Africa's Talking

This SDK provides convenient access to the Africa's Talking API from apps written in Java/Kotlin/Scala with support for JDK8+.

Documentation

Take a look at the API docs here.

Install

You can depend on the jars through Maven (from https://jitpack.io):

<repositories>
  <repository>
    <id>jitpack.io</id>
    <url>https://jitpack.io</url>
  </repository>
</repositories>
...
<dependency>
  <groupId>com.github.AfricasTalkingLtd.africastalking-java</groupId>
  <artifactId>core</artifactId>
  <version>3.5.3</version>
</dependency>

or sbt:

resolvers += "jitpack" at "https://jitpack.io"
// Get all services
libraryDependencies += "com.github.AfricasTalkingLtd.africastalking-java" % "core" % "3.5.3"	

or Gradle (Groovy DSL):

repositories {
  maven {
    url  "https://jitpack.io"
  }
}

dependencies{
  // Get all services
  implementation 'com.github.AfricasTalkingLtd.africastalking-java:core:3.5.3'

or Gradle (Kotlin DSL):

repositories {
    jcenter()
    maven { setUrl("https://jitpack.io") }
}

dependencies{
  // Get all services
  implementation("com.github.AfricasTalkingLtd.africastalking-java:core:3.5.3")
}

Usage

The SDK needs to be initialized with your app username and API key, which you get from the dashboard.

You can use this SDK for either production or sandbox apps. For sandbox, the app username is ALWAYS sandbox

// Initialize
String username = "YOUR_USERNAME";    // use 'sandbox' for development in the test environment
String apiKey = "YOUR_API_KEY";       // use your sandbox app API key for development in the test environment
AfricasTalking.initialize(username, apiKey);

// Initialize a service e.g. SMS
SmsService sms = AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_SMS);

// Use the service
List<Recipient> response = sms.send("Hello Message!", new String[] {"+2547xxxxxx"}, true);

See example for more usage examples.

Initialization

The following static methods are available on the AfricasTalking class to initialize the library:

• initialize(string username, String apiKey): Initialize the library.

• setLogger(Logger): Set logging object.

• getService(Service.class | AfricasTalking.SERVICE_*): Get an instance to a given service by name or by class:

  • SMS Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_SMS)
  • Chat Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_CHAT)
  • Airtime Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_AIRTIME)
  • Voice Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_VOICE)
  • Insights Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_INSIGHTS)
  • Mobile Data Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_MOBILE_DATA)
  • Application Service: AfricasTalking.getService(AfricasTalking.SERVICE_APPLICATION)

Note on USSD: For more information, please read this

Services

All methods are synchronous (i.e. will block current thread) but provide asynchronous variants that take a com.africastalking.Callback<?> as the last argument.

All phone numbers use the international format. e.g. +234xxxxxxxx.

ApplicationService

• fetchApplicationData(): Get app information. e.g. balance

AirtimeService

• setIdempotencyKey(String key): Set the Idempotency-Key for the next request. Call this function every time before calling send() if you're sending the same amount to the same phone number.

• setMaxRetry(int retries): Set the maximum number of retries in case of failed airtime deliveries due to telco unavailability or any other reason.

• send(String phoneNumber, String currencyCode, float amount): Send airtime to a phone number. Example amount would be KES 150.

• send(HashMap<String,String> recipients): Send airtime to many of phone numbers. The keys in the recipients map are phone numbers while the values are airtime amounts. The amounts need to have currency info e.g. UXG 4265.

For more information about status notification, please read the airtime documentation

SmsService

• send(String message, String from, String[] recipients, boolean enqueue): Send a message.

  • message: SMS content
  • from: Short code or alphanumeric ID that is registered with Africa's Talking account.
  • recipients: An array of phone numbers.
  • enqueue: Set to true if you would like to deliver as many messages to the API without waiting for an acknowledgement from telcos.

• sendPremium(String message, String keyword, String linkId, long retryDurationInHours, String[] recipients): Send a premium SMS

  • message: SMS content
  • keyword: You premium product keyword
  • linkId: "[...] We forward the linkId to your application when the user send a message to your service"
  • retryDurationInHours: "It specifies the number of hours your subscription message should be retried in case it's not delivered to the subscriber"
  • recipients: An array of phon numbers.

