Prerequisites

To successfully implement the Messenger Platform you will need to understand the following components.

Access Tokens

An access token is an opaque string that identifies an app, Facebook Page, or person and can be used by an app to securely call the Meta social graph. An access token provides temporary, secure access to specific endpoints that allows a business Page or Instagram Professional account to send and receive messages from persons. Learn more about access tokens here.

Advanced & Standard Access

There are two access levels for apps for business Pages, Standard Access and Advanced Access. Standard Access is the default access level when you first register your app with Meta. Standard Access allows you to get data for people who have a Role in your apps, such as a developer, testers, or administrators. Advanced Access allows your app to get data for people who use your app but do not have a Role on your app or a Role on the business Page that claimed the app. Learn more about App Roles, App Types, and Advanced and Standard Access.

Due to the limited scope for Standard Access, some features may not work properly until your app has been granted Advanced Access. This may limit any test apps you use.

CDN URLs

Messenger Platform leverages Content Design Network (CDN) URLs which allow you to retrieve rich media content shared by Instagram users. The CDN URL is privacy-aware and will not return the media when the content has been deleted or has expired.

Facebook Login

In order for a person to allow your Page or Instagram Professional account to send the person a message, you will need to ask for their permission to do so. To ask for these permissions you will need to implement Facebook Login. Learn more.

Facebook Page

A Facebook Page is required to send and receive messages using the Messenger Platform. Learn more.