manychat-lite-cloudflare README

The project's README from github.com/paulmil11/manychat-lite-cloudflare. As one markdown file: README.md.

ManyChat-Lite on Cloudflare

A small, self-hosted starter for building a ManyChat-style Instagram auto-DM tool on Cloudflare Workers.

It listens for Instagram comment and DM webhooks, matches them against keyword rules you manage in a built-in dashboard, and replies by DM: a Meta Private Reply for comments, a normal DM inside Instagram's 24-hour window for messages. It also covers the DM tools people usually want next: conversation starters, story replies, links that open a specific reply, and follower checks. It stays small: one Worker, one D1 database, no runtime dependencies.

This project is not affiliated with ManyChat or Meta.

The dashboard, with local demo data

What It Does

Instagram webhook (comments, messages, messaging_postbacks, messaging_referral)
-> verify the Meta webhook signature
-> store the event in D1 so it is only processed once
-> comments: match active keyword rules
   DMs: starter tap, story rule, DM keyword or ig.me link
-> send the DM (and, for comments, an optional public reply)
-> record send status, errors and analytics

The starter defaults to DRY_RUN=true (test mode): matches are recorded as test matches and nothing is sent to Instagram until you explicitly go live.

Features

Dashboard

The dashboard lives at /admin and is protected by ADMIN_TOKEN. The sections:

Architecture

Meta Instagram webhooks
        |
        v
Cloudflare Worker /webhook ---------> D1: comment_events, message_events,
        |                                 rules, automation_settings
        v
Instagram Graph API: private replies, DMs, public replies, conversation starters

Daily cron -> connection check + token renewal -> D1: instagram_tokens (encrypted)

Admin dashboard /admin
        |
        v
Rules, DM tools, reply stats, activity, retries, connection

For one creator, this is enough. For a real SaaS clone, keep this repo as the single-account prototype and add multi-tenant OAuth, billing, customer onboarding, and per-account token storage.

Quick Start

1. Install

npm install

2. Create a D1 Database

npx wrangler login
npx wrangler d1 create manychat-lite-cloudflare

Copy the returned database_id into wrangler.jsonc, replacing REPLACE_WITH_D1_DATABASE_ID.

Then apply migrations:

npx wrangler d1 migrations apply manychat-lite-cloudflare --remote

3. Set Secrets

npx wrangler secret put WEBHOOK_VERIFY_TOKEN
npx wrangler secret put INSTAGRAM_APP_SECRET
npx wrangler secret put INSTAGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN
npx wrangler secret put IG_USER_ID
npx wrangler secret put ADMIN_TOKEN

Use any long random string for WEBHOOK_VERIFY_TOKEN; paste the same value into Meta when adding your webhook callback.

Use ADMIN_TOKEN to log in to /admin.

Optional:

npx wrangler secret put OWNER_IG_USERNAME

That prevents your own comments from triggering auto-DMs (comments from the connected account ID are ignored anyway), and is used for DM links until the connection has been checked.

4. Deploy

npm run check
npm run deploy

Your endpoints will be:

https://manychat-lite-cloudflare.<your-subdomain>.workers.dev/
https://manychat-lite-cloudflare.<your-subdomain>.workers.dev/admin
https://manychat-lite-cloudflare.<your-subdomain>.workers.dev/webhook

5. Configure Meta

Meta setup is the fiddly part. The click path below is for the current Meta dashboard pattern where Instagram setup lives under Use cases.

This starter is built for Instagram API with Instagram Login:

https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0/{IG_USER_ID}/messages

Do not choose the Facebook Page token / graph.facebook.com/{PAGE_ID}/messages path unless you plan to adapt the code.

5.1. Prepare the Instagram account

  1. Open the Instagram account you want to test with.
  2. Make sure it is a Business or Creator account.
    • Mobile app: Profile -> menu -> Settings and privacy -> Account type and tools -> Switch to professional account.
  3. Make the account public while setting up the app. Meta's tester/token flow often fails silently for private accounts.
  4. Confirm you can log in to this Instagram account directly. You will need to accept a tester invitation from this account.

5.2. Create the Meta app with the Instagram use case

  1. Go to Meta for Developers.
  2. Click Create App.
  3. On the use case screen, choose Manage messaging and content on Instagram.
    • It may appear under a Content management category.
    • If Meta asks what you want the app to do, this is the option you want.
  4. Click Next.
  5. Enter an app name and contact email.
  6. If Meta asks for a business portfolio, choose one or skip it for local testing.
  7. Click Create app.
  8. Click Go to dashboard.

