Viber Python Bot API

Use this library to develop a bot for Viber platform. The library is available on GitHub as well as a package on PyPI.

This package can be imported using pip by adding the following to your requirements.txt:

viberbot==1.0.11

License

This library is released under the terms of the Apache 2.0 license. See License for more information.

Library Prerequisites

1. python >= 2.7.0
2. An Active Viber account on a platform which supports Public Accounts/ bots (iOS/Android). This account will automatically be set as the account administrator during the account creation process.
3. .Active Public Account/ bot - Create an account here.
4. Account authentication token - unique account identifier used to validate your account in all API requests. Once your account is created your authentication token will appear in the account’s “edit info” screen (for admins only). Each request posted to Viber by the account will need to contain the token.
5. Webhook - Please use a server endpoint URL that supports HTTPS. If you deploy on your own custom server, you’ll need a trusted (ca.pem) certificate, not self-signed. Read our blog post on how to test your bot locally.

Let’s get started!

Installing

Creating a basic Viber bot is simple:

1. Install the library with pip pip install viberbot
2. Import viberbot.api library to your project
3. Create a Public Account or bot and use the API key from https://developers.viber.com
4. Configure your bot as described in the documentation below
5. Start your web server
6. Call set_webhook(url) with your web server url

A simple Echo Bot

Firstly, let’s import and configure our bot

from viberbot import Api
from viberbot.api.bot_configuration import BotConfiguration

bot_configuration = BotConfiguration(
	name='PythonSampleBot',
	avatar='https://viber.com/avatar.jpg',
	auth_token='YOUR_AUTH_TOKEN_HERE'
)
viber = Api(bot_configuration)

Create an HTTPS server

Next thing you should do is starting a https server. and yes, as we said in the prerequisites it has to be https server. Create a server however you like, for example with Flask:

from flask import Flask, request, Response

app = Flask(__name__)

@app.route('/incoming', methods=['POST'])
def incoming():
	logger.debug("received request. post data: {0}".format(request.get_data()))
	# handle the request here
	return Response(status=200)

context = ('server.crt', 'server.key')
app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=443, debug=True, ssl_context=context)

Setting a webhook

After the server is up and running you can set a webhook. Viber will push messages sent to this URL. web server should be internet-facing.

viber.set_webhook('https://mybotwebserver.com:443/')

Logging

This library uses the standard python logger. If you want to see its logs you can configure the logger:

logger = logging.getLogger()
logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)
handler = logging.StreamHandler()
formatter = logging.Formatter('%(asctime)s - %(name)s - %(levelname)s - %(message)s')
handler.setFormatter(formatter)
logger.addHandler(handler)

Do you supply a basic types of messages?

Well, funny you ask. Yes we do. All the Message types are located in viberbot.api.messages package. Here’s some examples:

from viberbot.api.messages import (
    TextMessage,
    ContactMessage,
    PictureMessage,
    VideoMessage
)
from viberbot.api.messages.data_types.contact import Contact

# creation of text message
text_message = TextMessage(text="sample text message!")

# creation of contact message
contact = Contact(name="Viber user", phone_number="0123456789")
contact_message = ContactMessage(contact=contact)

# creation of picture message
picture_message = PictureMessage(text="Check this", media="https://site.com/img.jpg")

# creation of video message
video_message = VideoMessage(media="https://mediaserver.com/video.mp4", size=4324)

Have you noticed how we created the TextMessage? There’s a all bunch of message types you should get familiar with.

• Text Message
• Url Message
• Contact Message
• Picture Message
• Video Message
• Location Message
• Sticker Message
• Rich Media Message
• Keyboard Message

Creating them is easy! Every message object has it’s own unique constructor corresponding to it’s API implementation, click on them to see it! Check out the full API documentation for more advanced uses.

