u/blabla_sheep

I'm building a small application using React + Firebase and need to set up WhatsApp-based OTP/login and a few WhatsApp notifications.

The expected scale is quite small — fewer than 500 users in the first year.

The requirements are roughly:

• OTP/login
• Registration confirmation
• Workshop/event reminders
• Maybe 3–4 messages per user
• React frontend + Firebase backend

I initially tried setting this up directly through Meta's WhatsApp Cloud API, but the developer experience has been extremely frustrating. I've been stuck on the test-number setup for almost a week, so I'm now considering Twilio.

Before I commit, I'd really like to hear from people who have actually implemented this.

A few questions:

1. Would you recommend Meta Cloud API directly, Twilio, or another provider?
2. Is Twilio worth using for such a small user base?
3. Are there better alternatives for an India-based application, such as MSG91, Gupshup, Interakt, WATI, etc.?
4. For OTP specifically, would you use WhatsApp OTP, SMS OTP, or WhatsApp + SMS fallback?
5. For React + Firebase, what architecture would you recommend?
6. Are there any hidden costs, onboarding issues, or phone-number/WhatsApp Business complications I should know about?
7. If you've used any of these providers, how was the actual developer experience and support?

I'm not particularly concerned about saving a few hundred rupees at this scale. Reliability, ease of setup, and not spending another week fighting an API dashboard are much more important to me.

Would appreciate real-world experiences and recommendations, especially from people who've built something similar at a small scale.

Thanks!

I have a small application built with React + Firebase, and I need to integrate the official WhatsApp Cloud API from Meta.
My use case is very simple:
User enters their mobile number.
Generate an OTP.
Send the OTP to the user’s WhatsApp.
User enters the OTP and gets verified.
That’s basically it.
I’ve been trying to set this up for about a week, but honestly, the Meta developer experience has been pretty frustrating. There are a lot of moving pieces—Business Manager, WABA, phone numbers, templates, access tokens, permissions, etc.—and the documentation feels quite difficult to follow. Even after trying LLMs and going through different guides, I’m still struggling to get the complete flow working end-to-end.
From what I understand, Meta does support dedicated AUTHENTICATION templates for OTPs, including copy-code buttons. (Postman⁠)
If anyone here has actually implemented WhatsApp OTP using Meta’s Cloud API, especially with a React/Firebase app, I’d really appreciate some guidance on the correct setup/architecture and the steps I should follow.
I’m specifically looking for the direct Meta/Cloud API approach, rather than a third-party WhatsApp provider.

Hi everyone,
I’m building a production application using React + Firebase (Authentication, Firestore, Hosting, Storage), and I don’t have a traditional backend (no Node.js/Express server). So far, everything is running serverlessly.
I’m now at the stage where I need to integrate a payment gateway. My users can be from India as well as internationally, so I need something that’s reliable, secure, and relatively straightforward to integrate.
I’m currently considering:
Razorpay
Stripe
Cashfree
Paddle (if it makes sense)
Since this is my first payment gateway integration, I’d appreciate some advice from people who’ve built similar apps.
A few questions I have:
Which payment gateway would you recommend for my use case and why?
Is it practical to keep the app backend-less, or should I add something like Firebase Cloud Functions just for payment processing?
What security vulnerabilities or architectural mistakes might I be overlooking with a React + Firebase-only setup?
Are there any common pitfalls around payment verification, webhooks, API keys, or fraud prevention that I should plan for?
If you were building this application today, what architecture would you choose?
I’m looking for something that is secure, scalable, and maintainable in production rather than just the cheapest option.
Thanks in advance for any advice or experiences you can share!

Hi everyone,
I’m currently working as an L11 with around 3 years of total work experience. I’ve been on the bench for about a week now and haven’t been getting any project calls or interview opportunities internally, which has started making me a bit anxious.
I wanted to understand from others here:
Is this common in the current situation?
How long do people usually stay on the bench before getting mapped?
What are the typical layoff or release criteria being followed these days, if anyone is aware?
I’m actively upskilling and reaching out internally as well, but would really appreciate hearing about others’ experiences or advice on how to navigate this phase.
Thanks in advance.