If you already created a blank app, open the app dashboard and use:

Use cases -> Manage messaging and content on Instagram -> Customize

That should add the Instagram product and the API setup with Instagram login screen.

5.3. Add the Instagram tester account

In development mode, Meta only lets app roles and testers authenticate. Add your Instagram account as a tester before generating tokens.

  1. In the Meta app dashboard, open App roles or Roles in the left sidebar.
  2. Click Roles if there is a nested roles page.
  3. Click Add people.
  4. Choose Instagram Tester.
  5. Enter the Instagram username without @.
  6. Click Add.
  7. The account will usually show as Pending.

Now accept the invite from Instagram:

  1. Log in to that Instagram account on web or mobile.
  2. Go to Settings.
  3. Open Website permissions.
  4. Open Apps and websites.
  5. Open Tester invitations.
  6. Find your Meta app and click Accept.
  7. Go back to the Meta app dashboard and refresh. The tester should now show as active.

If you see Insufficient developer role, this invite was not accepted or you are logged into the wrong Instagram account.

5.4. Authenticate the Instagram account and generate a token

  1. In the Meta app dashboard, open:
Use cases -> Manage messaging and content on Instagram -> Customize
  1. Find API setup with Instagram login.
    • In some dashboards it appears as Instagram -> API setup with Instagram login.
  2. Find the Instagram accounts or Generate access tokens section.
  3. Click Add account or Add Instagram account.
  4. Log in with the same Instagram Business/Creator account you added as a tester.
  5. Approve the requested permissions.
  6. Back in the dashboard, click Generate token for that account.
  7. Copy the token. This becomes INSTAGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN.

The permissions you want for this starter are:

instagram_business_basic
instagram_business_manage_comments
instagram_business_manage_messages

instagram_business_manage_comments is needed for comment webhooks and public replies. instagram_business_manage_messages is needed for private replies, DM replies, conversation starters and follower checks. instagram_business_basic covers the connection check and token renewal.

5.5. Get the Instagram user ID

If Meta shows an Instagram user ID beside the connected account, copy it. That value becomes IG_USER_ID.

If not, run:

curl -G "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0/me" \
  --data-urlencode "fields=user_id,username" \
  --data-urlencode "access_token=PASTE_INSTAGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN"

Use the returned user_id as IG_USER_ID. It is the ID webhooks use as the recipient, and the connection check expects the token to belong to it.

5.6. Copy the app secret

In the Meta app dashboard:

App settings -> Basic -> App secret

Click Show, copy it, and use it as INSTAGRAM_APP_SECRET.

The Worker uses this to verify Meta webhook signatures. If your dashboard shows an Instagram-specific app secret under the Instagram setup page, use that value.

5.7. Configure the webhook

Deploy the Worker before this step, because Meta will immediately call your URL to verify it.

  1. In Meta's app dashboard, open:
Use cases -> Manage messaging and content on Instagram -> Customize
  1. Find the Webhooks section.
    • In some dashboards this is under Instagram -> Webhooks.
    • In older dashboards this is under Products -> Webhooks.
  2. Click Configure.
  3. Callback URL:
https://manychat-lite-cloudflare.<your-subdomain>.workers.dev/webhook
  1. Verify token: paste the same value you set as WEBHOOK_VERIFY_TOKEN.
  2. Click Verify and save or Save.
  3. Click Manage for webhook fields and subscribe to:
Field Used for
comments Comment keyword rules (private reply and public reply)
messages Incoming DMs, DM keyword replies, story replies and story mentions
messaging_postbacks Conversation starter taps
messaging_referral Links to specific replies (ig.me links) and their source

Only comments is required for comment auto-DMs. Add the other three when you use the DM tools.

5.8. Subscribe the Instagram account to the app

Configuring the callback URL does not subscribe your account by itself. Subscribe the professional account through /{ig-user-id}/subscribed_apps:

curl -X POST "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0/PASTE_IG_USER_ID/subscribed_apps" \
  --data-urlencode "subscribed_fields=comments,messages,messaging_postbacks,messaging_referral" \
  --data-urlencode "access_token=PASTE_INSTAGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN"

Check the result:

curl -G "https://graph.instagram.com/v25.0/PASTE_IG_USER_ID/subscribed_apps" \
  --data-urlencode "access_token=PASTE_INSTAGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN"

The response should list your app and the four fields. Confirm the same fields in the Meta app dashboard.

