Send SMS with MessageBird in Node.js: Complete Guide for Vite, React & Vue

This MessageBird Node.js guide teaches you how to send SMS messages using the MessageBird API in your Node.js applications. Whether you're building with Vite, React, or Vue, this tutorial covers MessageBird SDK installation, authentication, and creating secure Express.js API endpoints for SMS integration.

This implementation enables you to programmatically send SMS notifications, alerts, two-factor authentication codes, or marketing messages through MessageBird's reliable infrastructure. You'll use Node.js for backend logic, the official messagebird SDK for API interaction, and dotenv for secure environment variable management. We'll also demonstrate building a simple Express.js API endpoint for frontend integration.

Project Overview and Goals

• Goal: Create a Node.js service capable of sending SMS messages via the MessageBird API.

• Problem Solved: Provides a straightforward way to integrate SMS functionality into any Node.js application.

• Technologies:

  • Node.js: The runtime environment.
  • npm/yarn: Package management.
  • MessageBird Node.js SDK: Official library for interacting with the MessageBird API.
  • dotenv: For managing environment variables securely.
  • (Optional) Express.js: For building a simple API endpoint.

• Architecture:

  +-----------------+      +---------------------+      +-----------------+      +-----------------+
  | Your Application| ---> | Node.js Backend     | ---> | MessageBird SDK | ---> | MessageBird API |
  | (e.g., Vite FE)|      | (Express optional)  |      | (messagebird)   |      | (Sends SMS)     |
  +-----------------+      +---------------------+      +-----------------+      +-----------------+
                        (Uses API Key & Originator)
  

• Outcome: A functional Node.js script or API endpoint that accepts a recipient number and message body, then sends an SMS using your MessageBird account.

• Prerequisites:

  • Node.js and npm (or yarn) installed. Download Node.js
  • A MessageBird account. Sign up for free
  • A MessageBird Live API Key.
  • A MessageBird Purchased Number or Alphanumeric Sender ID (Originator).

1. MessageBird Node.js Setup: Install SDK and Configure Environment

Let's initialize our Node.js project and install the necessary dependencies.

1. Create Project Directory: Open your terminal and create a new directory for your project, then navigate into it.

   bash

   mkdir node-messagebird-sms
   cd node-messagebird-sms
   

2. Initialize Node.js Project: This creates a package.json file to manage dependencies and project metadata.

   bash

   npm init -y
   

   (Use yarn init -y if you prefer yarn)

3. Install Dependencies: We need the messagebird SDK and dotenv for environment variables.

   bash

   npm install messagebird dotenv
   

   (Use yarn add messagebird dotenv for yarn)

4. Set Up Environment Variables: Create a file named .env in the root of your project directory. This file will store sensitive information like your API key. Never commit this file to version control.

   • .env file:

     MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY=YOUR_LIVE_API_KEY
     MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR=YOUR_SENDER_ID_OR_NUMBER
     

   • Replace Placeholders:

     • YOUR_LIVE_API_KEY: Obtain this from your MessageBird Dashboard (see Section 4).
     • YOUR_SENDER_ID_OR_NUMBER: Use a number purchased from MessageBird (in E.164 format, e.g., +12025550187) or an approved Alphanumeric Sender ID (e.g., MyCompany). See Section 4 for details.

5. Configure .gitignore: Create a .gitignore file in the project root to prevent accidentally committing sensitive files and unnecessary directories.

   • .gitignore file:
     node_modules/
     .env
     npm-debug.log*
     yarn-debug.log*
     yarn-error.log*
     

6. Project Structure: Your basic project structure should now look like this:

   node-messagebird-sms/
   ├── .env
   ├── .gitignore
   ├── node_modules/
   ├── package.json
   ├── package-lock.json (or yarn.lock)
   └── (Your code files will go here, e.g., send-sms.js)
   

2. Send SMS with MessageBird API: Core Implementation

Let's create a simple Node.js script to send an SMS message.

1. Create Script File: Create a file named send-sms.js in your project root.

2. Write the Code: Add the following code to send-sms.js. This script loads environment variables, initializes the MessageBird client, and calls the messages.create method.

