April 2021 Summaries

The WhatsApp Business API from Twilio allows developers to communicate with users on the popular messaging app. To send a picture on WhatsApp using JavaScript, you need Node.js installed on your machine, a free Twilio account, and a smartphone with an active WhatsApp account. You can connect your smartphone to the Twilio sandbox by sending a message with a specific code and then set up a new JavaScript project, installing the required dependencies and creating environment variables for your Twilio credentials. The code provided creates a Twilio client using the stored credentials and sends a WhatsApp message with a body and an image URL, printing the message SID to the terminal after it's sent.

The article introduces Tailwind CSS, a low-level CSS framework that provides reusable utility classes for building websites with a distinctive look and feel. It explains how to use the framework by creating a basic HTML page, applying various classes to style elements, and understanding the different aspects of styling such as text size, color, alignment, and borders. The article also covers hover styles, buttons, and optimization techniques to reduce the size of the CSS file. Finally, it discusses criticism of Tailwind CSS and offers suggestions for managing long class lists, including templating features and CSS wrapper classes.

We tracked Paste's usage by looking at its NPM package page, but it didn't provide much useful information about who is using our packages, which parts are used, or how they're used. To gain more insights, we need to look beyond the weekly download count and explore other data sources that can help us understand how users interact with our design system.

This tutorial teaches developers how to transcribe voice messages using Twilio Programmable Voice and Python with Flask. To start, create a new Flask project and install necessary dependencies such as Flask, Twilio, Pyngrok, and python-dotenv. Set up a development server and authenticate against Twilio services by storing credentials in a .env file. Create an ngrok tunnel to make the local server accessible over the internet. Record an incoming call using TwiML verbs such as say, record, and hangup to control the call flow. Use the <Record> verb with optional attributes like transcribe to create a speech-to-text transcription of any message left by the caller. Finally, configure the webhook for your Twilio phone number and test the app by calling the Twilio phone number and speaking into it.

Troubleshooting a Twilio Video app requires identifying the problem, using tools like the Video Log Analyzer to gather data, and analyzing logs with the RTC Diagnostics SDK and Preflight API. Additionally, capturing information and storing it in real-time can help diagnose issues. It's essential to ensure that the user meets the bandwidth requirements for video calls and that the application can connect to Twilio's media and signaling servers. By using these tools and following best practices, developers can provide a better experience for their users and troubleshoot issues efficiently.

A developer created a simple chat room app using React, Laravel Breeze, and Twilio's Conversations API. The app allows users to join conversations via SMS or username and send messages. The backend is built using Laravel 8 with the Inertia package, and the frontend is built using React. The app uses Twilio's Conversations API to create multi-party chats where participants can use chat, SMS, MMS, and WhatsApp to create messages. The developer used Laravel Mix to compile assets and PostCSS to add styles to the application. The app also includes a mechanism to fetch messages every three seconds and clean up once the component unmounts.

This tutorial helps developers build a face detection-based filter application using Twilio Video and FaceAPI, leveraging React Hooks and TypeScript. The application allows users to select from two filters (Sunglasses and CoolerSunglasses) and applies them to their video feed in real-time. The user's selected filter is sent through the DataTrack API to other participants in the call, allowing them to apply the same filter on their end. The application demonstrates how face detection capabilities can be integrated into web applications using modern technologies like FaceAPI, TensorFlow, HTML Canvas, React, and React Hooks.

In this article, the author demonstrates how to test a RESTful API built with Yii2 using Codeception. The author provides a step-by-step guide on setting up the test environment, creating test cases for the members and loans endpoints, and running the tests using the composer test-api shortcut. The article highlights the benefits of using Codeception, including its ease of use and ability to write human-readable test cases. The author also shares their experience as a tech enthusiast and software engineer, providing valuable insights into the importance of testing in software development.

This tutorial demonstrates the creation of a RESTful API using PHP and the Yii2 framework. The application is built to manage library resources, specifically members and books, with basic CRUD operations and loan-related functionality. The API uses Yii's Active Record classes for models, controllers, and routing, providing an object-oriented approach to database interactions and API endpoints. The application includes security features such as CSRF validation and secure-by-default configuration. The codebase is generated using the Yii framework's built-in tools, including the GII (Generator for Interface) tool, which simplifies the creation of models, controllers, and other components. The tutorial covers topics such as database setup, model creation, controller implementation, routing, and API testing, providing a comprehensive overview of building a RESTful API with Yii2.

