libphonenumber to parse numbers and format them in E.164 format. The post also covers trial account restrictions, debugging tools, and future directions for SIP Domains and Twilio.

To send SMS notifications with CakePHP and Twilio Notify, start by creating a new CakePHP application and configuring the database connection. Then, migrate the users table and add the Twilio PHP SDK to your app. Next, set up user registration using the bake console and configure password hashing for security. After that, create a Notify behavior class within CakePHP using the bake console, which will interact with the Twilio API to send SMS notifications. Implement the notify behavior in the Users table by adding it as a behavior and binding users to the service. Finally, test your app by navigating to the registration page and creating a user account with a phone number; on successful registration, you should receive a welcome message.

Building Expedited Two-Factor Authentication into Angular Apps with Authy. To add "remember me" functionality to an Angular Universal + Node.js application, you can use the Angular TransferState object and a security cookie to identify returning users. This allows returning users to log into the application with a single tap on the Authy app, bypassing the step of re-entering their credentials while maintaining the added security of two-factor authentication. The process involves setting up an Authy account, generating an API key and user ID, creating an encrypted cookie, and implementing a "remember me" control on the login page. The application flow can be seen in a diagram, and testing the completed application shows that it works as described.

With the increasing prevalence of mobile device usage for email access, optimizing emails for mobile viewing has become essential. The article discusses various strategies to enhance email readability and effectiveness on mobile devices, emphasizing the importance of understanding audience preferences and the devices they use, such as iPhones and Gmail. Key techniques include crafting concise subject lines and preview texts, using a single-column layout for improved readability, and ensuring images are appropriately sized with ALT tags for instances where images don't load. Additionally, the article highlights the significance of using legible font sizes, employing white space effectively, creating thumb-friendly calls-to-action, and ensuring mobile-friendly landing pages. It also stresses the need for thorough testing across different devices and email providers to guarantee optimal display and user experience. For those hesitant about building mobile-responsive templates from scratch, SendGrid offers adaptable templates to simplify the process.

You can transfer files between an Angular client and a Node.js backend in a single codebase by using server-side rendering (SSR) with Angular Universal. The SSR process involves sending the rendered view from the server to the browser, which then boots up the Angular application. The Angular application uses this approach to share data between the server and client. To manipulate files on the server, you can use the `fs` module in Node.js and pass a reference to the file list manipulation function to the Angular application using the `LIST_FILES` provider. This allows the Angular application to access the file system without running the `fs` module in the browser. The approach is secure because it only passes references to functions, not sensitive data like directory structure information.

To send bulk SMS with Twilio and Laravel PHP, first install and configure the Twilio Laravel SDK by running `composer require twilio/sdk` and updating the `.env` file with your Twilio credentials. Create a new controller for the BulkSMS app using Laravel's artisan console and include the Twilio class in the controller. Design an HTML form to collect phone numbers and messages, then validate the input data and send out text messages using the Twilio client. Finally, test the app by running `php artisan serve` and visiting the `/bulksms` page to fill out the form and submit it.

This tutorial demonstrates the implementation of Test-Driven Development (TDD) and Continuous Integration using Travis CI. It guides users through building a small Lumen project, writing tests, and setting up a webhook to send notifications via Twilio SMS when the build fails. The process involves creating a test-driven development environment, writing tests for the user controller, setting up the database, configuring seeded data, and integrating with Travis CI. The tutorial concludes by testing the webhook and receiving an SMS notification when the build fails.

The Twilio Bootcamp is a week-long course that teaches every new employee at the company how to code and build on Twilio, with a focus on Messaging - one of their most popular products. The program was created to bridge the gap between sales, marketing, and software development teams, as customer empathy became a fading value in the growing company. Bootcamp has become an integral part of the employee onboarding experience in San Francisco, but expanding it globally proved challenging due to varying SMS regulations across countries. However, the integration with WhatsApp's Twilio API provided a solution, allowing students to use internet-based messaging and eliminating local handset requirements. The program's success lies in its ease of use, reliability, seamless integration with the Messaging API, and global reach, making it an attractive tool for scaling as Twilio continues to grow globally.

