---
"@context": https://schema.org
"@type": TechArticle
"@id": https://www.twilio.com/docs/messaging/tutorials/how-to-receive-and-reply#article
headline: Receive and Reply to Incoming Messages
description: Learn how to respond to an incoming message using Twilio's Programmable Messaging API
url: https://www.twilio.com/docs/messaging/tutorials/how-to-receive-and-reply
inLanguage: en
dateModified: 2026-03-09T18:47:22.000Z
author:
  "@type": Organization
  name: Twilio Developer Education Team
publisher:
  "@type": Organization
  name: Twilio
---

# Receive and Reply to Incoming Messages

In this guide, we'll show you how to use [Programmable Messaging](https://www.twilio.com/en-us/messaging/channels/sms) to respond to incoming messages in your web application. Code on your server can decide what happens when someone texts your Twilio phone number.

To respond to incoming messages with the Twilio command line interface (CLI), see [Get a phone number and send your first SMS](/docs/twilio-cli/examples/explore-sms).

Select your programming language to get started:

* **[C# / .NET](/docs/messaging/tutorials/how-to-receive-and-reply/csharp)**
* **[Java](/docs/messaging/tutorials/how-to-receive-and-reply/java)**
* **[Node.js](/docs/messaging/tutorials/how-to-receive-and-reply/node-js)**
* **[PHP](/docs/messaging/tutorials/how-to-receive-and-reply/php)**
* **[Python](/docs/messaging/tutorials/how-to-receive-and-reply/python)**
* **[Ruby](/docs/messaging/tutorials/how-to-receive-and-reply/ruby)**