The new onboarding experience for U.S. A2P 10DLC within Twilio's Trust Hub provides a verified ecosystem with local long codes, guiding users through each step of the registration process to ensure accurate information and prevent bad actors from accessing the network. This transition aims to increase deliverability and throughput while driving trust with carriers and maximizing daily messages and throughput per campaign. Users will receive a Trust Score, which determines their access to the network, and must submit accurate information about their company during the process. The new onboarding experience is just the start of Twilio's efforts to provide a fully capitalized ecosystem for local long codes.

The next-generation Conversations API for chat from Twilio is designed to provide a more flexible and user-friendly experience for developers. Building on the success of their IP Messaging API, which has seen tens of millions of monthly active users, the Conversations API aims to unlock creativity in building connected experiences with APIs. The goal is to ensure that businesses don't confine their customers to siloed chat solutions, but rather offer a multichannel conversational experience that meets evolving consumer preferences. With new features like states and timers, improved client-side SDKs, HIPAA compliance, and multichannel features like native group texting, the Conversations API is designed to support cross-channel messaging and reduce development time. By treating every channel as equal and providing a Conversation Resource that connects participants across different channels, Twilio aims to future-proof applications and user interactions with their business.

This tutorial guides the reader through setting up a Django application that transcribes voice messages received at a Twilio phone number. The application uses the Twilio Programmable Voice API to record and transcribe incoming calls, with the transcription results being stored by Twilio for later access. To set up the application, the reader must create a new Django project, install necessary Python dependencies, configure the web server to be accessible over the internet using ngrok, and add a webhook to handle incoming phone calls. The tutorial also covers legal considerations related to recording phone calls and provides additional resources for further learning.

This tutorial demonstrates how to pass call context when forwarding a call across the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) using Twilio Studio and Twilio Functions. The goal is to improve the customer experience by providing relevant information to agents, such as the caller's name, reason for calling, or entity they are contacting. A serverless Voice IVR is built using Twilio Studio, a stateful visual workflow builder, and Twilio Functions, which handle the HTTP request to an external API to pass context to the contact center application. The tutorial covers setting up the Twilio Studio flow, creating a Twilio Function, and configuring the function to forward calls with context to the customer's contact center. The solution is designed to be scalable and adaptable to various business use cases, including tracking end-user phone numbers and entities.

Puzzel WFM Integration Designed for Twilio Flex aims to optimize resource allocation and scheduling in contact centers by providing automated forecasting, scheduling, and adherence monitoring tools. The solution is designed to increase agent retention, reduce administrative overheads, and improve productivity. It can be self-service and set up in just a couple of days, allowing customers to deploy a workforce management solution quickly. The integration provides real-time insights into agent performance, enabling managers to coach agents more effectively and empower them to solve complex customer issues.

The Authy API, which is being maintained for the time being, will be evolving into the Verify API with new features such as improved developer experience, programmable rate limits, and a new authentication method using Twilio credentials. The Verify API offers better tools including Twilio helper libraries in multiple programming languages, an improved console interface, and enhanced error handling and insights. Applications are now configured as Services rather than applications, and users must use both their Twilio credentials and a Service SID to manage verifications. The new API has different error codes and requires E.164 formatted phone numbers for SMS verifications, with best practices including using the Lookup API to convert national format numbers to E.164 format and defining allowed countries. Migrating from Authy to Verify also involves deleting Authy users from legacy applications and potentially testing rate limits without getting blocked.

Handling incoming phone calls with Java and Twilio requires configuring a URL in the Twilio console to handle HTTP requests triggered by incoming calls. The response to these webhook requests determines how the call is handled, using TwiML, an XML dialect that provides flexibility in handling the call. A simple "hello world" example uses Spring Boot to create an HTTP endpoint and returns plain text, while a more interactive setup uses TwiML to define what happens during the call, including speech recognition and keypad input. The application is connected to the internet using ngrok or the Twilio CLI, allowing it to be accessed by incoming calls. An interactive example demonstrates how to build a voice app with menu options and respond to user input, showcasing the possibilities of building engaging voice applications with Twilio and Java.

