Builderbot
🤖 Crear Chatbot WhatsApp en minutos. Únete a este proyecto OpenSource
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What is Builderbot?
BuilderBot 2 is a free and open-source framework for creating chatbots and smart apps that connect to communication channels like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, SMS, and email. It is designed for developers who want to build automated conversation flows that are agnostic to the WhatsApp provider, allowing easy switching between providers like Baileys, Meta Business API, Twilio, WPPConnect, Evolution API, and Venom without rewriting the workflow.
The framework is built on three key components: Flow, which builds conversation context and offers a developer-friendly interface using addKeyword and addAnswer methods; Provider, which acts as a connector enabling easy switching between WhatsApp providers without affecting other bot parts; and Database, which facilitates changing the data persistence layer (supporting MongoDB, MySQL, Postgres, JSON file, and MemoryDB) without rewriting workflows. It supports automated responses for frequently asked questions, automatic message receiving and responding, customer interaction tracking, and trigger-based functionality expansion.
BuilderBot is ideal for developers who need to create WhatsApp chatbots quickly without limits, particularly those working with low-frequency communication channels. It won first prize at OpenExpo 2024 and has 2.9k stars on GitHub with 59 contributors. The framework includes tutorials for building AI bots with OpenAI assistants, supports Dockerization for maintainability, offers HTTP message sending for multimedia, and provides community plugins for unlimited extensibility.
The tool requires Node.js version 20 or higher and Git for proper operation. It uses TypeScript (81.1% of the codebase) and provides a CLI command 'pnpm create builderbot@latest' for quick bot creation with default or custom configurations for provider, database, and language.
Builderbot pricing
Pricing model: Freemium
BuilderBot 2 (the open-source framework at builderbot.app) is completely FREE and open-source under MIT license with no paid plans. You can use it indefinitely without cost. Note: There is a separate paid service called 'BuilderBot Cloud' (at builderbot.cloud) with plans: Free tier ($0 for 7 days, then limited mode with 1 chatbot), Starter ($39.99/month for up to 5 chatbots with AI), Pro ($79.99/month for up to 10 chatbots with voice/image understanding), and Custom (from $119.85/month for 15+ chatbots with dedicated support). The free open-source framework has no message limits, no chatbot limits, but requires self-hosting.
Builderbot pros
- Free and open-source framework with MIT license
- Supports multiple communication channels (WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, SMS, email)
- Provider-agnostic architecture allows switching WhatsApp providers without code changes
- Three key components (Flow, Provider, Database) enable modular and reusable code
- Quick bot creation with single CLI command 'pnnpm create builderbot@latest'
- Winner of first prize at OpenExpo 2024
- Active community with 2.9k GitHub stars and 59 contributors
- Supports multiple database adapters (MongoDB, MySQL, Postgres, JSON file, MemoryDB)
- Multiple WhatsApp providers supported (Baileys, Meta, Twilio, WPPConnect, Evolution API, Venom)
- Built-in support for automated FAQ responses and message tracking
- Supports multimedia messaging (images, voice, PDFs)
- Easy integration with OpenAI assistants for AI-powered bots
- Dockerization support for better maintainability
- Extensible through community plugins
- TypeScript-based with 81.1% TypeScript codebase for type safety
Builderbot cons
- Requires Node.js version 20 or higher (may need upgrade for older projects)
- Requires Git installation for proper operation
- Primarily designed for developers, not non-technical users (no-code visual builder only in Cloud version)
- Learning curve for understanding Flow, Provider, and Database architecture concepts
- Self-hosted framework requires your own infrastructure and server setup
- No built-in hosting unlike BuilderBot Cloud service
- WhatsApp provider setup may require separate API keys and accounts
- Limited official support compared to paid commercial platforms
- Documentation focuses on technical implementation rather than business use cases
- Requires manual configuration for production deployment and monitoring
Frequently asked questions about Builderbot
What is BuilderBot and what does it do?