Twilio Developer Evangelist Stefan Judis reflects on his career journey from a sound engineer to a programmer, and then to a developer evangelist. He credits his mentors for helping him find direction in his programming career, and highlights the importance of community and giving back. After discovering the online community surrounding web development, he became involved in various initiatives, including teaching coding workshops and organizing conferences. Now, he is excited to join the Twilio Developer Network to help enable more developers on a daily basis.

The author of the article conducted research by calling 35 different customer support phone numbers to understand how companies authenticate users over the phone. The study found that most companies use simple methods such as automated systems, phone number verification, and manual identification with agents, but few use more secure authentication methods like one-time passcodes or voice recognition. The author notes that many of these methods are insufficient, allowing for phishing attacks and unauthorized access to accounts. To improve security, the author recommends matching the rigor of web authentication, using strong authentication methods like SMS one-time passcodes, voice recognition, and hybrid platform security, building guardrails for agents, and considering a threat model. The article concludes that while there is no perfect solution, it has sparked ideas for increasing security in over-the-phone authentication systems.

To secure your Twilio account and prevent fraudulent charges, phone number blocks, loss of customer trust, and more, follow seven best-practices. First, use strong passphrases with at least 14 characters and consider using a password manager to keep track of them. Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add an additional form of evidence to confirm your identity. Protect your auth token by changing it periodically and assigning roles to sub-accounts for employees or co-collaborators. Secure your application by protecting API keys, not baking them into the code, and using temporary access tokens with Authy Two-factor Authentication. When traveling, use a hotspot powered by Twilio Wireless or a VPN to encrypt communications end-to-end. Examine SSL certificates presented by websites you visit and keep your operating system, SDKs, and tools up-to-date to prevent security vulnerabilities.

Twilio-run is a command-line tool that allows developers to run and debug Twilio Functions in their local environment. It provides a way to host JavaScript functions and static assets, and comes with features such as ngrok integration for exposing locally developed functions to the outside world, debugging capabilities using Node.js debuggers, support for loading environment variables from .env files, and live reloading of functions without requiring a restart. The tool is open-source, actively maintained, and can be installed via npm or yarn, making it easier for developers to develop and test Twilio Functions in their local development environments.

This code uses Twilio's Lookup service to identify a phone number's line type, which can be useful for various reasons such as blocking VoIP numbers. The script requires a Twilio account and Python 3 installation, and can take a phone number as an argument to return its line type, which can be either mobile, landline, or VoIP. The code includes error handling and a reusable function to make it more convenient for users.

To create a task in Asana through Twilio SMS and Laravel, you need to set up a PHP development environment with Composer, Ngrok, and a fresh Laravel application. You also need to create an Asana personal access token and set up a workspace and project. Then, you can use the Asana API to create tasks programmatically using Laravel's controller logic. The script receives SMS messages from Twilio and creates tasks in Asana with due dates based on the message content. After setting up the necessary infrastructure, you can test the complete code by sending an SMS to a configured Twilio phone number.

You can now send media content such as images, videos, PDFs and audio files up to 5mb in size over WhatsApp using the Twilio API. This feature is similar to sending an MMS and requires including a MediaUrl parameter in your API requests. The media content is currently only supported in Session Messages and must be re-established with an inbound message after expiration. This update enables businesses to engage with customers on messaging channels they prefer, using rich contextual conversations. It also provides various use cases such as sending boarding passes, tickets, or confirming package delivery. However, there are differences between MMS and WhatsApp media messages, including file type support. The Twilio API for WhatsApp continues to be enhanced, providing developers with new opportunities to build innovative applications.

