WhatsApp in Claude: the ZapZap MCP server in Claude Code and Claude Desktop

Step by step

1. 1

   Generate the key and connect a number

   In the dashboard (app.zapzapapi.com), open Settings > API and copy the API Key and API Secret. Create an instance and connect the number by QR code. Export both keys in your terminal as ZAPZAP_API_KEY and ZAPZAP_API_SECRET: they go to the server's environment, never into the prompt.

2. 2

   Clone and build the MCP server

   You need Node.js 18 or newer. Run git clone https://github.com/zapzapapi/zapzap-mcp.git and, inside the folder, npm install and npm run build. The repository README mentions npx -y zapzap-mcp, but on 2026-11-11 the package is not yet published on npm (the registry returns 404). The route that works today is to clone, build and point the command at dist/src/index.js.

3. 3

   Register it in Claude Code

   Use claude mcp add with the environment variables and the -- separator before the command, as in the Claude Code documentation (read on 2026-11-11): claude mcp add --env ZAPZAP_API_KEY=... --env ZAPZAP_API_SECRET=... --transport stdio zapzap -- node /path/zapzap-mcp/dist/src/index.js. The default scope is local (only you, in this project); -s project writes to the repository's .mcp.json, which goes into version control, so never put the key in it. Confirm with claude mcp list and, inside Claude Code, with /mcp.

4. 4

   Or register it in Claude Desktop

   In Settings > Developer > Edit Config, edit claude_desktop_config.json (macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude; Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude) and add mcpServers.zapzap with command node, args pointing to dist/src/index.js (absolute path) and env with the two keys. Quit Claude Desktop completely and open it again, as the MCP guide says (read on 2026-11-11).

5. 5

   Test with read tools only

   Ask: "list my instances and tell me which one is connected" and then "check whether 5511999999999 is on WhatsApp". These are read tools (list_instances, get_instance_status, check_whatsapp_numbers). Only then remove ZAPZAP_READ_ONLY to allow sending.

6. 6

   Allow sending with approval on every call

   The send tools are marked as non-idempotent and destructive, so the MCP client asks for confirmation before each send_text. Keep that confirmation on, use a dedicated instance and never let the assistant send to a list you have not reviewed.

# 1) Build the MCP server from the repository (the npm package is not published yet)
git clone https://github.com/zapzapapi/zapzap-mcp.git
cd zapzap-mcp && npm install && npm run build

# 2) Register it in Claude Code (keys come from your shell, never from the prompt)
claude mcp add --env ZAPZAP_API_KEY="$ZAPZAP_API_KEY" --env ZAPZAP_API_SECRET="$ZAPZAP_API_SECRET" --env ZAPZAP_READ_ONLY=true --transport stdio zapzap -- node "$PWD/dist/src/index.js"

# 3) Check that it connected
claude mcp list