WhatsApp AI Bot - Vercel Deployment

A WhatsApp AI bot with Gemini integration, optimized for Vercel serverless deployment.

Features

• 🤖 AI-powered responses using Google Gemini
• 📱 WhatsApp Web integration
• 🔄 Multi-API key support with automatic fallback
• 📚 Knowledge base management
• 🌐 Web dashboard for management
• ☁️ Serverless deployment on Vercel

Deployment to Vercel

Method 1: Direct Upload

1. Prepare the project:

   • Ensure all files are in the whatsapp-bot-vercel directory
   • Verify vercel.json configuration is correct

2. Deploy to Vercel:

   • Go to vercel.com
   • Click "New Project"
   • Upload the whatsapp-bot-vercel folder
   • Set Framework Preset: Other
   • Set Root Directory: .
   • Click Deploy

Method 2: GitHub Integration

1. Push to GitHub:

   cd whatsapp-bot-vercel
   git init
   git add .
   git commit -m "Initial commit"
   git remote add origin YOUR_GITHUB_REPO_URL
   git push -u origin main

2. Connect to Vercel:

   • Go to vercel.com
   • Click "New Project"
   • Import from GitHub
   • Select your repository
   • Framework Preset: Other
   • Root Directory: .
   • Deploy

Configuration

Environment Variables (Optional)

You can set these in Vercel dashboard under Settings > Environment Variables:

• GEMINI_API_KEY_1: Primary Gemini API key
• GEMINI_API_KEY_2: Backup Gemini API key
• GEMINI_API_KEY_3: Second backup Gemini API key

API Keys Setup

1. Get your Gemini API keys from Google AI Studio
2. Access your deployed dashboard
3. Navigate to the Knowledge Base section
4. Enter your API keys in the dashboard

Usage

1. Access Dashboard:

   • Visit your Vercel deployment URL
   • You'll see the WhatsApp Bot Dashboard

2. Start the Bot:

   • Click "Start Bot" in the dashboard
   • Scan the QR code with WhatsApp
   • Bot is now ready to receive messages

3. Manage Knowledge Base:

   • Use the dashboard to update the bot's knowledge
   • Save changes to apply them immediately

Important Notes

Vercel Limitations

• Serverless Functions: Each request has a 30-second timeout
• Stateless: WhatsApp session may not persist between requests
• Cold Starts: First request may be slower
• File Storage: Limited to /tmp directory (temporary)

Recommended Alternatives

For production use, consider these platforms that better support persistent connections:

• Railway: railway.app - Better for persistent Node.js apps
• Render: render.com - Good for Express.js applications
• Fly.io: fly.io - Excellent for containerized apps
• Heroku: heroku.com - Classic choice for Node.js apps

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. QR Code Not Loading:

   • Check Vercel function logs
   • Ensure WhatsApp Web dependencies are installed
   • Try refreshing the page

2. API Key Errors:

   • Verify API keys are correct
   • Check Gemini API quotas
   • Test keys in the dashboard

3. Session Issues:

   • WhatsApp sessions may not persist on Vercel
   • You may need to scan QR code frequently
   • Consider using a persistent platform for production

Debugging

• Check Vercel function logs in the dashboard
• Use browser developer tools for client-side issues
• Monitor the activity log in the bot dashboard

File Structure

whatsapp-bot-vercel/
├── api/
│   └── index.js          # Main serverless function
├── public/
│   └── index.html        # Dashboard interface
├── KB/
│   └── kb.txt           # Knowledge base content
├── vercel.json          # Vercel configuration
├── package.json         # Dependencies
├── geminiHandler.js     # AI handler
└── README.md           # This file

Support

For issues and questions:

1. Check the troubleshooting section above
2. Review Vercel deployment logs
3. Test with a simpler deployment first

License

MIT License - see LICENSE file for details.