• fetchMessages(long lastReceivedId): Fetch your messages

  • lastReceivedId: "This is the id of the message that you last processed". Defaults to 0

• fetchSubscriptions(String shortCode, String keyword, long lastReceivedId): Fetch your premium subscription data.

  • shortCode: This is the premium short code mapped to your account.
  • keyword: A premium keyword under the above short code and mapped to your account.
  • lastReceivedId: "This is the id of the message that you last processed". Defaults to 0

• createSubscription(String shortCode, String keyword, String phoneNumber): Create a premium subscription.

  • shortCode: This is the premium short code mapped to your account.
  • keyword: A premium keyword under the above short code and mapped to your account.
  • phoneNumber: The phone number to be subscribed

• deleteSubscription(String shortCode, String keyword, String phoneNumber): Remove a phone number from a premium subscription.

  • shortCode: This is the premium short code mapped to your account.
  • keyword: A premium keyword under the above short code and mapped to your account.
  • phoneNumber: The phone number to be unsubscribed

For more information, read the following:

• How to receive SMS
• How to get notified of delivery reports
• How to listen for subscription notifications

ChatService

• sendMessage(String customerNumber, String channelNumber, String text): Send a message with text.

  • customerNumber: The destination, which is the phone number of the customer.
  • channelNumber: The channel number that will be used to send out the message. Examples are a WhatsApp phone number or a Telegram username.
  • text: The text message to send

• sendMessage(String customerNumber, String channelNumber, MediaType type, String url): Send a message with media.

  • customerNumber: The destination, which is the phone number of the customer
  • channelNumber: The channel number that will be used to send out the message. Examples are a WhatsApp phone number or a Telegram username.
  • type: The media type. Possible values are Image, Audio, Video, Document, Voice, Sticker.
  • url: A valid URL location from where the media can be downloaded from.

• sendTemplate(String customerNumber, String channelNumber, String templateId, String header, List<String> body): Send a template message.

  • customerNumber: The destination, which is the phone number of the customer
  • channelNumber: The channel number that will be used to send out the message. Examples are a WhatsApp phone number or a Telegram username.
  • templateId: Specifies a registered template message to send.
  • header: Header replace value
  • body: List of body replacement values

VoiceService

• call(String phoneNumber): Initiate a phone call

  • phoneNumber: Phone number to call

• fetchQueuedCalls(String phoneNumber): Get queued calls on a phone number.

  • phoneNumber: Your Africa's Talking issued virtual phone number

• uploadMediaFile(String phoneNumber, String url): Upload voice media file

  • phoneNumber: Your Africa's Talking issued virtual phone number
  • url: URL to your media file.

• ActionBuilder: Build voice xml when callback URL receives a POST from Africa's Talking

  • say(): Add a Say action.

  • play(): Add a Play action.

  • getDigits(): Add a GetDigits action.

  • dial(): Add a Dial action.

  • conference(): Add a Conferemce action.

  • record(): Add a Record action.

  • enqueue(): Add a Enqueue action.

  • dequeue(): Add a Dequeue action.

  • reject(): Add a Reject action.

  • redirect(): Add a Redirect action.

  • build(): Finally build the xml

For more information on voice, please read the documentation

InsightsService

• checkSimSwapState(phoneNumbers: List<String>): Check the sim swap state of phone number(s).

For more information on insights, please read the documentation

MobileDataService

• send(String product, List<MobileDataRecipient> recipients): Send mobile data from a given product.

• findTransaction(String transactionId): Find a mobile data transaction

• fetchWalletBalance(): Fetch a mobile data product balance

For more information on mobile data, please read the documentation

Development

$ git clone https://github.com/AfricasTalkingLtd/africastalking-java.git
$ cd africastalking-java
$ touch local.properties

Make sure your local.properties file has the following content then run ./gradlew build

# AT API
api.username=sandbox
api.key=some_key

Issues

If you find a bug, please file an issue on our issue tracker on GitHub.