Frequently Asked Questions
You can send MMS messages with Node.js by using the Express framework and the Sinch API. This involves setting up a project with dependencies like Express, Axios, and dotenv, then creating an API endpoint that handles requests and interacts with Sinch to send multimedia messages.
The Sinch MMS API is a service that allows developers to send and manage multimedia messages programmatically. It's used in this guide to handle the actual sending of MMS messages to recipients' mobile devices.
Express.js is a minimal and flexible Node.js web application framework. Its simplicity, routing capabilities, and middleware architecture make it ideal for building APIs, especially for handling requests related to MMS sending.
You should always use environment variables for sensitive information like API keys, as storing them directly in your code is a security risk. The dotenv library simplifies loading these variables from a .env file.
No, the media URL you provide for MMS messages must be publicly accessible without any authentication. The hosting server must also provide Content-Length and the correct Content-Type headers.
First, obtain Sinch credentials (Service Plan ID, API Token, MMS Campaign/Service ID, a provisioned Sinch number, and region) from the Sinch Dashboard. Next, install necessary npm packages (express, axios, dotenv), configure your .env file with the credentials, and implement the server logic as described in the article.
Axios is a promise-based HTTP client used for making requests to the Sinch API from your Node.js application. It simplifies the process of sending the necessary data to Sinch for processing the MMS message.
Implement comprehensive error handling with try-catch blocks, robust logging (using libraries like Winston or Pino), and retry mechanisms (using axios-retry) for transient errors like 5xx status codes or network issues. Always inspect the Sinch API response for specific error details.
The Sinch API endpoint for MMS depends on the MMS product you are using and must be verified against the official Sinch documentation. The guide uses the common SMS /batches endpoint, but this might not be correct for sending MMS and could require an endpoint specifically designed for MMS or an extended version of /batches. Be sure to consult official docs!
The payload structure for the Sinch MMS API is product-specific and must be obtained from official documentation. The guide provides a speculative example based on /batches, but dedicated MMS endpoints will often use a different structure. Key elements that might be required include 'action', 'service-id', 'slide' arrays for content, etc.
The media URL must be publicly accessible without authentication. The server hosting the media file must also provide the Content-Length and the correct Content-Type headers (e.g., image/jpeg) to ensure successful processing by the Sinch API.
E.164 formatting ensures consistent and internationally recognized phone number representation (e.g., +1xxxxxxxxxx). It's essential for reliable delivery and should always be used when sending MMS messages via Sinch.
Implement Sinch webhooks to receive delivery receipts (DLRs). Set up an endpoint in your app that handles incoming webhook notifications and updates the message status in your database accordingly, based on the DLR information provided by Sinch (DELIVERED, FAILED, etc.).
Use robust input validation (express-validator), rate limiting (express-rate-limit), security headers (Helmet), secure environment variable management, and HTTPS to protect your API endpoint and prevent abuse.
Send MMS messages with Node.js, Next.js, Supabase, and Sinch
Learn how to build a production-ready Node.js application using Next.js API routes and Supabase to send Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) messages programmatically via the Sinch MMS API. This comprehensive guide covers project setup, authentication, database integration, webhook handling, and deployment to Vercel.
Expected Outcomes: Build a production-ready Next.js application with:
Time Estimate: 2–3 hours for basic implementation; additional time for optional enhancements
Prerequisites:
What is MMS messaging and why use it in your application?
MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service) allows you to send rich media content—images, videos, audio files, and documents—directly to mobile phones through standard messaging channels. Unlike SMS, which is limited to text, MMS enables visual communication that can significantly improve user engagement and conversion rates.
Problem Solved: Integrate MMS capabilities into web applications programmatically, enabling automated notifications, user engagement campaigns, and multimedia content delivery via standard mobile messaging channels. Supabase integration adds message tracking, delivery history, and user management capabilities.
Real-World Use Cases:
Technology stack overview
Technologies:
sendmms
action with slide-based content structure supporting images, videos, audio, and documents.System Architecture:
Simplified system architecture:
/api/send-mms
Next.js API route.tracking-id
to the Next.js API route.pending
and returns a success response to the client.Prerequisites:
service-id
(Campaign ID or Service ID for MMS)Content-Length
and validContent-Type
headers for the media file per Sinch requirements.1. Setting up the project
Initialize your Next.js project with Supabase integration and install the necessary dependencies.