To make voice calls with Java and Twilio, developers need to set up a new project using Maven, download the Twilio Helper Library for Java, and configure their IDE. They then authenticate the Twilio client with their Account SID and Auth Token, stored securely as environment variables. The main method uses the Twilio API to create a call, specifying the "to" and "from" phone numbers, TwiML code, and instructions for what Twilio should do during the call. The generated TwiML is converted into an XML string, which is then used to create the call. Once the call is created, the SID is printed out, allowing developers to look up the details of the call in the Call Logs page on the Twilio console. With this setup, developers can now make outbound voice calls using Java and Twilio, opening up possibilities for further customization and innovation with TwiML.

Twilio, a leading cloud communication platform, partners with Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) to provide the necessary communications infrastructure for their digital engagement solutions. To help ISVs set up their applications for success on Twilio's platform, this post provides best practices for pricing and packaging strategies, technical considerations, and security measures. The post is product-agnostic and focuses on providing actionable tips and example code snippets for ISVs to implement in their own applications. Key concepts discussed include usage-based pricing models, API rate limits, cost control, data management, and security controls. By following these guidelines, ISVs can create sustainable businesses with Twilio's APIs while ensuring the reliability, scalability, and security of their digital engagement solutions.

A JavaScript application is created to receive and handle WhatsApp messages using the Twilio WhatsApp Business API. To get started, one needs Node.js installed on their machine, a free Twilio account, and a smartphone with an active WhatsApp account. The Twilio WhatsApp sandbox is used for development and testing, where developers can easily connect their smartphones to test the application. A new Express project is set up, and the necessary dependencies are installed, including the Twilio Node Helper Library. An ngrok tunnel is started to make the local server accessible over the Internet. A WhatsApp webhook is created to enable custom actions in response to incoming events, such as receiving a message from a user on WhatsApp. The application receives WhatsApp messages using TwiML and sends responses back to the users. The WhatsApp webhook is configured in the Twilio console, and the application is tested by sending a message to the sandbox number.

By Jessy Sweet Announcing Twilio Event Streams Public Beta With the Event Streams API, you can use modern data streaming technology to consume unified streams of Twilio data directly into your infrastructure, so you can spend less time wrangling data and more time building with data. Having the right data architecture is crucial for business success as it enables teams to deeply understand customer interactions and improve engagement experiences. Twilio built Event Streams to abstract away complexity in data management by consolidating data from across its platform, normalizing it, queuing it for up to 24 hours, and delivering it directly into your infrastructure of choice. The public beta launch includes new features such as delivery into a webhook sink and improved stability and scalability. All Twilio customers can start using Event Streams today.

This guide from Segment, in partnership with Plushcap, provides a comprehensive resource for businesses looking to leverage data to engage their customers. The guide covers essential strategies for collecting, organizing, and utilizing customer data to drive meaningful interactions. By applying these best practices, businesses can optimize their marketing efforts, improve customer retention, and increase overall revenue.

To send a picture on WhatsApp from the command line using Twilio and cURL, one needs to first set up a Twilio account and install cURL. A WhatsApp sandbox is then created, allowing for testing with a smartphone. Credentials are stored in environment variables, including the sender's phone number, recipient's phone number, and media URL. With these variables set, a command is used to send a picture message using cURL, which can be done on both Unix/MacOS and Windows computers. After sending the message, one can test their application with additional smartphones by repeating the sandbox registration process.

The tutorial guides developers through creating a Flask-based application that receives and handles WhatsApp messages using the Twilio WhatsApp Business API. To begin, users need to set up a virtual environment, install necessary packages, and create a development server. They then authenticate against Twilio services by storing credentials in a `.env` file and start an ngrok tunnel to make the local server accessible on the Internet. The application creates a webhook for incoming WhatsApp messages, extracts information from the message, and responds with a custom message using TwiML. Once set up, users can test their WhatsApp messaging service by sending a message to a sandbox number.

Twilio has announced the open-sourcing of its OpenAPI specification for all Twilio APIs, making it easy for developers to access and generate code for their preferred programming languages. This allows users to build with Twilio using popular tools and environments without writing complex methods and functions. The new feature also enables client library generation, mock testing, and support for Postman, a free development tool for making API calls. With the OpenAPI specification, developers can now auto-generate code, programmatically build libraries, and test their applications with Twilio's APIs more efficiently.

