Send SMS with Rails
Send a text from Rails with a small service object over TextKit's REST API. No gem to install.
Prompt for your AI agent
Paste this into Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent to have it do the integration:
Add SMS sending to this Rails project with TextKit.
- Docs for this stack: https://jointextkit.com/docs/send-with-rails.md
- API: POST https://api.jointextkit.com/v1/messages with `Authorization: Bearer
<key>` and a JSON body `{"to": "+1...", "body": "..."}`.
- There is no Ruby gem: POST JSON to https://api.jointextkit.com/v1/messages
with Net::HTTP from a service object, and call it from an Active Job.
- 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 and copy the test key
(
ssms_sk_test_...) from Home in the console. It works at once, no card. - Rails 6 or later.
- Put the key in an environment variable:
export TEXTKIT_API_KEY=ssms_sk_test_...1. Add a service object
Create app/services/textkit.rb:
require "net/http"
class Textkit
ENDPOINT = URI("https://api.jointextkit.com/v1/messages")
class Error < StandardError; end
def self.send_sms(to:, body:)
req = Net::HTTP::Post.new(ENDPOINT)
req["Authorization"] = "Bearer #{ENV.fetch("TEXTKIT_API_KEY")}"
req["Content-Type"] = "application/json"
req.body = { to: to, body: body }.to_json
res = Net::HTTP.start(ENDPOINT.hostname, ENDPOINT.port, use_ssl: true) { |http| http.request(req) }
data = JSON.parse(res.body)
raise Error, "#{data.dig("error", "code")}: #{data.dig("error", "message")}" unless res.is_a?(Net::HTTPSuccess)
data
end
end2. Send a test
bin/rails runner 'puts Textkit.send_sms(to: "+15005550006", body: "Hello from TextKit")["id"]'It prints the message ID (msg_...).
3. Send from a job
class SendSmsJob < ApplicationJob
queue_as :default
def perform(to, body)
Textkit.send_sms(to: to, body: body)
end
endSendSmsJob.perform_later(user.phone, "Your order shipped.")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.
Handle errors
Textkit.send_sms raises Textkit::Error with the API's code. A failed request returns a 4xx status and a JSON body
{"error": {"code": "...", "message": "...", "param": "..."}}. On 429 rate_limited, wait the Retry-After seconds and try again. Send an
Idempotency-Key header (any unique string per message) and a retried request
returns the first result instead of sending 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.
Go live
- Add a number in the console.
- 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.
- Swap in a live key (
ssms_sk_live_...). The code stays the same.
Next steps
- Webhooks: delivery receipts and replies, pushed to your server.
- Verify: one-time codes in two calls, billed only when verified.
- Send an SMS: every field the endpoint takes.
- All quickstarts: the same guide for other languages and frameworks.