Build a Bulk SMS Broadcasting System with Plivo and NestJS

Learn how to build a production-ready bulk SMS service using Plivo's API and NestJS. This comprehensive tutorial guides you through creating a scalable broadcast messaging system, from initial setup through database integration. You'll implement secure credential management, request validation, error handling, and efficient bulk sending patterns that handle hundreds of recipients per API call.

What you'll build: A NestJS REST API that sends SMS messages to multiple recipients simultaneously using Plivo's bulk messaging capabilities, complete with TypeScript type safety, DTO validation, and database logging.

Note: This guide uses plivo-node v4.67.0+ syntax. Always verify your installed SDK version matches the code examples. The Plivo SDK is actively maintained, so check the npm package page for the latest stable version before starting.

IMPORTANT: This article is a comprehensive technical guide but ends at the database schema section (Prisma setup). Additional topics like deployment strategies, production monitoring, webhook implementation for delivery status, and advanced queuing patterns require separate documentation. Use this guide as a foundation and refer to Plivo's official documentation and NestJS best practices for production deployment.

What You're Building

Build a NestJS application with a dedicated API endpoint that accepts a list of phone numbers and a message body. Your service will interact with the Plivo API to send the specified message to all recipient numbers in a single, efficient bulk request (up to Plivo's limits).

Problems This Service Solves

Send the same SMS message to multiple recipients simultaneously without making individual API calls for each number. Use this pattern for:

• Marketing campaigns and promotional broadcasts
• Emergency alerts and critical notifications
• Appointment reminders at scale
• System status updates and service announcements

Technologies You'll Use

• Node.js: JavaScript runtime for server-side applications
• NestJS: Progressive Node.js framework for building scalable server-side applications with TypeScript
• TypeScript: Static typing for improved code quality and developer experience
• Plivo & plivo-node SDK: Cloud communications platform for sending SMS (Guide uses v4.x)
• dotenv & @nestjs/config: Secure environment variable and configuration management
• class-validator & class-transformer: Robust request payload validation
• (Optional but Recommended) Redis & BullMQ: Message queuing for high-throughput scenarios
• (Optional) Prisma & PostgreSQL: Contact list management and message history logging

System Architecture

graph LR
    A[Client / API Caller] -- HTTP POST Request --> B(NestJS API);
    B -- Validate Request --> B;
    B -- Send Bulk SMS Request --> C(Plivo Service);
    C -- Format Destinations & Call API --> D(Plivo API);
    D -- SMS Delivery --> E(Recipient Phones);
    D -- API Response --> C;
    C -- Return Result/Status --> B;
    B -- HTTP Response --> A;

    subgraph Optional Enhancements
        B -- Enqueue Job --> F(Redis Queue / BullMQ);
        G(Queue Worker) -- Dequeue Job --> G;
        G -- Send via Plivo Service --> C;
        B -- Log Request/Response --> H(Logging Service);
        C -- Log Plivo Interaction --> H;
        B -- Store Message Log --> I(Database / Prisma);
        G -- Update Message Log --> I;
    end

Prerequisites

• Node.js (LTS version recommended: v20.x or v22.x as of 2025) and npm/yarn
• A Plivo account (Sign up at Plivo.com)
• A Plivo phone number capable of sending SMS (purchased or verified)
• Your Plivo Auth ID and Auth Token
• Basic understanding of TypeScript, REST APIs, and NestJS concepts
• (Optional) Docker, PostgreSQL, Redis installed if implementing optional components

1. Setting up the Project

Let's initialize our NestJS project and install necessary dependencies.

1.1 Install NestJS CLI

If you don't have the NestJS CLI installed globally, run:

npm install -g @nestjs/cli
# or
# yarn global add @nestjs/cli

1.2 Create New NestJS Project

nest new plivo-bulk-sms
cd plivo-bulk-sms

Choose your preferred package manager (npm or yarn) when prompted. This creates a standard NestJS project structure.