Security has shifted from a specialty to a shared responsibility in the DevSecOps world, where security is integrated into all stages of the software development life cycle. Traditional security tools are being replaced with more capable solutions that cater to busy engineers and provide fast, accurate results delivered automatically at every stage of development. These modern security tools must integrate with multiple systems, such as Slack and Jira, track and communicate flaws in real-time, and provide extensibility through comprehensive APIs and notification frameworks to automate tasks and keep up with the pace of code delivery.

A personalized SMS marketing communication can make or break customer relationships, and using Twilio and Segment can help achieve this. By setting up a source in Segment and linking it to a Twilio phone number, developers can collect data from a website and send targeted messages to customers. With the help of custom code and event tracking, businesses can deliver timely and useful communications that turn customers into lifelong fans. The example demonstrates how to personalize an SMS message for an out-of-stock item on an e-commerce page, using Twilio Segment's platform to track events and deliver a coupon code via SMS.

Twilio is a messaging service that allows developers to send SMS and other communication services. To send a single SMS, one needs a Twilio account, a phone number to send from, the destination phone number, and the message content. However, as scaling up increases, challenges such as carrier rate limits, customer preferences, anti-spam measures, monitoring, and re-delivering messages become significant issues. Messaging Services can help address these challenges by providing pools of phone numbers that can be used in place of a "from" number when sending SMS messages. Notify Services allow developers to send messages to multiple recipients in one API call, which is convenient but requires careful coordination and error handling. Short codes can also be used for high-volume SMS sending, offering pre-approved throughput by carriers and reduced carrier filtering. By using Messaging Services and Notify Services, developers can scale up their SMS messaging without significant challenges.

Twilio suffered a service disruption on Feb 26, 2021, which motivated the company to learn from the incident and make its services more resilient and reliable. The root cause of the disruption was an overload on a critical service that manages feature-enablement for many Twilio products. To address this issue, Twilio has implemented several technical improvements, including reconfiguring its Feature Service with more aggressive auto-scaling behavior and removing the service from critical paths to prevent service unavailability. Additionally, the company is making holistic changes to its engineering organization, such as completing an audit of production systems, improving deployment tooling, and introducing new standardized tooling, in order to mitigate the risk of similar issues across other services.

A Python Django application with Twilio SendGrid integration has been built to create a contact form that stores user contact information in the site's database and triggers an automated email containing that information when the form is successfully submitted. The project uses a virtual environment, Django framework, and Twilio SendGrid service to send emails. The tutorial covers creating a contacts app, defining models, building a contact form, integrating with Twilio SendGrid for sending automated emails, and using Django's built-in admin interface to manage contact data.

You'll leverage Twilio Programmable Voice to receive phone calls at your Twilio phone number and transcribe any voice messages left by the caller. To get started, you need a free Twilio account, a Twilio phone number, and create a new Twilio Functions Service. You can configure a webhook that will handle incoming calls through Twilio's console. The code uses TwiML to record and transcribe voice messages, with an optional `transcribe` attribute to create a speech-to-text transcription of any message left by the caller. A transcription callback function is also created to access the contents of the transcription and perform an action on it. Finally, you configure the webhook for your Twilio phone number and test your app by calling your Twilio phone number from your personal phone.

Twilio Elastic SIP Trunking has achieved significant growth and recognition in the past year, with a rapidly expanding customer base and increasing industry accolades. The product line has seen double-digit growth for the third consecutive year, winning accounts for demanding PSTN connectivity services worldwide. Recent customers include Ozonetel and Sweetwater, highlighting the flexibility and reliability of Twilio Elastic SIP Trunking. Innovative new features have been introduced to strengthen security, improve productivity, and increase flexibility for developers. The company has also expanded its interoperability with third-party infrastructure and cloud services, bringing the total number of certified variants to over 80. Industry recognition includes being named a 2021 Internet Telephony Product of the Year by TMC and ranking among the leading providers in Omdia's 2020 SIP Trunking Service Provider Scorecard. Twilio continues to commit to innovation and customer satisfaction, leveraging its cloud infrastructure to provide more flexibility and business agility to customers around the world.

