bird sms send

Usage

Code example

bird sms send [flags]

Sending is outbound and irreversible: it reports "accepted", not "delivered" — read the message back with "bird sms get" to confirm delivery. Send free text with --text (and --category), or a stored template with --template (browse them with "bird sms templates list").

Build the request from flags, a JSON SMSMessageSendRequest body via --body-file ("-" reads stdin), or both — a flag overrides the matching body field. Run --example to print a ready-to-edit body, or --dry-run to print the resolved request without sending it.

Examples

Code example

# print the body shape (no credentials needed)
bird sms send --example

# the body it prints:

Code example

{
  "category": "authentication",
  "from": "+15557654321",
  "metadata": {
    "user_id": "usr_12345"
  },
  "options": {
    "smart_encoding": true
  },
  "tags": [
    {
      "name": "campaign",
      "value": "signup"
    }
  ],
  "text": "Your verification code is 123456.",
  "to": "+14155550100"
}

Code example

# send by template with variable values
bird sms send --to +15551234567 --template bird_otp_verification --parameters '{"code":"123456"}'

# preview the resolved request without sending
bird sms send --body-file body.json --dry-run

Options

Routing

Name	Description
--to	Recipient phone number in E.164 format (e.g. +15551234567)
--from	Sender: an E.164 number, an alphanumeric sender ID, or a short code. Required with --text; not accepted with --template

Content

Name	Description
--text	Free-text message body (mutually exclusive with --template)
--category	Content classification: transactional, marketing, authentication, or service (required with --text)
--template	Send by a stored template: its id (smt_…) or slug (mutually exclusive with --text)
--language	Template language as a BCP-47 tag (e.g. fr); template sends only
--parameters	Template variable values as a JSON object; template sends only

Labels & metadata

Name	Description
--tag <key=value>	Tag as name=value; repeatable
--metadata	Arbitrary JSON metadata object

Request

Name	Description
--body-file	Read the JSON request body from this file; "-" reads stdin
--example	Print a complete example request body, then exit
--dry-run	Print the resolved request without sending it, then exit
--idempotency-key	Deduplication key; a retry with the same key won't act twice

Options

Name	Description
--smart-encoding	Replace characters outside the GSM-7 alphabet (curly quotes, dashes, ellipses) with their closest equivalent, which often lowers the segment count and the cost. Off by default, since it alters the body you wrote; pass --smart-encoding to opt this send in
--response-schema	Print the fields this command returns, then exit

Name	Description
bird sms get	Get an SMS message
bird sms list	List SMS messages
bird sms list-events	List events for an SMS message

Related resources

Continue with the documentation, guides and examples for this topic. Resources are in English.

Watch the guideSending your first SMS Understand the conceptWhat does SMS mean?Explore the capabilitySMS Follow the learning pathBuild your first integration

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