Let’s add it all up and reply with a message!

from flask import Flask, request, Response
from viberbot import Api
from viberbot.api.bot_configuration import BotConfiguration
from viberbot.api.messages import VideoMessage
from viberbot.api.messages.text_message import TextMessage
import logging

from viberbot.api.viber_requests import ViberConversationStartedRequest
from viberbot.api.viber_requests import ViberFailedRequest
from viberbot.api.viber_requests import ViberMessageRequest
from viberbot.api.viber_requests import ViberSubscribedRequest
from viberbot.api.viber_requests import ViberUnsubscribedRequest

app = Flask(__name__)
viber = Api(BotConfiguration(
    name='PythonSampleBot',
    avatar='https://site.com/avatar.jpg',
    auth_token='445da6az1s345z78-dazcczb2542zv51a-e0vc5fva17480im9'
))


@app.route('/', methods=['POST'])
def incoming():
    logger.debug("received request. post data: {0}".format(request.get_data()))
    # every viber message is signed, you can verify the signature using this method
    if not viber.verify_signature(request.get_data(), request.headers.get('X-Viber-Content-Signature')):
        return Response(status=403)

    # this library supplies a simple way to receive a request object
    viber_request = viber.parse_request(request.get_data())

    if isinstance(viber_request, ViberMessageRequest):
        message = viber_request.message
        # lets echo back
        viber.send_messages(viber_request.sender.id, [
            message
        ])
    elif isinstance(viber_request, ViberSubscribedRequest):
        viber.send_messages(viber_request.get_user.id, [
            TextMessage(text="thanks for subscribing!")
        ])
    elif isinstance(viber_request, ViberFailedRequest):
        logger.warn("client failed receiving message. failure: {0}".format(viber_request))

    return Response(status=200)

if __name__ == "__main__":
    context = ('server.crt', 'server.key')
    app.run(host='0.0.0.0', port=443, debug=True, ssl_context=context)

As you can see there’s a bunch of Request types here’s a list of them.

Viber API

Api class

from viberbot import Api

• Api
  • init(bot_configuration)
  • .set_webhook(url, webhook_events) ⇒ List of registered event_types
  • .unset_webhook() ⇒ None
  • .get_account_info() ⇒ object
  • .verify_signature(request_data, signature) ⇒ boolean
  • .parse_request(request_data) ⇒ ViberRequest
  • .send_messages(to, messages) ⇒ list of message tokens sent
  • .get_online(viber_user_ids) ⇒ dictionary of users status
  • .get_user_details(viber_user_id) ⇒ dictionary of user's data
  • .post_messages_to_public_account(to, messages) ⇒ list of message tokens sent

New Api()

Api.set_webhook(url)

Returns List of registered event_types.

event_types = viber.set_webhook('https://example.com/incoming')

Api.unset_webhook()

Returns None.

viber.unset_webhook()

Api.get_account_info()

Returns an object with the following JSON.

account_info = viber.get_account_info()

Api.verify_signature(request_data, signature)

Returns a boolean suggesting if the signature is valid.

if not viber.verify_signature(request.get_data(), request.headers.get('X-Viber-Content-Signature')):
	return Response(status=403)

Api.parse_request(request_data)

Returns a ViberRequest object.

There’s a list of ViberRequest objects

viber_request = viber.parse_request(request.get_data())

Api.send_messages(to, messages)

Returns list of message tokens of the messages sent.

tokens = viber.send_messages(to=viber_request.get_sender().get_id(),
			     messages=[TextMessage(text="sample message")])

Api.post_messages_to_public_account(to, messages)

Returns list of message tokens of the messages sent.

tokens = viber.post_messages_to_public_account(sender=viber_request.get_sender().get_id(),
			     messages=[TextMessage(text="sample message")])

Api.get_online(viber_user_ids)

Returns a dictionary of users.

users = Api.get_online(["user1id", "user2id"])

Api.get_user_details(viber_user_id)

The get_user_details function will fetch the details of a specific Viber user based on his unique user ID. The user ID can be obtained from the callbacks sent to the account regarding user’s actions. This request can be sent twice during a 12 hours period for each user ID.

user_data = Api.get_user_details("userId")

Request object

• ViberRequest
  • .event_type ⇒ string
  • .timestamp ⇒ long

ViberConversationStartedRequest object

Inherits from ViberRequest

Conversation started event fires when a user opens a conversation with the Public Account/ bot using the “message” button (found on the account’s info screen) or using a deep link.

This event is not considered a subscribe event and doesn’t allow the account to send messages to the user; however, it will allow sending one “welcome message” to the user. See sending a welcome message below for more information.

