Web application control through text messages

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 t开发者_开发知识库his application.

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

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.

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.