The author, August Allard, shares their personal story of how they developed an interest in building, learning, and solving problems from a young age. They describe their early experiences with making crafts and analyzing real estate opportunities as precursors to their later career in software engineering. The author notes that despite having interests that are commonly associated with engineers, no one close to them recognized these traits until they pursued a coding bootcamp. August emphasizes the importance of clear communication and sensitivity towards new developers' needs during the transitional stages of their growth. They aim to create tutorials that feel frictionless and accessible to both beginners and experienced developers.

A Twilio account is required to build a SMS Haiku Generator with the help of the Datamuse API and the Syllable module. The process involves creating a new project using the Twilio Serverless Toolkit, installing necessary dependencies, writing a function in Node.js that generates a haiku according to an input text message, and configuring the Twilio Function with a public-facing URL for deployment. The complete code is available on GitHub, and users can explore various possibilities with the Twilio Serverless Toolkit.

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, transforming the way healthcare is delivered and received. Experts in the field of robotics, artificial intelligence, and telemedicine will explore the world of healthcare software and the opportunities that this presents. The podcast features conversations with Jeff Lawson, CEO and Co-Founder of Twilio, Dr. Erica Lawson, pediatric rheumatologist at UCSF, Susan Lucas Collins, Global Head of Healthcare Services at Twilio, and Dr. Tim Peck, founder and executive portfolio director of health at IDEO. These experts discuss the challenges of building telemedicine solutions, including issues related to accessibility, affordability, and user experience. They also explore the benefits of telemedicine, such as increased flexibility, reduced costs, and improved patient outcomes. The conversation highlights the importance of collaboration between developers, business people, and patients to build effective solutions that meet the needs of all stakeholders.

Twilio.org is providing $10 million in grants and product credits to support global vaccine distribution and administration, particularly for organizations helping underserved communities get vaccinated. A new Quick Deploy app allows public health agencies to launch a COVID-19 vaccine standby list quickly. Building cloud-based telephony systems with Twilio Studio and Serverless can help healthcare provider offices manage increased call volumes due to the vaccine rollout. Developers can also create automated appointment management systems using Twilio Programmable Voice and Messaging, as well as build HIPAA-compliant telemedicine solutions with Twilio Video.

To send a picture on WhatsApp using Twilio and Python, you need to have Python 3.6 or newer, a Twilio account with a free trial or paid plan, a smartphone with an active WhatsApp account, and access to the Twilio WhatsApp sandbox. The sandbox allows you to test your application before requesting production access for your phone number. To start, connect your smartphone to the sandbox by sending a WhatsApp message with a join code, then set up a new Python project with virtual environment, install required packages, authenticate against Twilio services using environment variables, and send a picture message with Twilio. The process involves creating a file named app.py with the necessary code to initialize a Twilio client, create a message instance, and send a WhatsApp message with an image URL.

As a startup founder, building a customer engagement roadmap is crucial to creating meaningful connections with customers and improving their experience. Customer engagement is key to driving loyalty and spending, as customers who feel connected to a brand are more likely to be loyal and spend money. To start building your own customer engagement strategy, use the Twilio Startups Customer Engagement Canvas, which breaks down three main modules: Current Strategy, Urgent/Archival, and Future Strategy. This canvas can help you understand how your startup is currently communicating with customers and plan experiments to achieve measurable results. Understanding current trends in customer engagement is also important, as seen in the Twilio SendGrid Global Messaging Engagement Report 2020 and the Twilio State of Customer Engagement Report 2021. These reports provide insights into how consumers interact with emails and SMS, and highlight the importance of planning customer engagement from the inception of a startup.

To send a WhatsApp message using Ruby and Twilio, first install the required gems, including bundler and twilio-ruby, and create a Gemfile with the necessary dependencies. Next, join the WhatsApp sandbox and obtain your Twilio credentials, which should be set as environment variables. Then, write a Ruby code file named whatsapp-sender.rb that uses these credentials to send a message through Twilio's REST API. The code includes the sender's number, recipient's number, and message body, and can also include media URLs to attach images or other files to the message. With this setup, users can send WhatsApp messages from their Ruby code, including with attachments, making it a useful tool for developers looking to integrate WhatsApp into their applications.