Create Next.js Project: Use
create-next-app
to bootstrap a new Next.js application with TypeScript support.When prompted:
Install Dependencies: Install Supabase client libraries and Axios for HTTP requests.
Set Up Environment Variables (
.env.local
): Create a.env.local
file in the project root with your credentials.Finding Your Credentials:
anon
public
key.+
(e.g.,12065551212
).Configure
.gitignore
: Ensure.env*.local
is in your.gitignore
(Next.js includes this by default).2. Setting up Supabase database schema
Create a database table to store MMS message logs with delivery tracking.
Navigate to SQL Editor: Open your Supabase Dashboard > SQL Editor.
Create
mms_messages
Table: Run the following SQL to create the table with Row Level Security (RLS):Verify Table Creation: Open Database > Tables to confirm the
mms_messages
table exists.3. Setting up Supabase utilities
Create utility functions for Supabase client initialization in both client and server contexts.
Create
lib/supabase/client.ts
: For client-side Supabase access (browser).Create
lib/supabase/server.ts
: For server-side Supabase access (API routes, Server Components).4. Implementing core functionality: Sending MMS via Next.js API Route
Create the Next.js API route for sending MMS messages using the official Sinch MMS API structure.
Critical: Sinch MMS API Endpoint and Payload Structure
According to the official Sinch MMS API documentation, the MMS API uses:
action: "sendmms"
,service-id
,to
,from
, andslide
array containing contentContent-Length
and validContent-Type
headers17745559144
for US)Create
app/api/send-mms/route.ts
:Install UUID package:
Key Implementation Notes:
route.ts
files+
prefix as required by Sinch5. Creating a webhook handler for delivery receipts
To track message delivery status, create a webhook endpoint that Sinch will call.
Create
app/api/webhooks/sinch/route.ts
:Configure Webhook in Sinch Dashboard:
https://yourdomain.com/api/webhooks/sinch
6. Building a complete API layer with validation
Enhance the API route with robust validation using Zod.
Install Zod:
Update
app/api/send-mms/route.ts
with validation:7. Adding security features
Implement rate limiting, CORS, and security headers.
Install rate limiting package:
Configure rate limiting: Create
lib/rate-limit.ts
:Apply rate limiting in API route:
8. Handling special cases relevant to MMS
Media URL Requirements (Critical):
Per Sinch MMS documentation:
Content-Length
headerContent-Type
header (e.g.,image/jpeg
,video/mp4
)Transfer-Encoding: chunked
will cause rejection)Example: Validating Media URL Headers
Using Supabase Storage for Media Hosting:
Instead of external URLs, host media in Supabase Storage:
Character and Size Limits:
Number Formatting:
Always use E.164 format:
+[country code][subscriber number]
+12065551212
+447911123456
9. Implementing performance optimizations
Caching Strategy:
Asynchronous Logging:
Connection Pooling:
10. Adding monitoring, observability, and analytics
Integrating Sentry for Error Tracking:
Supabase Analytics Queries:
11. Troubleshooting and Caveats
Common Issues:
SINCH_SERVICE_ID
and authentication headers+[country][number]
Testing Media URLs:
Webhook Testing:
Use tools like webhook.site or ngrok to test webhook delivery during development:
12. Deployment with Vercel
Push to GitHub:
Deploy to Vercel:
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_URL
NEXT_PUBLIC_SUPABASE_ANON_KEY
SUPABASE_SERVICE_ROLE_KEY
SINCH_SERVICE_ID
SINCH_FROM_NUMBER
SINCH_API_TOKEN
(if required)Update Supabase Redirect URLs: In Supabase Dashboard > Authentication > URL Configuration, add:
https://your-vercel-app.vercel.app/auth/callback
Update Sinch Webhook: Update webhook URL to:
https://your-vercel-app.vercel.app/api/webhooks/sinch
Related guides and tutorials
Additional Resources
Conclusion
You've built a fully functional Next.js application with:
Your application is ready for production deployment on Vercel with automatic scaling and edge function support.