A .NET Core application is built to receive an image from WhatsApp, process the image using the Pho.to API, and return the processed image. The application uses Twilio's WhatsApp API and the Pho.to API to achieve this functionality. It also includes a webhook endpoint that responds to incoming messages with the URL of the processed image. The application handles errors and exceptions by implementing a do-while loop to check the status of the image processing task. Additionally, it provides a basic example of how to use the Pho.to API to process images and return the results in XML format.

Sending media messages with Twilio's WhatsApp API is now possible and can be done just as quickly as sending text-based messages. To get started, set up a Twilio account, .NET Core 2.2 SDK, and WhatsApp Sandbox Channel. Create a new .NET Console application, add the Twilio NuGet package, and initialize the Twilio REST client with your Account SID and Auth Token. Send a message by calling the MessageResource.Create method, passing in the sender's and recipient's WhatsApp phone numbers, a text-based message body, and the media URL. The project can be restored from GitHub and built to run in no time, sending a media message to your phone. Note that there are differences between MMS and WhatsApp media messages, such as file type support and messaging sessions.

A Galentine's Day compliment generator was built using Python, Flask, and Twilio, allowing users to send an SMS with a random compliment. To get started, create a Twilio account, buy a phone number, install Python 3, Flask, and Ngrok, and set up the development environment. The generator uses lists of adjectives and nouns from GitHub repositories to construct compliments, which are then used in a Flask application that responds to incoming SMS messages with TwiML code. Once the Flask app is running, connect it to Twilio using an ngrok URL, configure the phone number to call the webhook URL for incoming messages, and test the application by sending a text message to the Twilio number. The project provides resources for building more interactive bots with Twilio.

This tutorial explains how to create a Twitter SMS notification system based on tweets, retweets, and mentions using the Twilio API. The author, Charles Oduk, outlines the steps required to set up this system, including creating a Twitter developer account, setting up a Twitter app, obtaining access to the Account Activity API, and configuring the Twilio API for sending SMS notifications. The tutorial provides a step-by-step guide on how to register a webhook with Twitter that listens for specific events, such as tweets, retweets, and mentions, and sends corresponding SMS notifications using the Twilio API.

To send and respond to text messages with Perfect and Twilio, developers can follow a step-by-step process. First, they need to set up their environment by installing Perfect using the Swift Package Manager, setting up a Twilio phone number, and configuring ngrok. Then, they create a route in `main.swift` to handle incoming SMS messages, which are then responded to with the same message sent. Finally, they launch an HTTP server and run the application, allowing them to send and receive text messages using their Twilio phone number. This process can be used in various environments such as Heroku, Amazon Web Services, Docker, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud, and IBM Bluemix CloudFoundry.

Jose de Castro, the new Chief Architect for Twilio Flex, has a long history in building communications platforms, dating back to his fascination with technology and design in the mid-90s. He was drawn to software development as it allows him to build platforms that have a multiplicative effect beyond finished products. His passion for telephony and communications technologies also played a significant role in shaping his career. Jose joined Twilio due to its CEO, Jeff Lawson's, commitment to employees and customers, as well as the company's values aligning with his own. He sees Twilio Flex as an opportunity to disrupt an industry that has remained stagnant for over a decade by providing a programmable model that can be used to create application platforms. This approach is built on cloud-native building blocks that are already adopted by millions of developers, positioning Twilio to dominate the customer engagement market.

In this article, Barney Waiganjo explains how to add keyframe animations to iOS apps using Swift 4. Keyframe animations are a sequence of subanimations that are combined to form one larger complex animation, with timing defined relative to the duration of the overall animation. The author provides a step-by-step guide on how to create a simple keyframe animation by adding subanimations inside an `animateKeyframes` closure, specifying parameters such as relative start time and duration, and combining them to achieve a desired effect. With this tutorial, developers can learn to create complex animations using keyframe animations, which can be used in various iOS app projects, and explore more about iOS animations through other posts by the author.

