How Do I Get Started with Novu?

Start with npx novu connect to initialize Novu in your project, then add the Inbox component for in-app notifications or call the API to send messages across channels like email, SMS, push, WhatsApp, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and Telegram. Novu is an open-source notification and agent communication infrastructure, so the fastest path is: run the connect command, install the relevant package, and drop a prebuilt component into your app. The steps below assume you have a Node.js project (React, Next.js, or Remix work out of the box) and want to send your first notification the same day.

What Novu actually gives you

Novu has two communication modes on one platform:

• Novu Notify — one-way notifications to users through in-app Inbox, email, push, SMS, and chat channels.
• Novu Connect — two-way AI agent conversations across WhatsApp, Slack, SMS, and more.

Both share the same API and channel integrations. The in-app Inbox is the piece most teams start with because it gives users one place inside your product to see and manage updates, with real-time notifications, unread counts, and built-in preferences.

Step 1: Initialize with npx novu connect

Run the connect command from your project root:

npx novu connect

This is the entry point Novu documents for getting started. Expect it to set up the connection between your app and Novu so you can begin wiring channels and components. If you haven't already, you'll also want a Novu account and project — the docs walk through that.

Step 2: Add the Inbox component

For React-based apps, install the React package and render the Inbox:

npm install @novu/react

import React from 'react';
import { Inbox } from '@novu/react';

export function NotificationInbox() {
  return <Inbox />;
}

The Inbox is prebuilt and composable. Out of the box it includes:

• Real-time notifications and unread counts
• Built-in notification preferences
• Tabs, filters, and flexible layouts
• Custom styling, localization, and snoozing

It supports Next.js, Remix, and React, and is designed to mirror your existing UX rather than look like a bolt-on.

Step 3: Send notifications across channels with one API

Once the Inbox is in place, use the single Novu API to deliver messages to whichever channels you need. The platform covers in-app, email, SMS, push, WhatsApp Business, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Telegram, iMessage, Discord, Linear, Zoom, Google Chat, and chat.

The typical flow looks like this:

1. Event — something happens in your application that needs user attention (for example, a flight delay).
2. Notify — the app notifies the user or agent through push, email, or in-app notifications.
3. Engage — the user opens the notification and starts a conversation with the agent on their preferred channel.
4. Resolve — the agent resolves the issue through a two-way conversation across WhatsApp, Slack, SMS, and more.

Choosing between Notify and Connect

If you only need to push updates, start with Notify and the Inbox. If your product has an AI agent that should hold conversations, add Connect on top of the same infrastructure.

Where to go next

• Visit the Novu docs for detailed integration steps, channel setup, and API reference.
• Check the pricing page for plan details before scaling volume — the platform reports 1.5 billion messages sent in the last month, so it's built for production load.
• Explore the Inbox and Connect sections separately if you want to go deep on one mode first.

The practical starting point is unchanged: run npx novu connect, render <Inbox />, and send your first notification through the API.