WhatsApp Glossary

Key terms around WhatsApp usernames, links, and the Business Platform, explained simply.

Usernames

WhatsApp usernames are rolling out in phases as a way to reach someone without knowing their number. This is the hub of the site: it ties together everything involved in creating, sharing, protecting, and validating a username — links, QR codes, the Username Key, availability, privacy, security, the API, and the business use case (BSUID).

API
WhatsUsernames.link's public REST API for generating links, validating usernames, and creating QR codes programmatically.
Availability
The state of a username: whether it's free to claim or already taken by another account.
Business
Use of usernames by business accounts on the WhatsApp Business Platform, including BSUID validation.
Privacy
The difference in data exposure between sharing a @username and sharing a phone number on WhatsApp.
QR Code
A QR code generated from a username link, for visual sharing (business card, storefront, bio).
Security
Threats and good security practices around using WhatsApp (scams, malware, fake accounts).
Username Key
A short code assigned by WhatsApp that travels with a username and identifies the account unambiguously, even if another account picked the same name.
Username Link
A shareable link (e.g. wa.me or an alternative) that opens a WhatsApp conversation from an @username.

Other terms

Business Platform
The WhatsApp Business Platform (Cloud API) — the official business platform that BSUID and webhook endpoints operate on.
Channels
WhatsApp Channels — one-way broadcast channels for followers, separate from 1:1 conversations.
Communities
WhatsApp Communities — a grouping of several groups under one shared structure.
Phone Links
A WhatsApp link generated from a phone number (wa.me/<number>), the older alternative to the username link.
WhatsApp Glossary — WhatsUsernames.link