1.3 Install Core Dependencies

We need packages for configuration management, Plivo integration, and request validation.

npm install @nestjs/config dotenv plivo-node class-validator class-transformer
# or
# yarn add @nestjs/config dotenv plivo-node class-validator class-transformer

• @nestjs/config: Handles environment variables and configuration loading.
• dotenv: Loads environment variables from a .env file into process.env.
• plivo-node: The official Plivo Node.js SDK (ensure you install a version compatible with the examples, e.g., v4.x or later).
• class-validator, class-transformer: Used for validating incoming request data via DTOs.

1.4 Environment Setup (.env)

Create a .env file in the project root directory. Crucially, replace the placeholder values with your actual credentials and number. Never commit this file to version control.

SECURITY: Add .env to your .gitignore file immediately after creating it:

# Add to .gitignore
.env
.env.local
.env.*.local

# .env

# Plivo Credentials - REPLACE WITH YOUR ACTUAL VALUES
PLIVO_AUTH_ID=YOUR_PLIVO_AUTH_ID
PLIVO_AUTH_TOKEN=YOUR_PLIVO_AUTH_TOKEN

# Default Plivo Source Number (Must be a Plivo number you own/verified)
# Use E.164 format, e.g., +14155552671 - REPLACE WITH YOUR NUMBER
PLIVO_SOURCE_NUMBER=+1XXXXXXXXXX

# Application Port (Optional, defaults to 3000)
PORT=3000

• How to get Plivo Credentials:
  1. Log in to your Plivo Console.
  2. Navigate to the Account section in the top right menu.
  3. Your Auth ID and Auth Token are displayed prominently.
  4. Purchase or verify a phone number under Phone Numbers -> Buy Numbers or Verified Numbers. Use this as your PLIVO_SOURCE_NUMBER.

1.5 Configure ConfigModule

Import and configure the ConfigModule in your main application module (src/app.module.ts) to make environment variables available throughout the application via the ConfigService.

// src/app.module.ts
import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
import { ConfigModule } from '@nestjs/config';
import { AppController } from './app.controller';
import { AppService } from './app.service';
import { PlivoModule } from './plivo/plivo.module';
import { MessagingModule } from './messaging/messaging.module';

@Module({
  imports: [
    ConfigModule.forRoot({
      isGlobal: true, // Makes ConfigModule available globally
      envFilePath: '.env', // Specify the env file path
    }),
    PlivoModule,    // We will create and import these modules
    MessagingModule // in the following steps
  ],
  controllers: [AppController],
  providers: [AppService],
})
export class AppModule {}

• isGlobal: true: Avoids needing to import ConfigModule into every other module.
• envFilePath: '.env': Tells the module where to find the environment file.

1.6 Enable Validation Pipe Globally

To automatically validate incoming request bodies using our DTOs, enable the ValidationPipe globally in src/main.ts.

// src/main.ts
import { NestFactory } from '@nestjs/core';
import { AppModule } from './app.module';
import { ValidationPipe, Logger } from '@nestjs/common';
import { ConfigService } from '@nestjs/config';

async function bootstrap() {
  const app = await NestFactory.create(AppModule);
  const configService = app.get(ConfigService);
  const port = configService.get<number&gt;('PORT', 3000); // Default to 3000 if not set

  // Enable global validation pipe
  app.useGlobalPipes(new ValidationPipe({
    whitelist: true, // Strip properties not defined in DTO
    transform: true, // Automatically transform payloads to DTO instances
    forbidNonWhitelisted: true, // Throw error if extra properties are present
  }));

  await app.listen(port);
  Logger.log(`Application running on: http://localhost:${port}`, 'Bootstrap');
}
bootstrap();

Now our basic project structure and configuration are ready.

2. Implementing Core Functionality (Plivo Service)

We'll create a dedicated module and service to handle all interactions with the Plivo API.

2.1 Generate Plivo Module and Service

Use the NestJS CLI to generate the necessary files.

nest generate module plivo
nest generate service plivo

This creates src/plivo/plivo.module.ts and src/plivo/plivo.service.ts.

2.2 Implement PlivoService

This service will encapsulate the Plivo client initialization and the bulk sending logic.

