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One-Time Passcode Verification (OTP)

Created by: Twilio

Verify
JavaScript
Popular
Quick Deploy

This app will show you an example of how to build a one-time passcode (OTP) experience using SMS, WhatsApp, voice, or email* with the Twilio Verify API.

This sample uses function templates to quickly create and deploy serverless functions you can use to interface with the Twilio Verify API from your production application. The interface provided shows off available features including channel selection and language preference.

otp code exchange template view with phone number input and channel selection.

How it works:

User enters their phone number or email
App generates an authentication token
App sends the token via selected channel to the user
User enters the correct token
App verifies the token

For more information, check out this blog post on serverless phone verification. For interface best practices including retry logic and channel fallback, check out best practices for managing retry logic with SMS 2FA.

*Note: email channel requires additional configuration, follow the instructions in the docs.

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Quick Deploy to TwilioGet CodeUse Twilio CLI

Currently only available in JavaScript. Request hosting support for other languages

Install Node.js
The Node.js runtime is required to run the Twilio CLI and the sample code.
Download and install Node.js
Install Twilio CLI
The Twilio CLI is a command line tool that allows you to interact with Twilio APIs and services, and is necessary to deploy this template.
The suggested way to install the Twilio CLI on macOS is to use Homebrew. If you don't already have it installed, visit the Homebrew site for installation instructions and then return here.
Once you have installed Homebrew, run the following command to install the Twilio CLI:
brew tap twilio/brew && brew install twilio
Not using macOS? View the docs on all other installation methods.
Install the Serverless Toolkit
Beyond the base commands, Twilio CLI's functionality can be extended through plugins. In this case, the Serverless Toolkit plugin is needed to deploy the serverless functions that will power this template.
twilio plugins:install @twilio-labs/plugin-serverless
Learn more about Twilio CLI plugins
Login to the Twilio CLI
In order for the CLI to access your Twilio account and execute commands on your behalf, you need to log in and provide your Twilio credentials. This can be done by running:
twilio login
You will be prompted for your Account SID and Auth Token, both of which you can find on the dashboard of your Twilio console.
Create and configure a project with this template
To create a new project with the name example and the current template, run the following command:
twilio serverless:init example --template=verify
This will create a new directory called example (or whatever name you picked) and will download all necessary files and dependencies for you.
(information)
Check your template's README
Depending on the template, there might be additional setup instructions necessary to make the project work.
Check the instructions for this template to see if there are any additional steps to complete.
Host on Twilio
You can now deploy your code by running the following command:
cd example twilio serverless:deploy

One-Time Passcode Verification (OTP)

Check your template's README