First take on recipient node

chats-out.html

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
         defaults: {
             name: {value:"Chats Out"},
             whatsappLink: {value:"whatsapp-web", type:'whatsappLink'},
-            number: {value: ""}        
+            recipient: {value:"", type:'number-recipient', required:false}        
         },
         outputs:0,
         inputs:1,
@@ -27,17 +27,14 @@
         <input type="text" id="node-input-whatsappLink" placeholder="Name">
     </div>
     <div class="form-row">
-        <label for="node-input-number"><i class="fa fa-address-card-o"></i> Number</label>
-        <input type="text" id="node-input-number" placeholder="Mobile or Group Number..">
+        <label for="node-input-recipient"><i class="fa fa-user"></i> Recipient</label>
+        <input type="text" id="node-input-recipient" placeholder="Select or add recipient">
     </div>
     <div class="form-tips">
-        <p>Don't forget to mention international dialing code befor your number.
-        Number must be in format like <b>+11 99999 99999</b> without any space.</p>
-        <P><b>OR</b></P> 
-        <P>Leave the Number blank here and provide the number along with msg.paylod 
-            at `msg.toNumber` with international code.</P>
-        <p>To send message on multiple contacts an Arrar of number can be passed
-         on `msg.toNumber` like `msg.toNumber = ["+1199999999", "+12990000099", "+1311111111"].</p>
+        <p><b>Recipient:</b> Select a reusable Number Recipient configuration (optional).</p>
+        <p><b>Override at runtime:</b> Provide <code>msg.toNumber</code> to override the configured recipient.</p>
+        <p>Number format: <b>+11 99999 99999</b> (international dialing code, no spaces).</p>
+        <p>For multiple contacts, pass an array: <code>msg.toNumber = ["+1199999999", "+12990000099"]</code></p>
     </div>
 </script>
   

chats-out.js

@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
+const { formatChatNumber, formatChatNumberSocket } = require('./whatsapp-utils');
+
 module.exports = function(RED) {
     function WhatsappOut(config) {
         RED.nodes.createNode(this,config);
         var node = this;
-        node.number = config.number;
+        
+        // Get number from recipient config node if configured
+        var recipientNode = RED.nodes.getNode(config.recipient);
+        node.number = recipientNode ? recipientNode.number : null;
+        
         var whatsappLinkNode = RED.nodes.getNode(config.whatsappLink);
         node.waClient = whatsappLinkNode.client;
         const { MessageMedia, Buttons } = require('whatsapp-web.js');
@@ -13,103 +19,14 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
         };
         const delay = ms => new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
 