// src/plivo/plivo.service.ts
import { Injectable, Logger, InternalServerErrorException, BadRequestException } from '@nestjs/common';
import { ConfigService } from '@nestjs/config';
import * as plivo from 'plivo';

@Injectable()
export class PlivoService {
  private readonly logger = new Logger(PlivoService.name);
  private client: plivo.Client;
  private defaultSourceNumber: string;

  // Plivo's bulk API limit - IMPORTANT: Verify the current limit in Plivo's official documentation
  // at https://www.plivo.com/docs/sms/api/message/ as limits may change.
  // Common limit is 1000 recipients per API call, but always verify for your account tier.
  private readonly PLIVO_BULK_LIMIT = 1000;

  constructor(private configService: ConfigService) {
    const authId = this.configService.get<string&gt;('PLIVO_AUTH_ID');
    const authToken = this.configService.get<string&gt;('PLIVO_AUTH_TOKEN');
    this.defaultSourceNumber = this.configService.get<string&gt;('PLIVO_SOURCE_NUMBER');

    if (!authId || !authToken || !this.defaultSourceNumber) {
      this.logger.error('Plivo Auth ID, Auth Token, or Source Number missing in environment variables.');
      throw new InternalServerErrorException('Plivo configuration is incomplete.');
    }

    // Note: The plivo-node SDK v4+ uses new plivo.Client().
    // This guide assumes v4.67.0 or later. Verify your installed version:
    // npm list plivo or check package.json
    // If using a different major version, consult plivo-node GitHub repository
    // for correct initialization syntax.
    try {
      this.client = new plivo.Client(authId, authToken);
      this.logger.log('Plivo client initialized successfully.');
    } catch (error) {
        this.logger.error('Failed to initialize Plivo client', error.stack);
        throw new InternalServerErrorException('Could not initialize Plivo client.');
    }
  }

  /**
   * Gets the default source number configured.
   */
  getDefaultSourceNumber(): string {
      return this.defaultSourceNumber;
  }

  /**
   * Sends a single message to multiple destination numbers using Plivo's bulk API.
   * @param destinations - An array of destination phone numbers in E.164 format (e.g., ['+14155552671', '+14155552672']).
   * @param message - The text message body to send.
   * @param sourceNumber - (Optional) The source number to send from. Defaults to PLIVO_SOURCE_NUMBER from .env.
   * @returns The Plivo API response. Type should be verified against your plivo-node SDK version.
   * @throws BadRequestException if destination numbers are empty or exceed the limit.
   * @throws InternalServerErrorException on Plivo API errors or potential send failures.
   */
  async sendBulkSms(
    destinations: string[],
    message: string,
    sourceNumber?: string,
  ): Promise<any&gt; { // Changed from plivo.MessageCreateResponse - verify exact type with your SDK version
    if (!destinations || destinations.length === 0) {
        throw new BadRequestException('Destination numbers array cannot be empty.');
    }

    if (destinations.length &gt; this.PLIVO_BULK_LIMIT) {
        this.logger.warn(`Destination count (${destinations.length}) exceeds configured limit (${this.PLIVO_BULK_LIMIT}). Consider chunking.`);
        // Recommend implementing chunking (see Optimization section) instead of erroring or trimming.
        throw new BadRequestException(`Too many destination numbers. Maximum allowed is ${this.PLIVO_BULK_LIMIT}. Implement chunking for larger lists.`);
    }

    // Format destination numbers with '&lt;' delimiter for Plivo bulk API
    const formattedDestinations = destinations.join('&lt;');
    const src = sourceNumber || this.defaultSourceNumber;

    this.logger.log(`Attempting to send bulk SMS from ${src} to ${destinations.length} numbers.`);

    try {
      const response = await this.client.messages.create(
        src_
        formattedDestinations_
        message_
      );

      this.logger.log(`Plivo API raw response: ${JSON.stringify(response)}`);

