How to Send SMS Using JavaScript

Sending SMS (Short Message Service) using JavaScript requires integrating with a third-party SMS API, as JavaScript itself does not have built-in capabilities to directly send SMS messages. These APIs provide a bridge between web applications and telecommunication services. In this article, we’ll explore the steps to send SMS using JavaScript through popular APIs like Twilio.

Steps to Send SMS Using JavaScript

There are several SMS gateways available, but some of the most widely used services include:

• Twilio: One of the most popular and developer-friendly APIs.
• Nexmo (now Vonage API): Another robust solution for sending and receiving SMS.
• Plivo: Known for its simplicity and flexibility.

For the purpose of this guide, we will use Twilio, but the process is similar across different APIs.

To get started with Twilio:

1. Sign up for a Twilio account on twilio.com.
2. Verify your phone number and get
3. Twilio credentials: This includes your Account SID and Auth Token.

Twilio offers an official Node.js SDK that makes sending SMS with JavaScript easier. First, you need to set up a Node.js environment and install the Twilio package:

Before you start, make sure you have Node.js installed on your system. You can download it from nodejs.org if it’s not installed yet.

install Twilio via npm

npm install twilio

Create a send_sms.js file and add the following code:

// Import Twilio SDK
const twilio = require('twilio')

// Twilio credentials from your dashboard
const accountSid = 'your_account_SID'
const authToken = 'your_auth_token'

// Create a Twilio client
const client = new twilio(accountSid, authToken)

// Send SMS
client.messages.create({
    body: 'Hello, this is a test message from JavaScript!',
    to: '+1234567890',   // Recipient's phone number (in E.164 format)
    from: '+19876543210' // Your Twilio number
}).then((message) => {
    console.log('Message sent successfully:', message.sid)
}).catch((error) => {
    console.error('Failed to send message:', error)
})

Run the file using this command:

node send_sms.js

If everything is configured correctly, you should receive an SMS on the specified phone number.