# Send a message

`POST /api/v1/chat`

Send a prompt to an employee and get their response. Same execution pipeline as web chat — same skills, tools, memory, and billing.

## Body parameters

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `employee_id` | uuid | yes | The employee to message. The UUID is in the employee profile URL. |
| `prompt` | string | yes | Your message or instruction. |

## Response

| Name | Type | Required | Description |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| `message_id` | uuid | no | Unique ID for this exchange. |
| `employee_id` | uuid | no | The employee that responded. |
| `content` | string | no | The employee’s response text. |

## Error responses

| Status | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| 400 | Bad request — missing fields, invalid UUID, or malformed JSON |
| 401 | Invalid or missing API key |
| 403 | Channel not enabled, or email not verified |
| 413 | Request body exceeds 64 KB |
| 429 | Rate limit exceeded — see Retry-After header |
| 502 | Employee unreachable (infrastructure error) |
| 504 | Employee timed out (5 minute limit) |

## Request - cURL

```
curl -X POST https://sistava.com/api/v1/chat \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer sk-your-api-key" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "employee_id": "YOUR_EMPLOYEE_UUID",
    "prompt": "Draft a follow-up email for the client meeting."
  }'
```

## Request - Python

```
import requests

r = requests.post(
    "https://sistava.com/api/v1/chat",
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer sk-your-api-key"},
    json={
        "employee_id": "YOUR_EMPLOYEE_UUID",
        "prompt": "Draft a follow-up email for the client meeting.",
    },
)
print(r.json()["content"])
```

## Request - Node

```
const r = await fetch("https://sistava.com/api/v1/chat", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": "Bearer sk-your-api-key",
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    employee_id: "YOUR_EMPLOYEE_UUID",
    prompt: "What tasks are pending this week?",
  }),
});
const { content } = await r.json();
console.log(content);
```

## Response 200

```json
{
  "message_id": "a1b2c3d4-...",
  "employee_id": "YOUR_EMPLOYEE_UUID",
  "content": "Here is the follow-up email..."
}
```

Concepts and walkthrough: https://sistava.com/en/guide/channels/api

API reference index: https://sistava.com/en/docs