5.9. Test the Meta side

  1. Keep DRY_RUN set to "true" in wrangler.jsonc.
  2. Deploy:
npm run deploy
  1. Tail logs:
npx wrangler tail
  1. Comment one of your rule keywords, such as GUIDE, on a fresh post from another Instagram account.
  2. Look for dry_run_private_reply in the logs and a Test match in the dashboard's activity list. DMs log dry_run_dm_reply.
  3. If that works, set DRY_RUN to "false", deploy again, and test a fresh comment.

5.10. Common Meta setup problems

Meta setup and app review are the hardest parts of this project. The code is small; the platform permissions are the work.

Useful official Meta docs to keep open:

6. Add a Rule

Open /admin, log in with ADMIN_TOKEN, click New automation and create a rule:

Comments match keywords without case sensitivity. Instagram limits DM text to 1,000 characters (640 with a link button) and each public reply to 2,200 characters; the form checks this. The KEYWORD and PRIVATE_REPLY_TEXT values in wrangler.jsonc act as one extra fallback rule when no dashboard rule matches.

Comment GUIDE on a fresh Instagram post and watch logs:

npx wrangler tail

If DRY_RUN=true, you should see a dry_run_private_reply log. When ready, set DRY_RUN to "false" in wrangler.jsonc, deploy again, and test with a real comment.

Instagram Token Renewal

Tokens from API setup with Instagram login expire after about 60 days. A daily cron (06:00 UTC, set in wrangler.jsonc) checks the connection and renews the token before it expires:

  1. After deploying with a new token, open Connection in the dashboard and click Check connection. This verifies the token belongs to IG_USER_ID and starts the renewal schedule.
  2. The first renewal waits 48 hours, because Meta cannot refresh a token issued less than 24 hours ago. Later renewals run every 30 days.
  3. Renewed tokens are stored in D1, AES-GCM encrypted with a key derived from the INSTAGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN secret. That secret stays the bootstrap credential; keep it configured. Private replies, DMs, public replies and DM tools always use the current token.
  4. Replacing the INSTAGRAM_ACCESS_TOKEN secret starts a new renewal schedule and ignores the previous token state.

The Connection panel shows the last check, next renewal, expiry and any error. Temporary failures keep the working token and retry the next day. If Meta revokes access, the token expires, or it belongs to another account, the dashboard shows Reconnect required: generate a new token in Meta, replace the secret and check the connection again. Checks and renewal are off in test mode.

DM Tools

Every DM tool sends either a keyword rule's DM (its message and link button) or a custom reply: a plain text reply managed in DM tools, such as "Ask a question". A paused rule pauses every starter, story rule and link that points at it. A rule or custom reply cannot be deleted while a starter or story rule still uses it.

In test mode, DM tools record Test match activity, but they never publish starters, look up profiles or send messages.

Conversation Starters

Up to four buttons shown when someone opens a new chat with you in the Instagram mobile app. Each button has a title (up to 80 characters) and a reply.

Save DM settings stores the configuration. Publish saved starters separately updates Instagram, then reads the configuration back and only marks it Published when it matches. To remove starters, turn them off, save, and publish the removal. Requires the messaging_postbacks webhook field.

Story Replies

A story rule matches replies to your stories (and story mentions) by any combination of story ID, story or link-sticker URL, and keyword; all filled fields must match. Keywords match whole words without case sensitivity, so GUIDE matches "guide!" but not "guidebook". A keyword without a story applies to replies to every story.

Rules for a specific story take priority over keyword-only rules. A paused matching rule blocks the reply instead of falling through to a broader rule. Up to 30 story rules can be saved. Story IDs appear in the DM activity list. Story media URLs can expire, so prefer a story ID or a link-sticker URL. Requires the messages webhook field.

Links to your DMs lists one link per rule and custom reply:

https://ig.me/<username>?ref=rule-3__website
https://ig.me/<username>?ref=text-ask__newsletter

The username comes from the connection check, or OWNER_IG_USERNAME until the connection has been checked. The part after __ is a source (1-80 letters, numbers, hyphens or underscores) that shows up in the DM activity list. Links open Instagram on mobile. In an existing chat the reply is sent when the link is opened; in a new chat, after the person sends a message or taps a starter. Requires the messaging_referral webhook field.

Follower Status

Turn on Check follower status for incoming DMs to look up the sender's username and whether they follow you after they message you or tap a starter. Opening a link alone does not allow that lookup, and this does not message new followers.

