What the Developer API is for, in plain English
A non-technical overview. What it is, what it isn't, and who it's for.
Getwello already does the quiet daily check-in well, on its own. The Developer API is an extra door, off to the side, that you can choose to open if you want Getwello to talk to the rest of your house.
A real example
It is 8:14 on a Tuesday. Mum taps her check-in. Your kitchen Sonos softly says "Mum has just checked in" while you are making the school lunches. No phone in hand, no notification, no friction.
Or, in the evening: you ask Claude on your laptop "anything from Mum today?" and it tells you "checked in at 8:14, mood fine, your brother is visiting Thursday afternoon". No Getwello app to open.
Both of those are powered by the Developer API. We hand the data over to your house; what your house does with it is up to you.
Three pieces, all included in £4.99
- REST API: a standard web address (
https://getwello.co.uk/api/v1) that your tools can ask for data. Use for reads (what is happening) and writes (post in the Family Room). - MCP server: a tiny program that lets Claude (and any other MCP-compatible AI) ask the API on your behalf. Conversational.
- Webhooks: rather than your tools asking us every minute, we push to a URL you give us the moment something happens. Quieter and faster.
Do I have to be a developer?
No. You need either:
- A technically minded family member who can wire it up once, or
- A no-code tool like Home Assistant or n8n that already knows how to listen to webhooks and call APIs.
Once it is wired up, it sits in the background forever. You only need to "set it up" once.
Who can use it
Only Coordinators. The page under Settings → Developer API is not visible to Support Members or Check-in Members. If you are a Support Member who wants an integration, ask the Coordinator in your Circle to mint a key.
What it cannot do
By design:
- It cannot tap "I'm well" on behalf of a Check-in Member. The check-in is a human act, not an automation.
- It cannot send voice notes or photos as the Check-in Member.
- It cannot read data from Circles you do not Coordinate.
- It stops working the same day your subscription lapses, and starts again the moment you resubscribe.
What to read next
More on developer api, mcp and webhooks
- Create your first API key
- Set up the Getwello MCP server with Claude Desktop
- What webhooks are, and why you would want one
- Set up your first webhook
- Recipe: Sonos announces "Mum has just checked in" via Home Assistant
- Troubleshooting integrations
- Set up Getwello with Slack, end to end
- Set up Getwello with Amazon Alexa
- Set up Getwello with Apple Shortcuts and Siri
- Set up Getwello with Google Home and Nest
- Set up Getwello with Zapier
- Set up Getwello with Notion
- Set up Getwello with n8n
- Set up Getwello with Make.com
- Set up Getwello with Discord
- Set up Getwello with Microsoft Teams
- Set up Getwello with Telegram
- Set up Getwello with IFTTT
- Set up Getwello with Pushover
- Set up Getwello with Cursor
- Set up Getwello with Ollama
- Set up Getwello with Apple HomeKit
- Set up Getwello with SmartThings
- Set up Getwello with Hubitat
- Set up Getwello with Tasker
- Set up Getwello with Sonos
- Set up Getwello with Google Calendar
- Set up Getwello with Apple Calendar
- Set up Getwello with Obsidian
- Set up Getwello with ntfy
Didn't answer your question?
Email hello@getwello.co.uk