      // VERY IMPORTANT: Basic success check. Plivo's API might return 2xx even if
      // messages fail later. The exact structure of a successful response (`messageUuid`
      // being present and non-empty) MUST be verified against the specific Plivo SDK
      // version (v4.67.0+) and API behavior you are using. This check might need adjustment.
      // Response structure can vary: messageUuid might be a string or array depending on 
      // whether you sent to single or multiple recipients.
      // Relying on webhooks for delivery status is the most robust approach.
      if (!response || !response.messageUuid) {
          this.logger.error(`Plivo API call succeeded_ but response lacks expected messageUuid: ${JSON.stringify(response)}`);
          throw new InternalServerErrorException('Plivo API response missing messageUuid. Verify SDK response structure.');
      }

      return response;
    } catch (error) {
      this.logger.error(`Failed to send bulk SMS via Plivo: ${error.message}`_ error.stack);
      // Extract more specific error message if available from Plivo SDK error object
      const errorMessage = error.response?.data?.error || error.message || 'Unknown Plivo API error';
      throw new InternalServerErrorException(`Plivo API Error: ${errorMessage}`);
    }
  }
}

• Why this approach?
  • Encapsulates Plivo logic_ making it reusable and testable.
  • Injects ConfigService for secure credential access.
  • Initializes the Plivo client once on startup.
  • Handles basic validation (empty list_ exceeding limit). Added warning about hardcoded limit.
  • Formats the destination numbers correctly (+1XX<+1YY<+1ZZ).
  • Includes logging for monitoring.
  • Wraps the API call in try...catch for robust error handling.
  • Added stronger warning about the basic API response check.

2.3 Update PlivoModule

Make the PlivoService available for injection in other modules.

// src/plivo/plivo.module.ts
import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
import { PlivoService } from './plivo.service';
// ConfigModule is global_ so no need to import here

@Module({
  providers: [PlivoService]_
  exports: [PlivoService]_ // Export the service so other modules can use it
})
export class PlivoModule {}

2.4 Import PlivoModule into AppModule

Ensure PlivoModule is imported in src/app.module.ts (as shown in step 1.5).

3. Building the API Layer (Messaging Controller)

Let's create the controller and DTO for our /messaging/bulk-send endpoint.

3.1 Generate Messaging Module_ Controller_ and DTO

nest generate module messaging
nest generate controller messaging
# No specific CLI command for DTOs_ create manually

3.2 Create the Request DTO

Define the expected shape and validation rules for the incoming request body.

Create src/messaging/dto/send-bulk-sms.dto.ts:

// src/messaging/dto/send-bulk-sms.dto.ts
import { IsNotEmpty_ IsString_ IsArray_ ArrayNotEmpty_ IsPhoneNumber_ MaxLength_ IsOptional } from 'class-validator';

export class SendBulkSmsDto {
  @IsArray()
  @ArrayNotEmpty()
  @IsPhoneNumber(null_ { each: true_ message: 'Each destination must be a valid phone number in E.164 format (e.g._ +14155552671)' })
  destinations: string[]; // Array of phone numbers in E.164 format

  @IsString()
  @IsNotEmpty()
  @MaxLength(1600) // Plivo max length for concatenated SMS
  message: string;

  @IsOptional() // Make sourceNumber explicitly optional
  @IsString()
  @IsPhoneNumber(null_ { message: 'If provided_ source number must be a valid phone number in E.164 format' })
  sourceNumber?: string; // Optional: Override default source number
}

• @IsArray_ @ArrayNotEmpty: Ensures destinations is a non-empty array.
• @IsPhoneNumber(null_ { each: true }): Validates each string in the array is a valid phone number (basic format check_ E.164 recommended). null uses the default region; specify one like 'US' if needed.
• @IsString_ @IsNotEmpty: Ensures message is a non-empty string.
• @MaxLength(1600): A safeguard based on typical SMS concatenation limits.
• @IsOptional()_ sourceNumber?: Clearly marks sourceNumber as optional. Validation applies only if present.

3.3 Implement MessagingController

Define the API endpoint_ inject the PlivoService_ and use the DTO for validation.