Optional opening lines for followers and non-followers (up to 80 characters each) are added before the reply when the result still fits Instagram's limit; otherwise the reply is sent unchanged. Lookups are cached for 24 hours (failures for five minutes). If the status is unavailable, the usual reply is sent.

Keyword Replies in DMs

Turn on Reply when a DM contains an automation keyword to answer DMs with the matching rule's DM. Only active rules count, and keywords must appear as whole words. It is off by default. Requires the messages webhook field.

The order for an incoming DM is: starter tap, then story rule, then DM keyword, then ig.me link.

Local Development

Run the Worker locally with a local D1 database:

cp .dev.vars.example .dev.vars
npx wrangler d1 migrations apply manychat-lite-cloudflare --local
npm run dev

Open http://localhost:8787/admin and log in with the ADMIN_TOKEN value from .dev.vars. .dev.vars is git-ignored; keep real credentials out of .dev.vars.example.

Demo Data

To fill the dashboard with a fictional creator's rules, comments and DMs, load scripts/demo-data.sql into the local database:

npx wrangler d1 execute manychat-lite-cloudflare --local --file scripts/demo-data.sql

Never run it with --remote: it replaces the DM tools settings and adds fake activity. Running it again replaces the previous demo rows. The demo includes a connection record that matches the placeholder values in .dev.vars.example, so copy that file unchanged to see the Connection panel filled in.

Send a Signed Test Webhook

With the placeholder INSTAGRAM_APP_SECRET and IG_USER_ID from .dev.vars.example:

BODY='{"object":"instagram","entry":[{"id":"your-instagram-professional-account-id","changes":[{"field":"comments","value":{"id":"local-test-1","text":"GUIDE please","from":{"id":"123","username":"local_tester"}}}]}]}'
SIG=$(printf '%s' "$BODY" | openssl dgst -sha256 -hmac "from-instagram-api-setup-page" | sed 's/^.* //')
curl -X POST http://localhost:8787/webhook \
  -H "content-type: application/json" \
  -H "x-hub-signature-256: sha256=$SIG" \
  -d "$BODY"

The comment shows up in the dashboard's activity list as a test match.

Tests

npm test              # Node test runner (Node 22.13+)
npm run test:runtime  # token renewal and DM tools inside workerd (Miniflare)
npm run check         # TypeScript and wrangler deploy --dry-run

npm test bundles the Worker with esbuild, applies every migration to an isolated in-memory SQLite database and mocks all Meta requests. It covers signed webhooks, comment rules, rotating public replies, retries, test mode, dashboard auth and escaping, token renewal, DM routing, DM tools settings, stats and the demo data. npm run test:runtime runs the token and DM tools modules in Cloudflare's runtime with local D1. Nothing is sent to Instagram.

Deploying Updates

Apply pending migrations before deploying a new version:

npx wrangler d1 migrations apply manychat-lite-cloudflare --remote
npm run check
npm run deploy

To turn on real sends, set DRY_RUN to "false" in wrangler.jsonc and deploy again.

Turning This Into a ManyChat-Style SaaS

This repo is the single-account core. To support other creators, add these layers:

  1. OAuth onboarding Let creators connect their Instagram professional account through Meta OAuth instead of manually pasting tokens.

  2. Tenant model Add tables for users, workspaces, connected_instagram_accounts, access_tokens, rules, events, and subscriptions.

  3. Webhook routing Route incoming webhook events by Instagram account ID, then load that account's rules and tokens.

  4. Token storage This starter already renews and encrypts one account's token. A SaaS needs the same per connected account, with revocation and key rotation.

  5. Background delivery Use Cloudflare Queues for retries, rate-limit handling, and webhook bursts.

  6. Billing Add a plan model such as free trial, creator, and agency. Limit by connected accounts, rule count, or monthly matched comments.

  7. Meta review Prepare a privacy policy, data deletion instructions, screencast, test account, and clear explanation of how your app uses Instagram permissions.

  8. Abuse controls Add per-account send limits, audit logs, opt-out language, and safeguards against spammy keyword campaigns.