-        async function webNubmerSeteing(numb){
-            // Validate and clean the number
-            if (!numb) {
-                throw new Error('Number is required');
-            }
-            
-            // Convert to string if number
-            numb = typeof numb === 'number' ? numb.toString() : numb;
-            
-            // Check if it's already a formatted ID (contains @)
-            if (numb.includes('@')) {
-                return numb;
-            }
-            
-            // For group IDs, preserve the hyphen (format: NUMBER-TIMESTAMP@g.us)
-            // Only strip non-digits and non-hyphens for cleaning
-            numb = numb.replace(/[^\d-]/g, '');
-            
-            // Check if number is valid after cleaning
-            if (!numb || numb.length === 0) {
-                throw new Error('Invalid number format');
-            }
-            
-            // Check if it looks like a group ID (contains hyphen)
-            if (numb.includes('-')) {
-                // It's a group ID, format it directly without validation
-                return `${numb}@g.us`;
-            }
-            
-            // It's a regular phone number, validate with getNumberId
-            try {
-                var numbID = await node.waClient.getNumberId(numb);
-                if(numbID) {
-                    return `${numbID.user}@${numbID.server}`;
-                } else {
-                    return `${numb}@g.us`
-                }
-            } catch (e) {
-                node.error(`Error getting number ID for ${numb}: ${e.message}`);
-                throw e;
-            }
-        }
-
-        async function socNubmerSeteing(numb){
-            if (numb && numb.remoteJid){
-                return numb.remoteJid;
-            }
-            
-            // Validate and clean the number
-            if (!numb) {
-                throw new Error('Number is required');
-            }
-            
-            // Convert to string if number
-            numb = typeof numb === 'number' ? numb.toString() : numb;
-            
-            // Check if it's already a formatted ID (contains @)
-            if (numb.includes('@')) {
-                return numb;
-            }
-            
-            // For group IDs, preserve the hyphen (format: NUMBER-TIMESTAMP@g.us)
-            // Only strip non-digits and non-hyphens for cleaning
-            numb = numb.replace(/[^\d-]/g, '');
-            
-            // Check if number is valid after cleaning
-            if (!numb || numb.length === 0) {
-                throw new Error('Invalid number format');
-            }
-            
-            // Check if it looks like a group ID (contains hyphen)
-            if (numb.includes('-')) {
-                // It's a group ID, format it directly
-                return `${numb}@g.us`;
-            }
-            
-            // It's a regular phone number, validate with onWhatsApp
-            try {
-                const [result] = await (await node.waClient).onWhatsApp(numb)
-                if (result?.exists){
-                    return result.jid
-                }
-                return numb = `${numb}@g.us`;
-            } catch (e) {
-                node.error(`Error checking WhatsApp for ${numb}: ${e.message}`);
-                throw e;
-            }
-        }
-
         async function whatsappMessage(numb , inputMessage){
             if (node.waClient.clientType === "waWebClient"){
                 try {
-                    numb = await webNubmerSeteing(numb);
+                    numb = await formatChatNumber(numb, node.waClient, node);
                     if(typeof inputMessage === "object"){
                         inputMessage = new Buttons(inputMessage.text, inputMessage.buttons, "text" ,inputMessage.footer);
                     }
-                    node.waClient.sendMessage(numb, inputMessage);
+                    await node.waClient.sendMessage(numb, inputMessage);
                 }
                 catch(e){
                     node.error(`Error Sending Msg: ${e}`);
@@ -118,18 +35,18 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             else if (node.waClient.clientType === "waSocketClient"){
                 try {
                     let client = await node.waClient;
-                    numb = await socNubmerSeteing(numb)
+                    numb = await formatChatNumberSocket(numb, node.waClient, node);
                     if (typeof inputMessage ==="string"){
                         inputMessage = {text : inputMessage};
                     }
-                    const msgStatus = await client.sendMessage(numb, inputMessage);
+                    await client.sendMessage(numb, inputMessage);
                 }
                 catch(e) {
-                    node.error(`Error Sending Msg:: ${e}`);
+                    node.error(`Error Sending Msg: ${e}`);
                 }
             } 
             else { 
-                node.error(`Error Sending Msg: ${e}`)
+                node.error(`Error Sending Msg: Unknown client type`)
             }
             SetStatus("Message Send.", "green");
             setTimeout(()=>{
@@ -142,12 +59,12 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             var whatsappImageBase64 = whatsappImage.split(',')[1] || whatsappImage;
             try {
                 if (node.waClient.clientType === "waWebClient"){
-                    numb = await webNubmerSeteing(numb)
+                    numb = await formatChatNumber(numb, node.waClient, node);
                     var myMessage = new MessageMedia('image/png', whatsappImageBase64, null, null);
-                    node.waClient.sendMessage(numb, myMessage, {caption : whatsappCaption });
+                    await node.waClient.sendMessage(numb, myMessage, {caption : whatsappCaption });
                 } 
                 else {
-                    numb = await socNubmerSeteing(numb)
+                    numb = await formatChatNumberSocket(numb, node.waClient, node);
 
                     let imageToSend = Buffer.from(whatsappImageBase64, "base64");
                     const imageMessage = { 

group-out.html

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
         defaults: {
             name: {value:"Group Message"},
             whatsappLink: {value:"whatsapp-web", type:'whatsappLink'},
-            gID: {value: ""}        
+            recipient: {value:"", type:'group-recipient', required:false}        
         },
         outputs:0,
         inputs:1,
@@ -27,17 +27,14 @@
         <input type="text" id="node-input-whatsappLink" placeholder="Name">
     </div>
     <div class="form-row">
-        <label for="node-input-gID"><i class="fa fa-address-card-o"></i> Group ID </label>
-        <input type="text" id="node-input-gID" placeholder="Group Chat ID..">
+        <label for="node-input-recipient"><i class="fa fa-users"></i> Group Recipient</label>
+        <input type="text" id="node-input-recipient" placeholder="Select or add group recipient">
     </div>
     <div class="form-tips">
-        <p>Group chat IDs are numbers given to each chats in whatsapp. <br>
-            - For every message recived from whatsapp-chats-in Node,
-              Chat ID may be read at <b>msg.chatID</b>.<br>
-             <b>Or</b><br>
-            - Chat ID of group can also be recive from whatsapp-admin Node,
-              whenever the new group joined, Admin Node will notifiy the same.
-        </p>
+        <p><b>Recipient:</b> Select a reusable Group Recipient configuration (optional).</p>
+        <p><b>Override at runtime:</b> Provide <code>msg.toNumber</code> to override the configured recipient.</p>
+        <p>Group IDs are in format NUMBER-TIMESTAMP (e.g., 1234567890-1234567890).</p>
+        <p>Find group IDs from <code>msg.chatID</code> in chats-in node or from the admin node when joining groups.</p>
     </div>
 </script>
   