// src/messaging/messaging.controller.ts
import { Controller_ Post_ Body_ HttpCode_ HttpStatus_ Logger } from '@nestjs/common';
import { PlivoService } from '../plivo/plivo.service';
import { SendBulkSmsDto } from './dto/send-bulk-sms.dto';

@Controller('messaging') // Route prefix: /messaging
export class MessagingController {
  private readonly logger = new Logger(MessagingController.name);

  constructor(private readonly plivoService: PlivoService) {}

  @Post('bulk-send') // Route: POST /messaging/bulk-send
  @HttpCode(HttpStatus.ACCEPTED) // Use 202 Accepted as the operation is async
  async sendBulkSms(@Body() sendBulkSmsDto: SendBulkSmsDto) {
    this.logger.log(`Received bulk SMS request to ${sendBulkSmsDto.destinations.length} destinations.`);

    try {
      // Use provided sourceNumber or let PlivoService handle the default (passed as undefined)
      const result = await this.plivoService.sendBulkSms(
        sendBulkSmsDto.destinations_
        sendBulkSmsDto.message_
        sendBulkSmsDto.sourceNumber_ // Pass optional source
      );

      // Log the response UUIDs. NOTE: Verify Plivo's bulk response structure.
      // `messageUuid` might not always be an array or might represent the batch differently.
      const uuids = Array.isArray(result.messageUuid) ? result.messageUuid.join('_ ') : result.messageUuid;
      this.logger.log(`Bulk SMS request accepted by Plivo. Message UUID(s): ${uuids}`);

      // Return a meaningful response. Adapt based on verified Plivo response structure.
      return {
        message: 'Bulk SMS request accepted by Plivo.'_
        plivoResponse: {
            message_uuid: result.messageUuid_ // Forward Plivo's response structure
            api_id: result.apiId_
        }
      };
    } catch (error) {
        // Error logging is handled in PlivoService_ but we log context here
        this.logger.error(`Error processing bulk SMS request: ${error.message}`_ error.stack);
        // Re-throw the error so NestJS default exception filter handles it
        // Or implement a custom exception filter for finer control
        throw error;
    }
  }
}

• @Controller('messaging'): Sets the base route for this controller.
• @Post('bulk-send'): Defines the HTTP method and path for the endpoint.
• @HttpCode(HttpStatus.ACCEPTED): Returns a 202 status code_ suitable for operations handed off to an external system like Plivo.
• @Body() sendBulkSmsDto: SendBulkSmsDto: Injects the validated request body using our DTO. The ValidationPipe configured in main.ts handles the validation automatically.
• Injects PlivoService to perform the actual sending.
• Calls plivoService.sendBulkSms with data from the DTO.
• Returns a confirmation message along with key details from the Plivo response. Added note about verifying messageUuid structure.

3.4 Update MessagingModule

Import the PlivoModule so the controller can inject the PlivoService.

// src/messaging/messaging.module.ts
import { Module } from '@nestjs/common';
import { MessagingController } from './messaging.controller';
import { PlivoModule } from '../plivo/plivo.module'; // Import PlivoModule

@Module({
  imports: [PlivoModule]_ // Make PlivoService available for injection
  controllers: [MessagingController]_
  providers: []_ // No specific providers needed for this simple module
})
export class MessagingModule {}

3.5 Import MessagingModule into AppModule

Ensure MessagingModule is imported in src/app.module.ts (as shown in step 1.5).

3.6 API Endpoint Testing

You can now run the application (npm run start:dev) and test the endpoint using curl or Postman.

Curl Example:

curl -X POST http://localhost:3000/messaging/bulk-send \
-H 'Content-Type: application/json' \
-d '{
  "destinations": ["+14155550100"_ "+14155550101"]_
  "message": "Hello from NestJS Plivo Bulk Sender!"_
  "sourceNumber": "+1XXXXXXXXXX"
}'
# Optional: Omit sourceNumber to use default from .env. REPLACE with your Plivo number if testing override.

