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Messaging Platforms

LobsterCage’s webhook gateway supports any platform that sends HTTP webhooks. Here’s how to configure each supported platform.

How it works

All messaging platforms follow the same pattern:

  1. Deploy a cage and note its webhook URL
  2. Register the webhook URL with the platform
  3. Your application listens on port 18789 inside the cage
  4. The gateway proxy handles forwarding, buffering during hibernation, and wake-on-message

Telegram

Webhook format: https://gateway.lobstercage.ai/hook/{cageId}/{token}

curl -X POST "https://api.telegram.org/bot${BOT_TOKEN}/setWebhook" \
  -d '{"url": "YOUR_WEBHOOK_URL"}'

Telegram sends JSON updates for messages, callbacks, and inline queries. See the full Telegram bot guide.

Slack

Webhook format: https://gateway.lobstercage.ai/hook/{cageId}/{token}/slack

  1. Create a Slack app at api.slack.com/apps 
  2. Under Event Subscriptions, set the Request URL to your webhook URL
  3. Subscribe to the events you need (e.g., message.channels, app_mention)
  4. Your cage must respond to Slack’s URL verification challenge on first setup

Slack expects a 200 OK within 3 seconds. If the cage is hibernated, the gateway returns 202 and Slack will retry.

Discord

Webhook format: https://gateway.lobstercage.ai/hook/{cageId}/{token}/discord

  1. Create a Discord application at discord.com/developers 
  2. Under General Information, set the Interactions Endpoint URL to your webhook URL
  3. Discord sends a verification ping — your app must respond with the correct signature verification

Discord interactions require Ed25519 signature verification in your application.

Signal

Webhook format: https://gateway.lobstercage.ai/hook/{cageId}/{token}/signal

Use the Signal Bot API to register your cage’s webhook URL. Signal messages are forwarded as JSON payloads.

WhatsApp

Webhook format: https://gateway.lobstercage.ai/hook/{cageId}/{token}/whatsapp

  1. Set up a WhatsApp Business API account via Meta for Developers 
  2. Configure the webhook URL in your app’s Webhooks settings
  3. Subscribe to the message events you need

WhatsApp requires webhook verification via a challenge token on setup.

Common considerations

  • Buffering: When a cage is hibernated, incoming webhooks are encrypted and buffered for up to 5 minutes while the cage wakes
  • Rate limits: 30 requests/min per cage, 60 requests/min per IP
  • Payload size: Max 1 MB per request
  • Port: Your application must listen on port 18789 inside the cage
Telegram BotOverview