group-out.js

@@ -1,8 +1,14 @@
+const { formatGroupId, formatGroupIdSocket } = require('./whatsapp-utils');
+
 module.exports = function(RED) {
     function WhatsappGroupOut(config) {
         RED.nodes.createNode(this,config);
         var node = this;
-        node.number = config.gID;
+        
+        // Get group ID from recipient config node if configured
+        var recipientNode = RED.nodes.getNode(config.recipient);
+        node.number = recipientNode ? recipientNode.groupId : null;
+        
         var whatsappLinkNode = RED.nodes.getNode(config.whatsappLink);
         node.waClient = whatsappLinkNode.client;
 
@@ -13,105 +19,16 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
         };
         const delay = ms => new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, ms));
 
-
-        async function webNubmerSeteing(numb){
-            // Validate and clean the number
-            if (!numb) {
-                throw new Error('Number is required');
-            }
-            
-            // Convert to string if number
-            numb = typeof numb === 'number' ? numb.toString() : numb;
-            
-            // Check if it's already a formatted ID (contains @)
-            if (numb.includes('@')) {
-                return numb;
-            }
-            
-            // For group IDs, preserve the hyphen (format: NUMBER-TIMESTAMP@g.us)
-            // Only strip non-digits and non-hyphens for cleaning
-            numb = numb.replace(/[^\d-]/g, '');
-            
-            // Check if number is valid after cleaning
-            if (!numb || numb.length === 0) {
-                throw new Error('Invalid number format');
-            }
-            
-            // Check if it looks like a group ID (contains hyphen)
-            if (numb.includes('-')) {
-                // It's a group ID, format it directly without validation
-                return `${numb}@g.us`;
-            }
-            
-            // It's a regular phone number, validate with getNumberId
-            try {
-                var numbID = await node.waClient.getNumberId(numb);
-                if(numbID) {
-                    return `${numbID.user}@${numbID.server}`;
-                } else {
-                    return `${numb}@g.us`
-                }
-            } catch (e) {
-                node.error(`Error getting number ID for ${numb}: ${e.message}`);
-                throw e;
-            }
-        }
-
-        async function socNubmerSeteing(numb){
-            if (numb && numb.remoteJid){
-                return numb.remoteJid;
-            }
-            
-            // Validate and clean the number
-            if (!numb) {
-                throw new Error('Number is required');
-            }
-            
-            // Convert to string if number
-            numb = typeof numb === 'number' ? numb.toString() : numb;
-            
-            // Check if it's already a formatted ID (contains @)
-            if (numb.includes('@')) {
-                return numb;
-            }
-            
-            // For group IDs, preserve the hyphen (format: NUMBER-TIMESTAMP@g.us)
-            // Only strip non-digits and non-hyphens for cleaning
-            numb = numb.replace(/[^\d-]/g, '');
-            
-            // Check if number is valid after cleaning
-            if (!numb || numb.length === 0) {
-                throw new Error('Invalid number format');
-            }
-            
-            // Check if it looks like a group ID (contains hyphen)
-            if (numb.includes('-')) {
-                // It's a group ID, format it directly
-                return `${numb}@g.us`;
-            }
-            
-            // It's a regular phone number, validate with onWhatsApp
-            try {
-                const [result] = await (await node.waClient).onWhatsApp(numb)
-                if (result?.exists){
-                    return result.jid
-                }
-                return numb = `${numb}@g.us`;
-            } catch (e) {
-                node.error(`Error checking WhatsApp for ${numb}: ${e.message}`);
-                throw e;
-            }
-        }
-
-        async function whatsappMessage(numb , inputMessage){
+        async function whatsappMessage(gID , inputMessage){
             if (node.waClient.clientType === "waWebClient"){
                 try {
-                    numb = await webNubmerSeteing(numb);
+                    gID = await formatGroupId(gID, node.waClient, node);
                     if(typeof inputMessage === "object"){
                         inputMessage = new Buttons(inputMessage.text, inputMessage.buttons, "text" ,inputMessage.footer);
-                        node.waClient.sendMessage(numb, inputMessage);
+                        await node.waClient.sendMessage(gID, inputMessage);
+                    } else {
+                        await node.waClient.sendMessage(gID, inputMessage);
                     }
-                    node.waClient.sendMessage(numb, inputMessage);
                 }
                 catch(e){
                     node.error(`Error Sending Msg: ${e}`);
@@ -120,18 +37,18 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             else if (node.waClient.clientType === "waSocketClient"){
                 try {
                     let client = await node.waClient;
-                    numb = await socNubmerSeteing(numb)
+                    gID = await formatGroupIdSocket(gID, node.waClient, node);
                     if (typeof inputMessage ==="string"){
                         inputMessage = {text : inputMessage};
                     }
-                    const msgStatus = await client.sendMessage(numb, inputMessage);
+                    await client.sendMessage(gID, inputMessage);
                 }
                 catch(e) {
-                    node.error(`Error Sending Msg:: ${e}`);
+                    node.error(`Error Sending Msg: ${e}`);
                 }
             } 
             else { 
-                node.error(`Error Sending Msg: ${e}`)
+                node.error(`Error Sending Msg: Unknown client type`)
             }
             SetStatus("Message Send.", "green");
             setTimeout(()=>{
@@ -139,26 +56,25 @@ module.exports = function(RED) {
             }, 2000)
         };
 