• ViberConversationStartedRequest
  • message_token ⇒ string
  • type ⇒ string
  • context ⇒ string
  • user ⇒ UserProfile

ViberDeliveredRequest object

Inherits from ViberRequest

• ViberDeliveredRequest
  • message_token ⇒ string
  • user_id ⇒ string

ViberFailedRequest object

Inherits from ViberRequest

• ViberFailedRequest
  • message_token ⇒ string
  • user_id ⇒ string
  • desc ⇒ string

ViberMessageRequest object

Inherits from ViberRequest

• ViberMessageRequest
  • message_token ⇒ string
  • message ⇒ Message
  • sender ⇒ UserProfile

ViberSeenRequest object

Inherits from ViberRequest

• ViberSeenRequest
  • message_token ⇒ string
  • user_id ⇒ string

ViberSubscribedRequest object

Inherits from ViberRequest

• ViberSubscribedRequest
  • user ⇒ UserProfile

ViberUnsubscribedRequest object

Inherits from ViberRequest

• ViberUnsubscribedRequest
  • get_user_id() ⇒ string

UserProfile object

Message Object

Common Members for Message interface:

Common Constructor Arguments Message interface:

TextMessage object

message = TextMessage(text="my text message")

URLMessage object

message = URLMessage(media="https://my.siteurl.com");

ContactMessage object

from viberbot.api.messages.data_types.contact import Contact

contact = Contact(name="Viber user", phone_number="+0015648979", avatar="https://link.to.avatar")
contact_message = ContactMessage(contact=contact)

PictureMessage object

message = PictureMessage(media="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/multimedia/dynamic/01458/viber_logo_JPG_1458024f.jpg", text="Viber logo")

VideoMessage object

message = VideoMessage(media="https://site.com/video.mp4", size=21499)

LocationMessage object

from viberbot.api.messages.data_types.location import Location

location = Location(lat=0.0, lon=0.0)
location_message = LocationMessage(location=location)

StickerMessage object

message = StickerMessage(sticker_id=40100);

FileMessage object

message = FileMessage(media=url, size=sizeInBytes, file_name=file_name)

RichMediaMessage object

SAMPLE_RICH_MEDIA = {
  "BgColor": "#69C48A",
  "Buttons": [
    {
      "Columns": 6,
      "Rows": 1,
      "BgColor": "#454545",
      "BgMediaType": "gif",
      "BgMedia": "https://www.url.by/test.gif",
      "BgLoop": true,
      "ActionType": "open-url",
      "Silent": true,
      "ActionBody": "www.tut.by",
      "Image": "www.tut.by/img.jpg",
      "TextVAlign": "middle",
      "TextHAlign": "left",
      "Text": "<b>example</b> button",
      "TextOpacity": 10,
      "TextSize": "regular"
    }
  ]
}

SAMPLE_ALT_TEXT = "upgrade now!"

message = RichMediaMessage(rich_media=SAMPLE_RICH_MEDIA, alt_text=SAMPLE_ALT_TEXT);

KeyboardMessage object

message = KeyboardMessage(tracking_data=tracking_data, keyboard=keyboard)

Sending a welcome message

The Viber API allows sending messages to users only after they subscribe to the account. However, Viber will allow the account to send one “welcome message” to a user as the user opens the conversation, before the user subscribes.

The welcome message will be sent as a response to a conversation_started callback, which will be received from Viber once the user opens the conversation with the account. To learn more about this event and when is it triggered see Conversation started in the callbacks section.

Welcome message flow

Sending a welcome message will be done according to the following flow:

1. User opens 1-on-1 conversation with account.
2. Viber server send conversation_started even to PA’s webhook.
3. The account receives the conversation_started and responds with an HTTP response which includes the welcome message as the response body.

The welcome message will be a JSON constructed according to the send_message requests structure, but without the receiver parameter. An example welcome message would look like this:

@app.route('/', methods=['POST'])
def incoming():
	viber_request = viber.parse_request(request.get_data())

	if isinstance(viber_request, ViberConversationStartedRequest) :
		viber.send_messages(viber_request.get_user().get_id(), [
			TextMessage(text="Welcome!")
		])

	return Response(status=200)

Community

Join the conversation on Gitter.