Expected Success Response (Status 202 Accepted): (Structure depends on actual Plivo bulk response for your SDK version - verify)

{
  "message": "Bulk SMS request accepted by Plivo."_
  "plivoResponse": {
    "message_uuid": [
      "xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx"_
      "yyyyyyyy-yyyy-yyyy-yyyy-yyyyyyyyyyyy"
    ]_
    "api_id": "zzzzzzzz-zzzz-zzzz-zzzz-zzzzzzzzzzzz"
  }
}

Note: The message_uuid field might be a single string or an array depending on your Plivo SDK version and number of recipients. Always log and verify the actual response structure during development.

Example Validation Error Response (Status 400 Bad Request):

If you send an invalid phone number:

{
  "statusCode": 400_
  "message": [
    "Each destination must be a valid phone number in E.164 format (e.g._ +14155552671)"
  ]_
  "error": "Bad Request"
}

4. Integrating with Third-Party Services (Plivo Details)

We've already integrated Plivo via its SDK_ but let's recap the crucial configuration points.

• API Credentials:

  • PLIVO_AUTH_ID: Your unique account identifier. Found on the Plivo Console dashboard under Account.
  • PLIVO_AUTH_TOKEN: Your secret token for API authentication. Also found on the Plivo Console dashboard. Treat this like a password — do not commit it to code.
  • How to Obtain: Log in to Plivo Console -> Top-right account menu/icon -> Auth ID and Auth Token are displayed.
  • Security: Store these exclusively in environment variables (.env for local development, secure environment variables/secrets management in production).

• Source Phone Number:

  • PLIVO_SOURCE_NUMBER: The Plivo phone number (in E.164 format, e.g., +14155551234) that will appear as the sender ID for the SMS messages.
  • How to Obtain: Purchase a number via Plivo Console -> Phone Numbers -> Buy Numbers. Ensure it has SMS capabilities enabled for the target countries. Alternatively, verify an existing number if allowed by Plivo policies.
  • Regulations: Sender ID behavior varies by country. Some require pre-registration (Alphanumeric Sender IDs), while others may override the sender ID. Check Plivo's documentation for country-specific regulations.

• Dashboard Navigation (Recap):

  1. Log in: https://console.plivo.com/
  2. Credentials: Top-right corner -> Account section.
  3. Phone Numbers: Left sidebar -> Phone Numbers -> Manage -> Numbers / Buy Numbers / Verified Numbers.

• Fallback Mechanisms:

  • The current implementation relies solely on Plivo. A robust production system might require fallback to another SMS provider if Plivo experiences an outage.
  • Implementation: You would need to:
    1. Add SDKs and configuration for the alternative provider(s).
    2. Modify the PlivoService (or introduce a higher-level SmsService) to catch Plivo errors (specifically network/API availability errors).
    3. In the catch block, attempt sending via the fallback provider.
    4. Manage credentials and potentially different API structures for the fallback.
  • This adds complexity but increases resilience.

5. Error Handling, Logging, and Retry Mechanisms

Production systems need robust error handling and observability.

• Error Handling Strategy:

  • Validation Errors: Handled by the global ValidationPipe and class-validator DTOs, returning 400 Bad Request.
  • Plivo API Errors: Caught within PlivoService. Logged with details. Thrown as InternalServerErrorException (500) or potentially BadRequestException (400) if the error clearly indicates bad input (e.g., invalid number format missed by initial validation, invalid Sender ID). Consider creating custom exceptions (e.g., PlivoApiException extends HttpException) for more granular control in exception filters.
  • Configuration Errors: Checked during PlivoService initialization. Throw InternalServerErrorException if essential config is missing.
  • NestJS Exception Filters: Use NestJS's built-in exception filter or create custom filters (@Catch()) to format error responses consistently for the API client.

• Logging:

  • NestJS Logger: Use the built-in Logger (@nestjs/common) for simplicity, as shown in the examples. It logs to the console with timestamps, context (class name), and log levels.
  • Production Logging: For production, integrate a more advanced logging library like Winston or Pino with transports to write logs to files or send them to centralized logging platforms (e.g., ELK Stack, Datadog, Logz.io). Configure JSON formatting for easier parsing.
  • What to Log:
    • Incoming requests (method, URL, essential headers/body snippets - sanitize sensitive data).
    • Service method calls (e.g., sendBulkSms invocation with parameters - sanitize numbers/message if needed).
    • Interactions with Plivo (API request details - sanitized, API response summary, latency).
    • Errors (full error message, stack trace, relevant context).
    • Key successful operations (e.g., ""Bulk SMS request accepted by Plivo"").