   • send-sms.js:
     javascript

     // Load environment variables from .env file
     require('dotenv').config();
     
     // Import the MessageBird SDK and initialize it with your API key
     const accessKey = process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY;
     if (!accessKey) {
       console.error('Error: MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY is not set in the .env file.');
       process.exit(1); // Exit if the key is missing
     }
     // Use the correct initialization method: initClient()
     const messagebird = require('messagebird').initClient(accessKey);
     
     // Define message parameters
     const originator = process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR;
     // IMPORTANT: Replace '+1RECIPIENTNUMBER' with a real phone number
     // in E.164 format (e.g., +12223334444) that you can use for testing.
     const recipients = ['+1RECIPIENTNUMBER'];
     const body = 'Hello from Node.js and MessageBird!'; // Generic message body
     
     // Basic validation
     if (!originator) {
       console.error('Error: MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR is not set in the .env file.');
       process.exit(1);
     }
     if (!recipients || recipients.length === 0 || !recipients[0] || recipients[0] === '+1RECIPIENTNUMBER') { // Check placeholder too
         console.error('Error: Recipient number is missing, invalid, or still set to the placeholder.');
         process.exit(1);
     }
     
     const params = {
       originator: originator,
       recipients: recipients,
       body: body
     };
     
     // Send the message using the MessageBird API
     console.log('Sending SMS...');
     messagebird.messages.create(params, function (err, response) {
       if (err) {
         // Handle errors
         console.error('Error sending SMS:');
         console.error(err); // Log the full error object for details
         // Provide more user-friendly messages for common errors if possible
         if (err.errors) {
             err.errors.forEach(error => console.error(`API Error Code ${error.code}: ${error.description}`));
         }
       } else {
         // Handle success
         console.log('SMS sent successfully!');
         console.log('Response:');
         console.log(JSON.stringify(response, null, 2)); // Pretty print the JSON response
     
         // You can check the response details, e.g., message status
         if (response.recipients && response.recipients.items) {
           response.recipients.items.forEach(item => {
             console.log(`  Recipient: ${item.recipient}, Status: ${item.status}, Status Datetime: ${item.statusDatetime}`);
           });
         }
       }
     });
     

3. Explanation:

   • require('dotenv').config();: Loads variables from your .env file into process.env.
   • require('messagebird').initClient(accessKey);: Crucially, we use initClient() to initialize the SDK with the API key loaded from the environment variables. This is the current correct method. Do not use the outdated require('messagebird')(accessKey) syntax.
   • recipients: An array of phone numbers in E.164 format. You must replace the placeholder with a real number.
   • body: The text content of the SMS message.
   • params: An object containing the originator (sender ID), recipients, and message body.
   • messagebird.messages.create(params, callback): The asynchronous function that sends the request to the MessageBird API.
   • callback(err, response): The function executed upon completion. err contains error details if the request failed, response contains success details otherwise.

4. Run the Script: Important: Replace +1RECIPIENTNUMBER in send-sms.js with a valid phone number (in E.164 format, like +12223334444) that you can check. Then, run the script from your terminal:

   bash

   node send-sms.js
   

   You should see output indicating success or failure, and the SMS should arrive shortly if successful.

3. Create Express.js API Endpoint for MessageBird SMS

To integrate SMS sending into a web application (like a Vite frontend), you'll often expose this functionality via an API endpoint. Here's how using Express.js:

1. Install Express:

   bash

   npm install express
   

   (Use yarn add express for yarn)

2. Create Server File: Create a file named server.js.

3. Write the Server Code:

   • server.js:
     javascript

     require('dotenv').config();
     const express = require('express');
     const messagebird = require('messagebird').initClient(process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY);
     
     const app = express();
     const port = process.env.PORT || 3001; // Use environment PORT or default to 3001
     
     // Middleware to parse JSON request bodies
     app.use(express.json());
     
     // Basic validation middleware (example)
     const validateSmsRequest = (req, res, next) => {
         const { recipient, message } = req.body;
         if (!recipient || typeof recipient !== 'string' || !message || typeof message !== 'string') {
             return res.status(400).json({ error: 'Missing or invalid parameters. Required: recipient (string), message (string).' });
         }
         // Add more robust validation (e.g., E.164 format check for recipient) here
         // Consider using a library like libphonenumber-js for better validation (see Section 7)
         next();
     };
     