Suggested Database Tables for SaaS

CREATE TABLE workspaces (
  id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
  name TEXT NOT NULL,
  created_at TEXT NOT NULL
);

CREATE TABLE connected_instagram_accounts (
  id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
  workspace_id TEXT NOT NULL,
  ig_user_id TEXT NOT NULL,
  username TEXT,
  encrypted_access_token TEXT NOT NULL,
  token_expires_at TEXT,
  created_at TEXT NOT NULL,
  updated_at TEXT NOT NULL
);

CREATE TABLE rules (
  id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
  workspace_id TEXT NOT NULL,
  ig_account_id TEXT NOT NULL,
  label TEXT NOT NULL,
  keywords TEXT NOT NULL,
  reply_text TEXT NOT NULL,
  public_reply_text TEXT,
  link_url TEXT,
  link_button_label TEXT,
  active INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 1,
  created_at TEXT NOT NULL,
  updated_at TEXT NOT NULL
);

CREATE TABLE comment_events (
  comment_id TEXT PRIMARY KEY,
  workspace_id TEXT NOT NULL,
  ig_account_id TEXT NOT NULL,
  media_id TEXT,
  username TEXT,
  comment_text TEXT NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  matched INTEGER NOT NULL DEFAULT 0,
  status TEXT NOT NULL,
  matched_rule_id INTEGER,
  matched_keyword TEXT,
  error TEXT,
  received_at TEXT NOT NULL,
  sent_at TEXT
);

Useful Commands

npm run dev
npm test
npm run check
npm run deploy
npm run types

npx wrangler d1 execute manychat-lite-cloudflare --remote --command "SELECT comment_id, username, status, received_at, sent_at FROM comment_events ORDER BY received_at DESC LIMIT 20"

npx wrangler d1 execute manychat-lite-cloudflare --remote --command "SELECT message_id, source, status, matched_choice, received_at FROM message_events ORDER BY received_at DESC LIMIT 20"

npx wrangler d1 execute manychat-lite-cloudflare --remote --command "SELECT label, keywords, active FROM rules ORDER BY id"

Important Limits

Files to Start With

manychat-lite-cloudflare (paulmil11/manychat-lite-cloudflare)

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174 ·GitHub
Manychat-lite-cloudflare
What is this?A self-hosted starter that auto-replies to Instagram comments and DMs, like a lightweight ManyChat clone, running on Cloudflare Workers.
Is this a ready-made SaaS or a starter kit I build on?It is a single-account prototype starter, not a multi-tenant SaaS. The README says to keep it as-is for one creator, and add OAuth, billing and per-account token storage yourself if you want a real SaaS clone.
How do I get it running?Install dependencies, create a Cloudflare D1 database and apply migrations, set secrets like WEBHOOKVERIFYTOKEN and ADMINTOKEN, then deploy the Worker and configure the Meta webhook to point at it.
What do I need from Meta to connect Instagram?A Meta Developer app with the Instagram use case, a Business or Creator Instagram account added as a tester, and an access token with comment and message management permissions plus the app secret for webhook verification.
What's the main catch when setting this up?Meta's app setup is the hard, fiddly part: it only works for your own tester account in development mode, DMs only go through within Instagram's 24-hour reply window, and reaching other creators' accounts needs full Meta app review with Advanced Access.
Who is this built for?Solo creators or small businesses who want comment-to-DM automation on their own Instagram account without paying for a ManyChat-style SaaS.
Where does this run?It runs as a single Cloudflare Worker with a D1 database backing it; there's no separate server to manage.
How is the Instagram token stored?The Instagram access token is stored encrypted in the D1 database and auto-renewed before its 60-day expiry.
What happens if I don't go live right away?It defaults to DRYRUN=true (test mode), where matched comments and DMs are logged as test matches but nothing is actually sent to Instagram until you switch DRYRUN to false.
What DM features does it support besides keyword auto-replies?Conversation starters (up to four buttons in new chats), story replies by story ID or keyword, follower-status checks with different opening lines, custom text replies, and shareable links that open a specific reply.
Is there an admin UI to manage automations?Yes, a password-protected dashboard at /admin lets you manage keyword rules with a live DM preview, DM tools, reply stats, and comment/DM activity logs.
Are there limits on message length?Instagram DM text is capped at 1,000 characters (640 with a link button) and public comment replies at 2,200 characters; the dashboard form enforces these.
What are similar projects?DoulorCloud, cloudflare_temp_email, goshen-email, x_gift_bot, open-compute, all-set-tw, nodewarden, mailflare
Which topics is it in?social-media-automation, cloudflare-d1, marketing-automation, webhook, bot, marketing, cloudflare-workers, admin-dashboard, serverless, saas, cloudflare, oauth
Creator
paulmil11
Size
0.7 MB
Stars
174
Updated
CommitOct 14
Age
3mo
Commits · 90 Days