SWML Overview

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title: Methods overview position: 0 max-toc-depth: 3

For a complete index of all SignalWire documentation pages, fetch https://signalwire.com/docs/llms.txt

Methods in SWML control the program flow and execute functions. This includes setting and unsetting variables, conditional statements, making calls, and sending faxes etc.

## The `ai` method

The [`ai`](/docs/swml/reference/ai) method is an incredibly powerful tool to instantiate an AI agent that holds a natural conversation with the caller, and perform actions based on their input.

## Control-flow methods

### `execute` and `return`

The [`execute`](/docs/swml/reference/execute) method is similar to a function call in most languages. It can be sent parameters, and it can return values using the [`return`](/docs/swml/reference/return) object. The SWML function to be executed can exist as a subsection in the same SWML document, but it can also be a separate SWML document hosted on an internet-accessible web-server.

### `transfer`

The [`transfer`](/docs/swml/reference/transfer) statement transfers the execution to a different section or a different SWML document. Unlike the `execute` statement, the `transfer` statement doesn't return back to the calling section.

### `goto` and `label`

The [`goto`](/docs/swml/reference/goto) statement can jump to a specified [`label`](/docs/swml/reference/label) either depending on a given condition or unconditionally, and repeatedly for a specified number of repetitions.

### `cond` and `switch`

The [`cond`](/docs/swml/reference/cond) statement is a general purpose conditional branching statement that executes SWML code based on the evaluation of a JavaScript expression.

The [`switch`](/docs/swml/reference/switch) statement allows switch-case like conditional execution depending on whether a certain variable is a certain value.

## Call related methods

### `answer` and `hangup`

Use these methods to decide when to [`answer`](/docs/swml/reference/answer) the call and when to [`hangup`](/docs/swml/reference/hangup). Some other methods (like [`play`](/docs/swml/reference/play)) will automatically answer calls, but you can use these methods to be more specific about when it happens.

### `denoise` and `stop_denoise`

The [`denoise`](/docs/swml/reference/denoise) method starts the noise reduction filter and the [`stop_denoise`](/docs/swml/reference/stop-denoise) method stops it.

### `live_transcribe`

The [`live_transcribe`](/docs/swml/reference/live-transcribe) method starts a live transcription of the call.

### `live_translate`

The [`live_translate`](/docs/swml/reference/live-translate) method starts a live translation of the call.

### `play` and `prompt`

The [`play`](/docs/swml/reference/play) method can be used to send TTS speech, play audio files, send different rings etc. The [`prompt`](/docs/swml/reference/prompt) method also plays TTS or URLs like `play` but it can receive keypad or speech input in response.

### `connect`

Use the [`connect`](/docs/swml/reference/connect) method to connect the caller to other phone or SIP calls. You can set it up to dial multiple numbers in series, parallel or a combination of the two.

### `enter_queue`

The [`enter_queue`](/docs/swml/reference/enter-queue) method places the call in a queue where it will wait until an agent or resource becomes available. You can configure wait music, timeout settings, and status callbacks to manage the queue experience.

### `join_room`

The [`join_room`](/docs/swml/reference/join-room) method seamlessly connects your call to a [video room](/docs/platform/video), enabling participants to join from various sources, including mobile apps, web browsers, or phone calls.

### `receive_fax`

The [`receive_fax`](/docs/swml/reference/receive-fax) method will interpret the call as a fax and process it.

### `record`, `record_call` and `stop_record_call`

The [`record`](/docs/swml/reference/record) and the [`record_call`](/docs/swml/reference/record-call) methods will record the call. The `record` method, however, waits for the recording to terminate before continuing execution. The [`record_call`](/docs/swml/reference/record-call) method starts a call recording in the background, and it stops recording when you call [`stop_record_call`](/docs/swml/reference/stop-record-call).

### `tap` and `stop_tap`

The [`tap`](/docs/swml/reference/tap) method starts streaming the call to an RTP or a web socket sink. The [`stop_tap`](/docs/swml/reference/stop-tap) method stops it.

### `sip_refer`

The [`sip_refer`](/docs/swml/reference/sip-refer) method transfer a SIP call by sending a SIP REFER message.

### `send_sms`

Use [`send_sms`](/docs/swml/reference/send-sms) to send an SMS to a phone number.

### `send_digits`

Use [`send_digits`](/docs/swml/reference/send-digits) to send digits as DTMF tones.