     // POST endpoint to send SMS
     app.post('/api/send-sms', validateSmsRequest, (req, res) => {
         const { recipient, message } = req.body;
         const originator = process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR;
     
         if (!originator) {
              console.error('Error: MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR is not set.');
              return res.status(500).json({ error: 'Server configuration error: Originator not set.' });
         }
         if (!process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY) {
              console.error('Error: MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY is not set.');
              return res.status(500).json({ error: 'Server configuration error: Access key not set.' });
         }
     
         const params = {
             originator: originator,
             recipients: [recipient], // Ensure recipient is in an array
             body: message,
         };
     
         console.log(`API received request to send SMS to ${recipient}`);
     
         messagebird.messages.create(params, function (err, response) {
             if (err) {
                 console.error('API Error sending SMS:', err);
                  // Provide specific error details if possible
                 const errorDetails = err.errors ? err.errors.map(e => ({ code: e.code, description: e.description })) : [{ code: err.statusCode || 500, description: 'Failed to send SMS via provider.' }];
                 res.status(err.statusCode || 500).json({ error: 'Failed to send SMS.', details: errorDetails });
             } else {
                 console.log('API successfully sent SMS:', response.id);
                 res.status(200).json({ success: true, messageId: response.id, status: response.recipients.items[0].status });
             }
         });
     });
     
     // Basic health check endpoint
     app.get('/health', (req, res) => {
         res.status(200).send('OK');
     });
     
     // Start the server
     app.listen(port, () => {
         console.log(`Server listening on port ${port}`);
         if (!process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY) {
              console.warn('Warning: MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY is not set in the environment.');
         }
          if (!process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR) {
              console.warn('Warning: MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR is not set in the environment.');
         }
     });
     

4. Run the Server:

   bash

   node server.js
   

5. Test the API Endpoint: Use curl or a tool like Postman to send a POST request to your running server:

   • curl Example:

     bash

     curl -X POST http://localhost:3001/api/send-sms \
          -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
          -d '{"recipient": "+1RECIPIENTNUMBER", "message": "API Test Message via Express!"}'
     

     (Replace +1RECIPIENTNUMBER with a real E.164 formatted number)

   • Expected Success Response (JSON):

     json

     {
       "success": true,
       "messageId": "a1b2c3d4e5f67890abcdef012345678",
       "status": "sent"
     }
     

   • Expected Error Response (JSON):

     json

     // Example: Invalid recipient format
     {
         "error": "Failed to send SMS.",
         "details": [
             {
                 "code": 2,
                 "description": "Invalid recipient value."
             }
         ]
     }
     

     (Status code will be 4xx or 5xx depending on the error)

4. MessageBird API Authentication: Get Your API Key and Originator

Securely obtaining and managing your MessageBird credentials is vital.

1. Obtain Live API Key:

   • Log in to your MessageBird Dashboard.
   • Navigate to Developers in the left-hand menu.
   • Click on the API access tab.
   • If you don't have a key, click Add access key. Ensure the Mode is set to Live.
   • Copy the generated Access Key. This is your MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY.
   • Store this key securely in your .env file and never commit it to your code repository.

2. Configure Originator (Sender ID): The originator is what the recipient sees as the sender.

   • Option A: Purchased Number (Recommended for most cases):
     • In the MessageBird Dashboard, navigate to Numbers.
     • Click Buy a number.
     • Select the desired country and ensure the SMS capability is checked.
     • Choose a number and complete the purchase.
     • Copy the number in E.164 format (e.g., +12025550187). This is your MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR.
   • Option B: Alphanumeric Sender ID:
     • These are custom names (e.g., MyCompany, max 11 chars).
     • Support varies by country. Check the MessageBird Compliance & Sender IDs documentation or navigate to Compliance & Sender IDs in the Dashboard.
     • Some countries require pre-registration. Note that for Application-to-Person (A2P) traffic in countries like the US and Canada, using Alphanumeric Sender IDs is often restricted. You will typically need to register a 10-Digit Long Code (10DLC) or use a Toll-Free number.
     • If allowed and suitable, enter your desired Alphanumeric Sender ID as the MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR in your .env file. Note that recipients generally cannot reply to alphanumeric senders.

3. Environment Variable Summary:

   • MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY:
     • Purpose: Authenticates your requests with the MessageBird API.
     • Format: A long alphanumeric string.
     • How to Obtain: MessageBird Dashboard -> Developers -> API access -> Create Live Key.
   • MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR:
     • Purpose: Identifies the sender of the SMS message.
     • Format: E.164 phone number (e.g., +12025550187) OR Alphanumeric string (max 11 chars, e.g., MyCompany).
     • How to Obtain: Purchase a number (Dashboard -> Numbers) OR use an approved Alphanumeric Sender ID (check country restrictions/compliance).

