Web application control through text messages

Question

I want to develop an application that works by receiving text messages from users to gather data. I have no clue where to begin and what to begin with. I can code in Python, C++, PHP and can do Java also.

I was wondering if there can be a personal development setup or framework on which I can develop such application. Releasing it is a different story but I do not have any idea about what setup is needed to develop this application.

Also, how much would this setup cost? Are there open-source or any other cheap alternatives?

Answer 1

This service offers an api for receiving text messages. You can use the shared number and send it to your server with a keyword or you can pay a monthy fee to have your own dedicated number. So there would be a good place to start.

Answer 2

There are a lot of services out there that let you receive SMS via a web request. The one I work for Twilio will send you a simple POST request to a URL of your choice containing To, From and Body whenever you receive an incoming message. You can read more about how it works here.