• Retry Mechanisms:

  • Why Retry? Transient network issues or temporary Plivo API glitches might cause failures. Retrying can improve success rates.

  • CRITICAL WARNING: Retrying a failed Plivo bulk SMS request (dst=num1<num2<num3...) without additional mechanisms is highly risky. The basic Plivo bulk API often doesn't provide granular feedback on which specific numbers failed within the batch. Retrying the entire batch after a partial success or ambiguous failure will likely send duplicate messages to recipients who already received the first attempt.

  • Recommended Approach:

    1. Chunking (See Section 9): Send messages in smaller_ manageable batches (e.g._ 50-100 numbers per API call).
    2. Selective Retry: If a specific chunk fails unambiguously_ you can retry only that chunk. This significantly limits the scope of potential duplicates.
    3. Idempotency (Difficult with Basic SMS): Plivo's standard message API lacks simple idempotency keys. True idempotency often requires building tracking logic on your side (e.g._ using database logs and unique job IDs).
    4. Use a Queue: Implement retries within a queue worker (like BullMQ). Queues offer configurable retry strategies (e.g._ exponential backoff) and are better suited for managing background tasks like sending chunks. Combine queuing with chunking for the best results.

  • Illustrative Simple Retry (USE WITH EXTREME CAUTION for bulk sends): The following async-retry example demonstrates the concept of retrying an async function. Do not apply this directly to the sendBulkSms method without implementing chunking and careful consideration of the duplicate message risk.

    bash

    # Example dependency:
    npm install async-retry @types/async-retry
    # or
    # yarn add async-retry @types/async-retry
    
    typescript

    // Inside a service_ illustrating retry pattern (NOT recommended directly on sendBulkSms)
    import * as retry from 'async-retry';
    import { Logger } from '@nestjs/common'; // Assuming logger is available
    
    async function potentiallyUnsafeRetryExample(plivoApiCallFunction: () =&gt; Promise<any&gt;) {
       const logger = new Logger('RetryExample');
       // *** WARNING: See text above. Applying simple retry to bulk SMS is dangerous ***
       // ***           due to the risk of duplicate messages. Use with chunking/queues. ***
       try {
         const result = await retry(
           async (bail, attempt) =&gt; {
             logger.log(`Attempting API call, attempt number: ${attempt}`);
             try {
               // Replace this with the actual Plivo call *for a single chunk* if using chunking
               return await plivoApiCallFunction();
             } catch (error) {
               logger.warn(`API attempt ${attempt} failed: ${error.message}`);
               // Example: Bail (don't retry) on client errors (4xx)
               if (error.statusCode &gt;= 400 && error.statusCode &lt; 500) {
                 bail(new Error(`Non-retriable Plivo error: ${error.statusCode}`));
                 return; // Exit after bail
               }
               // Rethrow server errors or network issues to trigger retry
               throw error;
             }
           }_
           {
             retries: 3_        // Max attempts
             factor: 2_         // Exponential backoff
             minTimeout: 1000_  // Initial delay ms
             maxTimeout: 5000_  // Max delay ms
             onRetry: (error_ attempt) =&gt; {
               logger.warn(`Retrying API call after error: ${error.message}. Attempt: ${attempt}`);
             },
           }
         );
         return result; // Return result if retry succeeds
       } catch (error) {
            logger.error(`API call failed after all retry attempts: ${error.message}`);
            throw error; // Rethrow the final error
       }
    }
    

6. Creating a Database Schema and Data Layer (Optional)

Storing contact lists or logging message history enhances the service. We'll use Prisma and PostgreSQL as an example.

6.1 Install Prisma Dependencies

npm install prisma @prisma/client --save-dev
npm install @nestjs/prisma # Official helper package (optional but convenient)
# or
# yarn add prisma @prisma/client --dev
# yarn add @nestjs/prisma

6.2 Initialize Prisma

npx prisma init --datasource-provider postgresql

This creates a prisma directory with a schema.prisma file and updates your .env with a DATABASE_URL.