5. MessageBird Error Handling: Best Practices for Production

Robust error handling is crucial for production applications.

• Check the err Object: The messagebird.messages.create callback provides an err object on failure. Inspect this object:

  • err.statusCode: The HTTP status code returned by the API (e.g., 401 for bad key, 422 for validation errors).
  • err.errors: An array containing detailed error objects from the API, often including a code and description. Loop through this array for specific reasons.
  • Example: Checking for insufficient balance (error code 9):
    javascript

     if (err && err.errors) {
         err.errors.forEach(error => {
             if (error.code === 9) { // 'No balance' error code
                 console.error("CRITICAL: Insufficient balance on MessageBird account!");
                 // Implement alerting here
             }
             console.error(`API Error - Code: ${error.code}, Description: ${error.description}`);
         });
     } else if (err) {
         console.error('Generic API Error:', err.message || 'Unknown error', 'Status:', err.statusCode);
     }
    

• Logging:

  • For simple cases, console.log and console.error suffice.
  • For production, use a dedicated logging library like Winston or Pino for structured logging (e.g., JSON format), different log levels (info, warn, error), and routing logs to files or external services.
    javascript

    // Example with Pino (conceptual)
    // const pino = require('pino')();
    // pino.info({ response }, 'SMS sent successfully');
    // pino.error({ err }, 'Error sending SMS');
    

• Retry Mechanisms:

  • Network issues or temporary MessageBird API glitches might cause transient failures (e.g., 5xx errors).
  • Implement a simple retry strategy with exponential backoff for these cases (e.g., retry after 1s, then 2s, then 4s). Libraries like async-retry can help.
  • Caution: Do not retry on client errors (4xx) like invalid recipients or insufficient balance, as these will consistently fail.

6. Database Schema and Data Layer

For the core task of sending an SMS, no database is required by this service itself.

However, if you were building a larger application (like an SMS customer support system), you would need a database (e.g., MongoDB, PostgreSQL) to store:

• Sent message logs (IDs, recipients, status, timestamps).
• Received messages (if implementing webhooks).
• User data or ticket information.

This guide focuses solely on the sending mechanism, which is stateless.

7. Security Features

Protecting your API endpoint and credentials is vital.

• API Key Security:
  • NEVER hardcode API keys in your source code.
  • Use environment variables (.env locally, secure configuration management in deployment).
  • Ensure .env is in your .gitignore.
• Input Validation (API Layer):
  • Use libraries like joi or express-validator to strictly validate incoming request bodies (recipient, message).
  • Ensure recipient matches E.164 format (e.g., using regex ^\+[1-9]\d{1,14}$). While regex provides a basic check, for more robust international phone number validation, consider using a dedicated library like libphonenumber-js, as regex alone can struggle with complex numbering plans and edge cases.
  • Limit the length of the message body to prevent abuse and unexpected costs.
• Rate Limiting (API Layer):
  • Implement rate limiting on your /api/send-sms endpoint using middleware like express-rate-limit to prevent abuse and SMS pumping fraud (e.g., limit requests per IP address).
  • First, install the package:
    bash

    npm install express-rate-limit
    
  • Then, apply it in your server.js:
    javascript

    // In server.js, before defining your routes
    const rateLimit = require('express-rate-limit');
    
    const apiLimiter = rateLimit({
        windowMs: 15 * 60 * 1000, // 15 minutes
        max: 100, // Limit each IP to 100 requests per windowMs
        message: 'Too many requests from this IP, please try again after 15 minutes',
        standardHeaders: true, // Return rate limit info in the `RateLimit-*` headers
        legacyHeaders: false, // Disable the `X-RateLimit-*` headers
    });
    
    // Apply the rate limiting middleware to API calls only
    // Make sure this line is placed before the app.post('/api/send-sms', ...) route definition
    app.use('/api/send-sms', apiLimiter);
    
• Authentication/Authorization (API Layer):
  • If the API is not intended for public use, protect it. Implement API key authentication, JWT, OAuth, or another appropriate mechanism so only authorized clients can trigger SMS sends.
• Prevent SMS Pumping Fraud: Be aware that malicious actors might abuse open SMS endpoints to send messages to premium-rate numbers. Rate limiting and authentication are key defenses. Monitor your MessageBird usage regularly.

