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Send messages immediately via API only

post

/messages/send

Use this endpoint to send immediate messages to designated users via the Braze API.

Be sure to include Messaging Objects in your body to complete your requests.

If you are targeting a segment, a record of your request will be stored in the Developer Console.

Prerequisites

To use this endpoint, you’ll need to generate an API key with the messages.send permission.

Rate limit

When specifying a segment or Connected Audience in your request, we apply a rate limit of 250 requests per minute to this endpoint. Otherwise, if specifying an external_id, this endpoint has a default rate limit of 250,000 requests per hour, as documented in API rate limits.

Braze endpoints support batching API requests. A single request to the messaging endpoints can reach any of the following:

  • Up to 50 specific external_ids
  • A segment of any size created in the Braze dashboard, specified by its segment_id
  • An audience segment of any size, defined in the request as a connected audience object

Request body

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Content-Type: application/json
Authorization: Bearer YOUR-REST-API-KEY
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{
   // You will need to include at least one of 'segment_id', 'external_user_ids', and 'audience'
   // Including 'segment_id' will send to members of that segment
   // Including 'external_user_ids' and/or 'user_aliases' will send to those users
   // Including both will send to the provided users if they are in the segment
   "broadcast": (optional, boolean) see broadcast -- defaults to false on 8/31/17, must be set to true if no external_user_ids or aliases are provided,
   "external_user_ids": (optional, array of strings) see external user identifier,
   "user_aliases": (optional, array of user alias object) see user alias,
   "segment_id": (optional, string) see segment identifier,
   "audience": (optional, connected audience object) see connected audience,
   "campaign_id": (optional*, string) *required if you wish to track campaign stats (for example, sends, clicks, bounces, etc). see campaign identifier,
   "send_id": (optional, string) see send identifier,
   "override_frequency_capping": (optional, bool) ignore frequency_capping for campaigns, defaults to false,
   "recipient_subscription_state": (optional, string) use this to send messages to only users who have opted in ('opted_in'), only users who have subscribed or are opted in ('subscribed') or to all users, including unsubscribed users ('all'), the latter being useful for transactional email messaging. Defaults to 'subscribed',
   "messages": {
     "apple_push": (optional, apple push object),
     "android_push": (optional, android push object),
     "kindle_push": (optional, kindle/fireOS push object),
     "web_push": (optional, web push object),
     "email": (optional, email object),
     "webhook": (optional, webhook object),
     "content_card": (optional, content card object),
     "sms": (optional, SMS object),
     "whats_app": (optional, WhatsApp object)
   }
 }

Request parameters

Parameter Required Data Type Description
broadcast Optional Boolean You must set broadcast to true when sending a message to an entire segment that a campaign or Canvas targets. This parameter defaults to false (as of August 31, 2017).

If broadcast is set to true, a recipients list cannot be included. However, use caution when setting broadcast: true, as unintentionally setting this flag may cause you to send your message to a larger than expected audience.
external_user_ids Optional Array of strings See external user ID.
user_aliases Optional Array of user alias objects See user alias object.
segment_id Optional String See segment identifier.
audience Optional Connected audience object See connected audience.
campaign_id Optional* String See campaign identifier for more information.

*Required if you wish to track campaign stats (for example, sends, clicks, bounces, etc) on the Braze dashboard.
send_id Optional String See send identifier
override_frequency_capping Optional Boolean Ignore frequency_capping for campaigns, defaults to false.
recipient_subscription_state Optional String Use this to send messages to only users who have opted in (opted_in), only users who have subscribed or are opted in (subscribed) or to all users, including unsubscribed users (all).

Using all users is useful for transactional email messaging. Defaults to subscribed.
messages Optional Messaging objects See available messaging objects.

Example request

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curl --location --request POST 'https://rest.iad-01.braze.com/messages/send' \
--data-raw '{
  "broadcast": "false",
  "external_user_ids": "external_user_identifiers",
  "user_aliases": {
    "alias_name": "example_name",
    "alias_label": "example_label"
  },
  "segment_id": "segment_identifier",
  "audience": {
    "AND": [
      {
        "custom_attribute": {
          "custom_attribute_name": "eye_color",
          "comparison": "equals",
          "value": "blue"
        }
      },
      {
        "custom_attribute": {
          "custom_attribute_name": "favorite_foods",
          "comparison": "includes_value",
          "value": "pizza"
        }
      },
      {
        "OR": [
          {
            "custom_attribute": {
              "custom_attribute_name": "last_purchase_time",
              "comparison": "less_than_x_days_ago",
              "value": 2
            }
          },
          {
            "push_subscription_status": {
              "comparison": "is",
              "value": "opted_in"
            }
          }
        ]
      },
      {
        "email_subscription_status": {
          "comparison": "is_not",
          "value": "subscribed"
        }
      },
      {
        "last_used_app": {
          "comparison": "after",
          "value": "2019-07-22T13:17:55+0000"
        }
      }
    ]
  },
  "campaign_id": "campaign_identifier",
  "send_id": "send_identifier",
  "override_frequency_capping": "false",
  "recipient_subscription_state": "all",
  "messages": {
    "android_push": "(optional, Android Push Object)",
    "apple_push": "(optional, Apple Push Object)",
    "content_card": "(optional, Content Card Object)",
    "email": "(optional, Email Object)",
    "kindle_push": "(optional, Kindle/FireOS Push Object)",
    "web_push": "(optional, Web Push Object)"
  }
}'

Response details

Message sending endpoint responses will include the message’s dispatch_id for reference back to the dispatch of the message. The dispatch_id is the ID of the message dispatch (unique ID for each ‘transmission’ sent from Braze). For more, information refer to Dispatch ID behavior.

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