# Send SMS with Django

Source: https://jointextkit.com/docs/send-with-django
Index: https://jointextkit.com/llms.txt

Send a text from Django with the TextKit Python SDK: from a management command to test, then from your views and tasks.

## Prompt for your AI agent

Paste this into Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent to have it do the
integration:

```text
Add SMS sending to this Django project with TextKit.

- Docs for this stack: https://jointextkit.com/docs/send-with-django.md
- API: POST https://api.jointextkit.com/v1/messages with `Authorization: Bearer
  <key>` and a JSON body `{"to": "+1...", "body": "..."}`.
- Use the official SDK: `pip install jointextkit`, then
  `TextKit().messages.send(to=..., body=...)` from views, signals or background
  tasks.
- Read the key from the `TEXTKIT_API_KEY` environment variable. Never hardcode
  it or send it to the browser.
- Phone numbers are E.164 and US or Canada only (`+1` followed by 10 digits).
- A test key (`ssms_sk_test_`) simulates: `+15005550006` always ends `delivered`
  and no phone gets a text.
- Errors are JSON: `{"error": {"code", "message", "param"}}` with a 4xx status.
  On `429`, wait `Retry-After` seconds and retry.
- Send only from server code that runs after a real event (a signup, an order).
  Never expose an endpoint that texts any number a visitor types.
```

## Before you start

- **An API key.** [Create a free account](/signup) and copy the test key
  (`ssms_sk_test_...`) from Home in the console. It works at once, no card.
- **Python 3.8 or later and Django 4 or later.**
- Put the key in an environment variable:

```bash
export TEXTKIT_API_KEY=ssms_sk_test_...
```

## 1. Install the SDK

```bash
pip install jointextkit
```

## 2. Send a test from a management command

Create `yourapp/management/commands/send_test_sms.py` (with empty
`__init__.py` files in `management/` and `management/commands/`):

```python
from django.core.management.base import BaseCommand, CommandError
from jointextkit import TextKit, TextKitError


class Command(BaseCommand):
    help = "Send a test SMS with TextKit"

    def add_arguments(self, parser):
        parser.add_argument("to")

    def handle(self, *args, **options):
        try:
            message = TextKit().messages.send(to=options["to"], body="Hello from TextKit")
        except TextKitError as err:
            raise CommandError(f"{err.code}: {err}")
        self.stdout.write(f'{message["id"]} {message["status"]}')
```

```bash
python manage.py send_test_sms +15005550006
```

It prints the message ID (`msg_...`) and `delivered`.

## 3. Send from your app

Call the same line wherever something happens that deserves a text:

```python
from jointextkit import TextKit

sms = TextKit()  # reads TEXTKIT_API_KEY


def order_shipped(order):
    sms.messages.send(to=order.phone, body=f"Order {order.number} shipped.")
```

Run it from a background task (Celery, Django-Q, RQ) when the request should not
wait on the network.

## What the test key did

`+15005550006` is a sandbox number: the send comes back `delivered` and no
phone gets a text (the response says `"simulated": true`). Put your own
verified phone in `to` and the test key texts it for real. See
[Sandbox & test numbers](/docs/sandbox).

## Handle errors

The SDK raises `TextKitError` with the API's `code` and `status` (plus
`param` for a bad field and `retry_after` on a rate limit). It retries network
failures and `429`s for you, with an idempotency key, so a retry never sends twice.

| Status | Code | What to do |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 400 | `invalid_request` | A field is missing or malformed; `param` names it. |
| 401 | `invalid_api_key` | The key is missing, revoked or mistyped. |
| 402 | `insufficient_credits` | Add credits; nothing was sent or charged. |
| 403 | `recipient_opted_out` | They texted STOP. Do not retry. |
| 429 | `rate_limited` | Wait `Retry-After` seconds, then retry. |

Every code is in [Errors](/docs/errors).

## Go live

1. **Add a number** in the [console](/console).
2. **Register your use case.** We file your 10DLC registration; toll-free
   numbers use a guided verification form. Until carriers approve it, the number
   texts only your verified numbers. See [Compliance & registration](/docs/compliance).
3. **Swap in a live key** (`ssms_sk_live_...`). The code stays the same.

## Next steps

- [Webhooks](/docs/webhooks): delivery receipts and replies, pushed to your server.
- [Verify](/docs/verify): one-time codes in two calls, billed only when verified.
- [Send an SMS](/docs/api/messages/send): every field the endpoint takes.
- [All quickstarts](/docs/quickstarts): the same guide for other languages and frameworks.