8. SMS Character Limits, Country Restrictions, and Delivery Reports

Consider these factors when sending SMS:

• Character Limits & Encoding:
  • Standard SMS (GSM-7 encoding) is limited to 160 characters.
  • Using non-standard characters (like emojis or non-Latin alphabets) switches to UCS-2 encoding, limiting messages to 70 characters.
  • Longer messages are automatically split (concatenated) into multiple parts by MessageBird, each billed separately. Be mindful of message length to control costs. The messagebird SDK handles this automatically, but the billing impact is real.
• Country Restrictions:
  • Originator: Alphanumeric Sender IDs are not supported everywhere (e.g., USA often requires pre-registered 10DLC numbers or Toll-Free numbers for A2P messaging). Using a local virtual number from MessageBird is often the most reliable option. Check MessageBird Compliance & Sender IDs.
  • Content: Some countries have regulations on SMS content (e.g., filtering spam, blocking certain keywords).
• Delivery Reports: MessageBird can send delivery status updates via webhooks (DLRs - Delivery Reports). This requires setting up a separate webhook endpoint in your application and configuring it in the MessageBird dashboard or API call (statusReportUrl parameter). This is beyond the scope of this basic guide but essential for tracking delivery success/failure reliably.
• Time Zones: Timestamps in API responses (statusDatetime) are typically UTC. Convert them to the appropriate local time zone for display if necessary.

9. Optimize MessageBird SMS Performance: Batching and Async Operations

For most use cases, sending individual SMS messages is not performance-intensive.

• Asynchronous Operations: Node.js and the messagebird SDK operate asynchronously, preventing the sending process from blocking your main application thread.
• Batching: The recipients array in messages.create can contain up to 50 numbers per API call. If sending the same message to multiple recipients simultaneously, use this batching capability instead of making individual API calls. This is more efficient and reduces API overhead.
• Connection Pooling: For very high-volume sending, ensure your Node.js application handles outbound HTTPS connections efficiently (Node.js does this reasonably well by default).

10. Monitoring, Observability, and Analytics

Keep track of your SMS sending activity and application health.

• Logging: As discussed in Section 5, log successful sends (with MessageBird message ID) and, more importantly, any errors encountered.
• Health Checks: Implement a basic health check endpoint (/health in the Express example) that monitoring services can poll to ensure your service is running.
• MessageBird Dashboard: Regularly check the MessageBird Message Logs to monitor usage, costs, delivery statuses, and any API errors reported by MessageBird.
• Error Tracking: Use services like Sentry or Datadog to automatically capture and alert on application errors, including those from the MessageBird integration.
• Metrics: Track key metrics:
  • Number of SMS requested via your API/script.
  • Number of successful sends reported by the SDK callback.
  • Number of errors reported by the SDK callback (categorize by error type if possible).
  • API endpoint latency (if applicable).

11. Troubleshooting and Caveats

Common issues and things to watch out for:

• TypeError: require(...) is not a function: This usually means you used the outdated require('messagebird')(key) syntax. The current correct method is require('messagebird').initClient(key). Update your initialization code.
• 401 Unauthorized Error: Your MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY is incorrect, invalid, or you are using a Test key for Live requests (or vice-versa). Double-check the key in your .env file and the MessageBird Dashboard.
• Error: MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY is not set (or ORIGINATOR): The environment variable is missing from .env or dotenv failed to load it. Ensure .env is in the project root and require('dotenv').config(); is called before accessing process.env.
• Invalid Originator Error (e.g., API Error Code 2):
  • The MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR is formatted incorrectly.
  • You are using an Alphanumeric Sender ID in a country where it's not supported or requires pre-registration.
  • The number used is not associated with your MessageBird account.
• Invalid Recipient Error (e.g., API Error Code 2):
  • The recipient number is not in valid E.164 format (must start with + and country code).
  • The number itself is invalid or not reachable.
• Insufficient Balance Error (Code 9): Your MessageBird account balance is too low to send the message. Add credits via the Dashboard.
• Firewall Issues: Ensure your server can make outbound HTTPS requests to rest.messagebird.com on port 443.
• Rate Limits: If sending many messages quickly, you might hit MessageBird API rate limits or the limits set on your own API endpoint (Section 7). Check error responses for rate limit specific codes/messages.
• SMS Not Received:
  • Check MessageBird Dashboard logs for the message status (e.g., delivered, failed, expired).
  • Verify the recipient number is correct and has service.
  • Check for country-specific regulations or carrier filtering.
  • Ensure you used a Live API key and have credits (Test keys don't send real SMS).