The PSD2 Compliant Authorization: Verifying Sensitive Actions with Python, Flask and Authy is a tutorial that provides a comprehensive solution for implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) in a payment application using Python, Flask, and the Authy API. The solution uses push authorizations to verify sensitive actions such as sending money from an account or confirming a medical appointment. To implement this solution, developers need to create an Authy Application, install dependencies, set up the payment form, register users with Authy, send push authorizations, update payment status based on authorization responses, and handle cases where users don't have the Authy app installed. The tutorial also covers how to configure a callback endpoint for Authy's push authentication and implement SMS verification as an alternative option.

This tutorial discusses how to send task-related SMS notifications in Asana using Twilio SMS, Automate.io and Laravel. To achieve this, developers need a Twilio account, an Asana account, an Automate.io account, and a PHP development environment with Laravel. The process involves creating a Connect app in Automate.io, setting up bots to listen for task-related events in Asana, and sending notifications using webhooks. Additionally, developers must purchase an SMS-enabled Twilio phone number and update their environmental file with the required credentials. The tutorial concludes by providing instructions on how to test the application and invites readers to explore more features of the Asana API.

Twilio.org has announced $1.4 million in grants to 15 non-profit organizations that are using innovative communication strategies to tackle some of the world's toughest problems, including improving access to essential benefits, increasing voter engagement, and providing mental health support to underserved communities. These grants were made through the Twilio.org Impact Fund, which has awarded over $3 million to social impact organizations in the past year. The recipients include organizations such as Benefits Data Trust, CommunityConnect Labs, DoSomething, Kiva, MindRight, Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, Streetwide, TalkingPoints, Tarjimly, Law Centres Network, Inclusion, Hack the Hood, Lesbians Who Tech + Allies, Douar Tech, and BRIDGEGOOD, which will use the funds to expand their services, educate and motivate communities, and provide technical training and career development opportunities to underrepresented groups.

Building a video chat app with ASP.NET Core 2.2, Angular, and Twilio requires setting up a server-side application that uses ASP.NET Core to serve the Angular single-page application (SPA) and handle real-time user interactions. The client-side application uses the Twilio JavaScript SDK to establish video connections and communicate with the server. The application includes features such as room creation, participant joining, and video streaming, all while providing a seamless user experience. By leveraging ASP.NET Core's dependency injection and Angular's observables, developers can build a scalable and maintainable video chat app that integrates with Twilio's Programmable Video service.

php The tutorial covers creating a Vue.js group chat app in PHP with Symfony using the Twilio Programmable Chat API. The author provides a step-by-step guide to building the chat interface, including the login form, channel listing, and message sending functionality. The tutorial assumes prior knowledge of Vue.js and Symfony, but provides enough information for beginners to follow along. The codebase is open-sourced on GitHub, allowing readers to explore the implementation in more detail. The author highlights the benefits of adding real-time communication to an app or product, including increased customer satisfaction and credibility.

Twilio and SendGrid have come together as one company, sharing a customer-first mindset that values empathy for users. The author, Sameer Dholakia, built an SMS responder app using Twilio and SendGrid's services, which responds to incoming SMS messages with a personalized email containing a GIF. To build this app, developers need to sign up for both Twilio and SendGrid accounts, install necessary Python libraries, create a virtual environment, and set up environment variables for sensitive data like API keys. The app uses Flask as the microframework and sends emails using SendGrid's services. Once deployed, the app can be accessed through an ngrok tunnel, allowing it to receive incoming SMS messages and respond with a personalized email, completing the Twilio-SendGrid integration.

Ahoy Twilio SendGrid, when we talk to our customers they tell us that it's harder than ever to build a compelling customer engagement strategy. We've been investing in building the customer engagement platform for 11 years by adding APIs for voice and SMS, video, Facebook Messenger, and WhatsApp, and now we're proud to offer the full breadth of channels that companies use daily to engage with their customers through our leading developer platforms. Our goal is to be the single, trusted platform for all of your customer communications and make it ever easier to use all these channels together in a cohesive customer engagement strategy.