-        async function whatsappMultiMediaMessage(numb, whatsappImage, whatsappCaption){
+        async function whatsappMultiMediaMessage(gID, whatsappImage, whatsappCaption){
             try {
                 if (node.waClient.clientType === "waWebClient"){
-                    numb = await webNubmerSeteing(node.number)
+                    gID = await formatGroupId(gID, node.waClient, node);
                     var whatsappImageBase64 = whatsappImage.split(',')[1] || whatsappImage;
                     var myMessage = new MessageMedia('image/png', whatsappImageBase64, null, null);
-                    node.waClient.sendMessage(numb, myMessage, {caption : whatsappCaption || "Image from Node-Red"});
+                    await node.waClient.sendMessage(gID, myMessage, {caption : whatsappCaption || "Image from Node-Red"});
                 } 
                 else {
-                    numb = await socNubmerSeteing(node.number);
-                    
+                    gID = await formatGroupIdSocket(gID, node.waClient, node);
+                    var whatsappImageBase64 = whatsappImage.split(',')[1] || whatsappImage;
                     let imageToSend = Buffer.from(whatsappImageBase64, "base64");
                     const imageMessage = { 
-                        // image: {url : whatsappImage}, 
                         image: imageToSend, 
-                        caption: whatsappCaption
+                        caption: whatsappCaption || "Image from Node-Red"
                     }
 
                     let client = await node.waClient;
-                    const msgStatus = await client.sendMessage(numb, imageMessage);
+                    await client.sendMessage(gID, imageMessage);
                 }              
                 SetStatus("Message Send.", "green");
                 setTimeout(()=>{