12. Deployment and CI/CD

Deploying your Node.js application:

• Platform Choice: Choose a hosting platform (e.g., Heroku, Render, AWS EC2/ECS, Google Cloud Run, DigitalOcean Apps).
• Environment Variables: Crucially, configure your MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY and MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR securely within your chosen platform's environment variable management system. Do not deploy your .env file.
• Build Process: Standard npm install (or npm ci for CI/CD) and node server.js (or node send-sms.js if just the script).
• CI/CD Pipeline:
  1. Lint/Format: Check code style (eslint, prettier).
  2. Test: Run unit/integration tests (see Section 13).
  3. Build: (If needed, e.g., TypeScript compilation). Usually just npm ci --production.
  4. Deploy: Push code/container to your hosting platform. Ensure environment variables are injected.
• Rollback: Have a plan to revert to a previous working deployment if issues arise. Most platforms offer rollback features.

13. Verification and Testing

Ensure your implementation works correctly.

• Manual Verification:
  • Run the script (node send-sms.js) or hit the API endpoint (curl ...).
  • Use your own phone number as the recipient.
  • Confirm the SMS arrives with the correct content.
  • Check the MessageBird Dashboard Message Logs for the corresponding entry and status (sent, delivered).
  • Test error cases: Use an invalid API key, invalid recipient format, or empty message body to verify error handling.
• Automated Testing (Unit Tests):
  • Use a testing framework like Jest or Mocha.
  • Mock the messagebird SDK to avoid making real API calls during tests. You can use jest.mock('messagebird') or libraries like sinon for stubbing.
  • Test that messagebird.messages.create is called with the correct parameters (originator, recipients, body).
  • Test your error handling logic by simulating error responses from the mocked SDK.
  • Test input validation logic for the API endpoint.
  • Example (Jest - Conceptual):
    javascript

    // __mocks__/messagebird.js
    const mockCreate = jest.fn((params, callback) => {
        // Simulate success by default
        callback(null, { id: 'mock-message-id', recipients: { items: [{ status: 'sent', recipient: params.recipients[0] }] } });
    });
    
    // Export the mock function itself for assertion access in tests
    module.exports = {
        initClient: jest.fn().mockReturnValue({
            messages: {
                create: mockCreate
            }
        }),
        _mockCreate: mockCreate // Exporting the mock function for direct access
    };
    
    // your-test-file.test.js
    jest.mock('messagebird'); // Instructs Jest to use the mock from __mocks__/messagebird.js
    const messagebirdMock = require('messagebird'); // Import the mocked module
    // Assume your core SMS sending logic is extracted into a function
    // const { sendSmsFunction } = require('../your-code');
    
    // Mock function simulating the core logic for testing purposes
    const sendSmsFunction = (recipient, message) => {
        const mb = require('messagebird').initClient(process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY);
        const params = {
            originator: process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR,
            recipients: [recipient],
            body: message,
        };
        mb.messages.create(params, (err, res) => {
            if (err) console.error("Mocked send error:", err);
            // else console.log("Mocked send success:", res);
        });
    };
    
    
    describe('SMS Sending Logic', () => {
        const OLD_ENV = process.env;
    
        beforeEach(() => {
            // Reset mocks and environment variables before each test
            jest.resetModules(); // Important to reset module cache
            process.env = { ...OLD_ENV }; // Make a copy
            messagebirdMock._mockCreate.mockClear();
        });
    
        afterAll(() => {
            process.env = OLD_ENV; // Restore old environment
        });
    
        test('should call messagebird.messages.create with correct params', () => {
            // Set necessary environment variables for this specific test
            process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY = 'test-key'; // Mock key
            process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR = '+15551234567';
    
            const testRecipient = '+1234567890';
            const testMessage = 'Test message';
    
            sendSmsFunction(testRecipient, testMessage);
    
            // Assert that the mock 'create' function was called
            expect(messagebirdMock._mockCreate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
            // Assert it was called with the expected parameters
            expect(messagebirdMock._mockCreate).toHaveBeenCalledWith(
                expect.objectContaining({
                    recipients: [testRecipient],
                    body: testMessage,
                    originator: '+15551234567'
                }),
                expect.any(Function) // The callback function
            );
        });
    
         test('should handle errors from messagebird.messages.create', () => {
            // Set necessary environment variables
            process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY = 'test-key';
            process.env.MESSAGEBIRD_ORIGINATOR = '+15551234567';
    