6.3 Configure DATABASE_URL

Update the DATABASE_URL in your .env file to point to your PostgreSQL instance.

# .env
# ... other vars
DATABASE_URL=postgresql://USER:PASSWORD@HOST:PORT/DATABASE?schema=public

Example: DATABASE_URL=postgresql://postgres:mysecretpassword@localhost:5432/plivo_sms?schema=public

6.4 Define Prisma Schema

Edit prisma/schema.prisma to define models for contacts and message logs.

// prisma/schema.prisma
generator client {
  provider = "prisma-client-js"
}

datasource db {
  provider = "postgresql"
  url      = env("DATABASE_URL")
}

model Contact {
  id          Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  phoneNumber String   @unique @db.VarChar(20) // E.164 format
  firstName   String?
  lastName    String?
  createdAt   DateTime @default(now())
  updatedAt   DateTime @updatedAt

  messageLogs MessageLog[] // Relation to message logs sent to this contact
}

model BulkMessageJob {
  id             Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  message        String   @db.Text
  sourceNumber   String   @db.VarChar(20)
  status         String   @default("PENDING") // PENDING, PROCESSING, ACCEPTED_BY_PLIVO, COMPLETED_WITH_ERRORS, COMPLETED_SUCCESSFULLY, FAILED
  totalRecipients Int
  processedCount Int      @default(0) // Count accepted by Plivo initially
  deliveredCount Int      @default(0) // Count confirmed delivered via webhooks
  failedCount    Int      @default(0) // Count confirmed failed/undelivered via webhooks
  createdAt      DateTime @default(now())
  updatedAt      DateTime @updatedAt

  messageLogs MessageLog[] // Relation to individual message logs for this job
}

model MessageLog {
  id             Int      @id @default(autoincrement())
  job            BulkMessageJob @relation(fields: [jobId], references: [id])
  jobId          Int
  contact        Contact? @relation(fields: [contactId], references: [id]) // Optional link to a known contact
  contactId      Int?
  destinationNumber String @db.VarChar(20) // Store the number regardless of contact link
  plivoMessageUuid String?  @unique // Plivo's UUID for this specific message part (if available)
  status         String   @default("PENDING") // PENDING, SENT_TO_PLIVO, DELIVERED, FAILED, UNDELIVERED
  plivoStatus    String?  // Store the raw status from Plivo webhook
  errorCode      String?  // Store Plivo error code if applicable
  createdAt      DateTime @default(now())
  updatedAt      DateTime @updatedAt

  @@index([jobId])
  @@index([contactId])
  @@index([plivoMessageUuid])
  @@index([status])
}

ARTICLE CONTINUATION NOTE: This guide ends here with the database schema definition. For a complete production implementation, you'll need to:

1. Run Prisma migrations: npx prisma migrate dev --name init to create database tables
2. Generate Prisma Client: npx prisma generate to create type-safe database access
3. Implement PrismaService: Create a NestJS service to handle database operations
4. Add webhook endpoints: Implement routes to receive Plivo delivery status updates
5. Implement message queuing: Use BullMQ or similar for high-throughput scenarios
6. Add comprehensive logging: Integrate Winston or Pino for production logging
7. Deploy with Docker: Containerize the application for consistent deployment
8. Set up monitoring: Implement health checks and observability

Additional Resources:

• Plivo SMS API Documentation
• Plivo Node.js SDK GitHub
• NestJS Official Documentation
• Prisma Documentation
• BullMQ Documentation

Security Reminders:

• Never commit .env files or credentials to version control
• Use environment-specific configuration for development, staging, and production
• Implement rate limiting on your API endpoints
• Validate and sanitize all user inputs
• Use HTTPS in production
• Rotate API credentials regularly
• Monitor for unusual API usage patterns

This guide provides a solid foundation for building a bulk SMS service with Plivo and NestJS. Expand upon these patterns based on your specific requirements and scale needs.