groupRecipient.html

@@ -0,0 +1,41 @@
+<script type="text/javascript">
+    RED.nodes.registerType('group-recipient', {
+        category: 'config',
+        defaults: {
+            name: {value: ""},
+            groupId: {value: "", required: true}
+        },
+        label: function() {
+            return this.name || this.groupId || "Group Recipient";
+        }
+    });
+</script>
+
+<script type="text/html" data-template-name="group-recipient">
+    <div class="form-row">
+        <label for="node-config-input-name"><i class="fa fa-tag"></i> Name</label>
+        <input type="text" id="node-config-input-name" placeholder="Name">
+    </div>
+    <div class="form-row">
+        <label for="node-config-input-groupId"><i class="fa fa-users"></i> Group ID</label>
+        <input type="text" id="node-config-input-groupId" placeholder="1234567890-1234567890">
+    </div>
+    <div class="form-tips">
+        <strong>Tip:</strong> Enter the WhatsApp group ID in the format NUMBER-TIMESTAMP (e.g., 1234567890-1234567890).
+        <br>You can find the group ID by sending a message to the group and checking the message metadata.
+    </div>
+</script>
+
+<script type="text/html" data-help-name="group-recipient">
+    <p>Configuration node for a WhatsApp group recipient.</p>
+    <h3>Details</h3>
+    <p>This configuration node stores a group ID that can be reused across multiple group output nodes.</p>
+    <p>The group ID can be overridden at runtime by setting <code>msg.toNumber</code> in the flow.</p>
+    <h3>Configuration</h3>
+    <dl class="message-properties">
+        <dt>Name <span class="property-type">string</span></dt>
+        <dd>A friendly name to identify this group (optional).</dd>
+        <dt>Group ID <span class="property-type">string</span></dt>
+        <dd>The WhatsApp group ID in the format NUMBER-TIMESTAMP (contains a hyphen).</dd>
+    </dl>
+</script>

groupRecipient.js

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+module.exports = function(RED) {
+    function GroupRecipientNode(n) {
+        RED.nodes.createNode(this, n);
+        this.groupId = n.groupId;
+        this.name = n.name;
+    }
+    RED.nodes.registerType("group-recipient", GroupRecipientNode);
+}

numberRecipient.html

@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+<script type="text/javascript">
+    RED.nodes.registerType('number-recipient', {
+        category: 'config',
+        defaults: {
+            name: {value: ""},
+            number: {value: "", required: true}
+        },
+        label: function() {
+            return this.name || this.number || "Number Recipient";
+        }
+    });
+</script>
+
+<script type="text/html" data-template-name="number-recipient">
+    <div class="form-row">
+        <label for="node-config-input-name"><i class="fa fa-tag"></i> Name</label>
+        <input type="text" id="node-config-input-name" placeholder="Name">
+    </div>
+    <div class="form-row">
+        <label for="node-config-input-number"><i class="fa fa-phone"></i> Phone Number</label>
+        <input type="text" id="node-config-input-number" placeholder="+1234567890">
+    </div>
+    <div class="form-tips">
+        <strong>Tip:</strong> Enter the phone number with or without country code (e.g., +1234567890 or 1234567890).
+    </div>
+</script>
+
+<script type="text/html" data-help-name="number-recipient">
+    <p>Configuration node for a WhatsApp chat recipient.</p>
+    <h3>Details</h3>
+    <p>This configuration node stores a phone number that can be reused across multiple chat output nodes.</p>
+    <p>The phone number can be overridden at runtime by setting <code>msg.toNumber</code> in the flow.</p>
+    <h3>Configuration</h3>
+    <dl class="message-properties">
+        <dt>Name <span class="property-type">string</span></dt>
+        <dd>A friendly name to identify this recipient (optional).</dd>
+        <dt>Phone Number <span class="property-type">string</span></dt>
+        <dd>The WhatsApp phone number. Can include country code with or without + prefix.</dd>
+    </dl>
+</script>

numberRecipient.js

@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+module.exports = function(RED) {
+    function NumberRecipientNode(n) {
+        RED.nodes.createNode(this, n);
+        this.number = n.number;
+        this.name = n.name;
+    }
+    RED.nodes.registerType("number-recipient", NumberRecipientNode);
+}

package.json

@@ -26,7 +26,9 @@
       "whatsapp chats-out": "chats-out.js",
       "whatsapp group-out": "group-out.js",
       "whatsapp reply": "whatsappReply.js",
-      "whatsapp Link": "whatsappLink.js"
+      "whatsapp Link": "whatsappLink.js",
+      "number-recipient": "numberRecipient.js",
+      "group-recipient": "groupRecipient.js"
     }
   },
   "dependencies": {