            // Configure the mock to simulate an error
            const mockError = new Error("Simulated API Error");
            mockError.statusCode = 422;
            mockError.errors = [{ code: 2, description: "Invalid recipient" }];
            messagebirdMock._mockCreate.mockImplementationOnce((params, callback) => {
                callback(mockError, null);
            });
    
            // Mock console.error to check if it's called
            const consoleSpy = jest.spyOn(console, 'error').mockImplementation();
    
            sendSmsFunction('+invalid-number', 'Error test');
    
            expect(messagebirdMock._mockCreate).toHaveBeenCalledTimes(1);
            // Check if console.error was called (indicating error handling)
            expect(consoleSpy).toHaveBeenCalled();
    
            consoleSpy.mockRestore(); // Clean up the spy
        });
    });
    
• Verification Checklist:
  • Project dependencies installed (messagebird, dotenv, express if used).
  • .env file created and contains correct Live API Key and Originator.
  • .env file is included in .gitignore.
  • dotenv is configured and loaded before accessing process.env.
  • messagebird SDK is initialized correctly using initClient().
  • originator is set correctly (purchased number or valid alphanumeric).
  • recipients parameter is an array of strings in E.164 format.
  • body parameter contains the desired message content.
  • Script/API handles both err and response in the callback.
  • (API) Input validation is implemented for recipient and message.
  • (API) Rate limiting is implemented.
  • Test SMS successfully sent and received on a real device (after replacing placeholder recipient).
  • Test error case (e.g., invalid recipient) returns an appropriate error response.
  • Message Log in MessageBird Dashboard shows the test message(s).
  • Deployment configuration correctly sets environment variables.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I send SMS with MessageBird in Node.js?

To send SMS with MessageBird in Node.js: (1) Install the MessageBird SDK with npm install messagebird dotenv, (2) initialize the client using require('messagebird').initClient(apiKey), (3) call messagebird.messages.create() with your originator, recipients array (E.164 format), and message body. Always store your MessageBird API key securely in environment variables using dotenv.

What is the correct MessageBird Node.js initialization method?

Use require('messagebird').initClient(accessKey) to initialize the SDK. The older require('messagebird')(accessKey) syntax is outdated and will cause a "TypeError: require(...) is not a function" error. Always use initClient() for the current SDK version.

How do I integrate MessageBird SMS with Vite, React, or Vue?

Create an Express.js API endpoint (POST /api/send-sms) in your Node.js backend that calls MessageBird's API. Your Vite frontend (React/Vue) sends HTTP requests to this endpoint with recipient and message data. Never expose MessageBird API keys in frontend code—always handle SMS sending server-side.

What format do MessageBird recipient phone numbers require?

MessageBird requires phone numbers in E.164 format: start with +, followed by country code and national number (e.g., +12025551234). The recipients parameter must be an array of strings. Invalid formats cause API Error Code 2 ("Invalid recipient value").

How do I get a MessageBird API key?

Log into your MessageBird Dashboard, navigate to Developers → API access, and create a new Live API key. Copy the generated access key immediately and store it in your .env file as MESSAGEBIRD_ACCESS_KEY. Never commit API keys to version control—add .env to .gitignore.

What should I use as MessageBird originator?

Use either a purchased phone number in E.164 format (e.g., +12025550187) or an alphanumeric sender ID (max 11 characters, e.g., "MyCompany"). Alphanumeric IDs aren't supported in all countries—the US typically requires 10DLC registration or toll-free numbers for A2P messaging. Purchase numbers via Dashboard → Numbers.

How do I handle MessageBird API errors in Node.js?

Check the err object in the messagebird.messages.create() callback. Access err.statusCode for HTTP status codes and err.errors array for detailed error objects with code and description properties. Common codes include 2 (invalid recipient), 9 (insufficient balance), and 401 (unauthorized API key).

Can I send SMS to multiple recipients with MessageBird Node.js SDK?

Yes, pass up to 50 phone numbers in the recipients array parameter. MessageBird sends the same message to all recipients in a single API call, which is more efficient than individual calls. Each recipient is billed separately, but API overhead is reduced through batching.

This comprehensive guide covers everything you need to send SMS with MessageBird in Node.js, from SDK installation to production deployment. For advanced use cases, explore bulk broadcast messaging and delivery status callbacks. Remember to handle credentials securely and implement robust error handling for production applications.