BuilderBot is a free and open-source framework for creating chatbots and smart apps that connect to communication channels like WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, Instagram, SMS, and email. It allows you to build automated conversation flows that are agnostic to the WhatsApp provider, set up automated responses for frequently asked questions, receive and respond to messages automatically, and track customer interactions. You can easily set up triggers to expand functionalities limitlessly.
Is BuilderBot free to use?
Yes, BuilderBot 2 (the open-source framework at builderbot.app) is completely free and open-source under the MIT license. There are no paid plans or subscription fees for the framework itself. You can create unlimited chatbots and send unlimited messages. Note that there is a separate paid service called BuilderBot Cloud at builderbot.cloud with no-code features, but the open-source framework requires coding knowledge.
What communication channels does BuilderBot support?
BuilderBot supports WhatsApp (via Baileys, Meta Business API, WPPConnect, Evolution API, Venom, Web WhatsApp), Facebook Messenger, Instagram, SMS (via Twilio, Sherpa), Telegram, Email, and GoHighLevel. The provider system allows you to easily switch between channels without rewriting your bot's workflow.
What are the system requirements for BuilderBot?
BuilderBot requires Node.js version 20 or higher and Git installed on your system. You can check your Node version by running 'node -v' in your terminal. If you don't meet these requirements, you need to download Node.js from the official website and Git from its official website before creating a bot.
How do I create my first chatbot with BuilderBot?
Creating a bot is simple: run the command 'pnpm create builderbot@latest' in your terminal and follow the instructions. The CLI performs a preliminary check of Node and OS version, informs you if requirements are met, and generates a base project. You can also use 'pnpm create builderbot@latest --provider=baileys --database=memory --language=ts' for default configuration. Your first chatbot can be ready in minutes.
What are the three key components of BuilderBot?
BuilderBot is based on three key components: (1) Flow - builds conversation context and offers a friendly interface using addKeyword and addAnswer methods to create structured interaction sequences; (2) Provider - acts as a connector allowing easy switching between WhatsApp providers (Meta, Twilio, Baileys, etc.) without affecting other bot parts; (3) Database - facilitates changing the data persistence layer (MongoDB, MySQL, Postgres, JSON, MemoryDB) without rewriting the workflow.
Can I switch WhatsApp providers without rewriting my bot?
Yes, that's one of BuilderBot's main advantages. The Provider component acts as a connector that allows you to easily switch between WhatsApp providers like Baileys, Meta Business API, Twilio, WPPConnect, Evolution API, and Venom without the risk of affecting other parts of the bot. This provider-agnostic architecture means you won't need to rewrite your conversation flows when changing providers.
Does BuilderBot support AI and OpenAI integration?
Yes, BuilderBot supports building AI bots with OpenAI assistants. The framework includes tutorials for creating chatbots with WhatsApp and artificial intelligence to talk about your business. You can integrate OpenAI's capabilities to create bots that interpret open-ended questions, respond naturally, and learn from conversation context. The separate BuilderBot Cloud service also includes built-in AI on paid plans.
How do I handle database persistence in BuilderBot?
BuilderBot supports multiple database adapters including MongoDB, MySQL, Postgres, JSON File Database, and MemoryDB. The database component provides a record of events between conversations and facilitates changing the data persistence layer without rewriting workflows. For small applications, the JSON File Database adapter provides lightweight persistence by storing conversation history in a JSON file, perfect when you don't want database infrastructure.
Can I contribute to BuilderBot or extend it with plugins?
Yes, BuilderBot is open-source with 59 contributors on GitHub, and you can join the community to code side by side. The framework supports community plugins for unlimited extensibility. To contribute, you need to install required tools, fork the project, clone your copy, and run 'pnpm install' and 'pnpm run build'. You can create new integrations using 'pnpm run create.package <package_name>' and all changes must pass tests with '.test.ts' extension files.