This summary provides an overview of the tutorial on sending SMS notifications with FastAPI and Twilio. The tutorial assumes that the reader has a basic understanding of Python, asyncio, and FastAPI, but no prior knowledge of Twilio is required. It guides the reader through setting up a new FastAPI project, configuring Twilio credentials and phone numbers, and creating an endpoint to send SMS notifications using the Twilio Python Helper library. The tutorial also covers how to handle form data, send responses, and test the application. Throughout the tutorial, the author emphasizes the importance of security and best practices in developing asynchronous applications with Twilio.

To launch a customer engagement app with no code, users can utilize the Twilio Segment Quick Deploy App, which allows them to subscribe to SMS notifications for specific segment events, enabling businesses to understand their customers and react at the right time. To get started, users need to set up accounts with Twilio and Segment, learn about Segment Events, and configure the app by filling out required fields and inputting a Webhook URL. Once launched, users can test the connection using Segment's Event Tester and start receiving text notifications when specific events are triggered, empowering them to unlock new ideas and experiences with technology.

You're looking to launch a Twilio app in minutes without using your own servers or writing complex third-party code. To do this, you'll need to create a Google Project, create a Service Account, and gather its credentials, which will be used to access Google Drive services like Sheets from your Twilio app. This process involves navigating through the IAM & admin section of your project dashboard, creating a new Service Account, downloading a JSON file containing its credentials, and then pasting this into the CodeExchange app's "Google credentials" textbox. If you're using Google Sheets specifically, you'll need to enable the Google Sheets API for your project and add the email address of your Service Account to your sheet, allowing the two services to communicate seamlessly.

At Twilio, the company believes that democracy depends on every eligible voter being able to easily cast a ballot, just like hailing a ride with their phone; polling places should be as close as a bag of Doritos and a cola. However, legislation in 47 US states may prevent voters from having this fair opportunity, which runs counter to Twilio's commitment to become an antiracist company working towards equity in voting laws. To address this, Twilio is taking three key actions: encouraging others to support voting access, funding organizations increasing voter participation, and providing tools to increase voter engagement and empowerment. This includes employee donations matching up to $200,000 for Black Voters Matter Fund and The New Georgia Project, as well as launching Voices for Democracy in 2017 to advance discourse between people and elected officials. Companies like Twilio recognize that voter participation isn't a partisan issue but is essential for ensuring the government reflects the will of the people; they must work together to reinforce the electoral process and ensure the freedom and fairness of future elections for all Americans.

The Consumer Profile eSIM architecture offers a more flexible and convenient solution for IoT devices compared to the M2M Profile eSIM, as it allows full control over SIM profile management on the device itself, eliminating the need for additional infrastructure elements. This approach enables IoT devices to be easily deployed with different connectivity providers, without being locked into a single provider, thereby providing greater flexibility and autonomy to the device. The Consumer Profile eSIM also simplifies the process of managing SIM profiles, reducing the complexity associated with traditional M2M Profiles. Additionally, the use of an LPA (Local Profiles Assistant) on the IoT device enables seamless interaction between the device and the eSIM solution, ensuring a standardized interface for downloading and installing SIM profiles. Overall, Consumer Profile eSIMs are a more suitable option for IoT devices due to their ease of deployment, flexibility, and autonomy.

** CORS (Cross-Origin Resource Sharing) is a security protocol in modern browsers that allows or restricts resources from being shared between different origins, depending on which origin initiated the HTTP request. An origin describes where a request is initiated and includes scheme, hostname, and port components. The browser adds an Origin header to all requests it makes, and when a request arrives at the server, if the origin in the request is included in the list of origins that are allowed to retrieve resources from that server, the server will add an Access-Control-Allow-Origin header to its response to let the browser know that the content is accessible to this specific origin. However, by default, browsers block requests from different ports due to CORS restrictions. To fix this and allow data to flow between a server and client, developers can add CORS support to their server using middleware that sets the Access-Control-Allow-Origin header and specifies the domains that are allowed to access resources. This tutorial demonstrates how to configure CORS in an Express + TypeScript API by installing the `cors` package and configuring CORS options, including adding allowed origins and passing these options to the `cors` middleware. By doing so, developers can enable their server to respond with the Access-Control-Allow-Origin header for specific cross-origin requests and allow data to flow between their server and client-side application.