whatsapp-utils.js

@@ -0,0 +1,163 @@
+// Shared utility functions for WhatsApp nodes
+
+/**
+ * Format a phone number for WhatsApp Web client (chat)
+ * Assumes the recipient is a chat (@c.us)
+ */
+async function formatChatNumber(numb, waClient, nodeLogger) {
+    // Validate input
+    if (!numb) {
+        throw new Error('Number is required');
+    }
+    
+    // Convert to string if number
+    numb = typeof numb === 'number' ? numb.toString() : numb;
+    
+    // If already formatted, return as-is
+    if (numb.includes('@')) {
+        return numb;
+    }
+    
+    // Clean: remove everything except digits
+    numb = numb.replace(/\D/g, '');
+    
+    // Validate cleaned number
+    if (!numb || numb.length === 0) {
+        throw new Error('Invalid number format');
+    }
+    
+    // Validate with getNumberId
+    try {
+        const numbID = await waClient.getNumberId(numb);
+        if (numbID) {
+            return `${numbID.user}@${numbID.server}`;
+        } else {
+            // If validation fails, assume it's a chat
+            nodeLogger.warn(`getNumberId returned null for ${numb}, using @c.us`);
+            return `${numb}@c.us`;
+        }
+    } catch (e) {
+        // If error, assume it's a chat
+        nodeLogger.warn(`getNumberId failed for ${numb}, using @c.us: ${e.message}`);
+        return `${numb}@c.us`;
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Format a group ID for WhatsApp Web client
+ * Assumes the recipient is a group (@g.us)
+ */
+async function formatGroupId(gID, waClient, nodeLogger) {
+    // Validate input
+    if (!gID) {
+        throw new Error('Group ID is required');
+    }
+    
+    // Convert to string if number
+    gID = typeof gID === 'number' ? gID.toString() : gID;
+    
+    // If already formatted, return as-is
+    if (gID.includes('@')) {
+        return gID;
+    }
+    
+    // Clean: preserve hyphens (group format: NUMBER-TIMESTAMP)
+    gID = gID.replace(/[^\d-]/g, '');
+    
+    // Validate cleaned group ID
+    if (!gID || gID.length === 0) {
+        throw new Error('Invalid group ID format');
+    }
+    
+    // Groups always use @g.us
+    return `${gID}@g.us`;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Format a phone number for Socket client (chat)
+ * Assumes the recipient is a chat
+ */
+async function formatChatNumberSocket(numb, waClient, nodeLogger) {
+    // Handle message object with remoteJid
+    if (numb && numb.remoteJid) {
+        return numb.remoteJid;
+    }
+    
+    // Validate input
+    if (!numb) {
+        throw new Error('Number is required');
+    }
+    
+    // Convert to string if number
+    numb = typeof numb === 'number' ? numb.toString() : numb;
+    
+    // If already formatted, return as-is
+    if (numb.includes('@')) {
+        return numb;
+    }
+    
+    // Clean: remove everything except digits
+    numb = numb.replace(/\D/g, '');
+    
+    // Validate cleaned number
+    if (!numb || numb.length === 0) {
+        throw new Error('Invalid number format');
+    }
+    
+    // Check if number exists on WhatsApp
+    try {
+        const client = await waClient;
+        const [result] = await client.onWhatsApp(numb);
+        if (result?.exists) {
+            return result.jid;
+        }
+        // If not found, assume chat
+        nodeLogger.warn(`onWhatsApp returned no results for ${numb}, using @s.whatsapp.net`);
+        return `${numb}@s.whatsapp.net`;
+    } catch (e) {
+        nodeLogger.warn(`onWhatsApp failed for ${numb}, using @s.whatsapp.net: ${e.message}`);
+        return `${numb}@s.whatsapp.net`;
+    }
+}
+
+/**
+ * Format a group ID for Socket client
+ * Assumes the recipient is a group (@g.us)
+ */
+async function formatGroupIdSocket(gID, waClient, nodeLogger) {
+    // Handle message object with remoteJid
+    if (gID && gID.remoteJid) {
+        return gID.remoteJid;
+    }
+    
+    // Validate input
+    if (!gID) {
+        throw new Error('Group ID is required');
+    }
+    
+    // Convert to string if number
+    gID = typeof gID === 'number' ? gID.toString() : gID;
+    
+    // If already formatted, return as-is
+    if (gID.includes('@')) {
+        return gID;
+    }
+    
+    // Clean: preserve hyphens (group format: NUMBER-TIMESTAMP)
+    gID = gID.replace(/[^\d-]/g, '');
+    
+    // Validate cleaned group ID
+    if (!gID || gID.length === 0) {
+        throw new Error('Invalid group ID format');
+    }
+    
+    // Groups always use @g.us
+    return `${gID}@g.us`;
+}
+
+module.exports = {
+    formatChatNumber,
+    formatGroupId,
+    formatChatNumberSocket,
+    formatGroupIdSocket
+};