The next generation of the Twilio Console has been built with a Jamstack architecture, which pulls the UI into a frontend monolithic repo and loads navigation components from static assets. This allows teams to migrate at their own pace, rather than having to do a complete rewrite of the Console. The new architecture addresses issues such as performance impacting the customer experience, shared processes and tooling, and uneven developer effectiveness across the organization. By moving towards a Jamstack architecture, Twilio aims to improve performance globally and make it easier for teams to build on a shared set of tooling. The new console also enables teams to focus on creating business logic that benefits customers, rather than building entire React applications with state management from scratch.

The benefits of using PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) over VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) include lower costs, elastic scalability, and call quality that is as-good-or-better-than plain old telephone service. However, in unmanaged networks, such as those experienced by customers working from home or in coffee shops, visibility into network performance and ability to make changes are limited. Twilio's analysis of hundreds of billions of calls over ten years indicates that network transport issues are the number one contributor to reports of audio quality degradation for VoIP calls. To mitigate this, Twilio provides a preflight test API for workflows where VoIP calls originate in the browser, allowing developers to dip their toes into the network before placing or answering a call. The preflight test checks for jitter, latency, and packet loss, and returns a MOS (Mean Opinion Score) score between 1-5, which can be used to decide whether to proceed with VoIP or fall back to PSTN. Mobile SDKs also provide APIs to check the type of network the user is on and signal strength, allowing developers to make informed decisions about when to use VoIP or PSTN. However, these tests are sample in time and may shift, and it's essential to gather subjective feedback from users to fine-tune decision-making processes.

The Console was intentionally designed to enable rapid growth by allowing multiple small product teams to ship their frontend experiences autonomously. However, this approach led to a lack of centralized governance and inconsistency across products, causing user frustration. To address this, Twilio redesigned the Console from a user experience perspective, wearing customer shoes through CSAT surveys, support tickets, and usability testing notes. The new design organizes information based on the development lifecycle, with designated areas for each phase, simplifying the experience and removing duplicative content. The redesign also created a coherent product menu that allows users to explore and learn about other Twilio products, and added direct links to product documentation. The goal is to build a better end-to-end experience that supports customers' journeys with Twilio.

The new Twilio Console is now in Public Beta, offering a vastly improved page load speed and dedicated views for products, application monitoring, account management, and billing. The console has been re-architected to make it easier for developers to experiment and create experiences that define the future, with a focus on usability and accessibility. The new navigation features four main areas: Develop, Monitor, Account, and Billing, providing a more straightforward experience for finding what you need and moving across products. The console also boasts a modern look and feel, built on a new architecture designed to increase performance, reduce development time, and streamline deployments.

This tutorial provides a step-by-step guide on how to receive and handle WhatsApp messages using the Twilio WhatsApp Business API with Django, a Python web framework. The process involves setting up a Django project, creating a WhatsApp webhook endpoint, extracting message information, sending responses, and configuring the WhatsApp Business API. With this setup, developers can create a basic WhatsApp messaging service that can receive and reply to incoming messages from users.

The Federal Communications Commission has adopted 988 as a new number for connecting callers to the National Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Crisis Lifeline in the United States. Starting July 16, 2022, all providers must implement mandatory 10-digit local dialing nationwide, which will require consumers to dial 10 digits (area code + telephone number) instead of the current 7-digit dialing for local calls. The change is already required for Twilio customers, who have always supported 10-digit dialing. Non-Twilio providers must also implement the mandatory 10-digit dialing, which will affect consumers in certain area codes across the US. Callers can dial 988 after July 16, 2022, to be routed to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline.

Twilio is celebrating Earth Month and recognizing Earth Day on April 22nd, with a focus on taking small actions to fight climate change. The company's WePledge 1% program aims to inspire individuals to make a difference by committing 1% of their personal time or resources to do good. To support this effort, Twilio is sponsoring the Earth Month EcoChallenge, which provides several "challenges" to help participants adopt lifestyle changes that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The company also invites developers to submit coding project concepts aiming to make a lasting environmental impact and offers up to $500 in credits to support their ideas. Additionally, TwilioQuest, an educational video game designed to teach new learners how to code, will be played throughout April to help plant 10,000+ trees. The WePledge 1% community is encouraged to join the movement for good by signing up and learning more at wepledge.org.