How to create a Telegram bot
Telegram is not only chatting and exchanging stickers. At the core of the project lies the uncovered feature, which is related to bots. In this step-by-step tutorial, we will describe how to create a new Telegram bot from scratch, what operations could it perform and how can you command and manage it.
What is bot in Telegram and what features does it have?
Telegram bot is a third-party application which runs inside the messenger. Ordinary users can interact with these kinds of apps by sending them inline requests, commands and messages. You can control them by applying HTTP requests to the API designed for these purposes.
Basically, these tiny assistants can tremendously ease your everyday social activities within messaging service. With these small programs, you can do a massive amount of things, such as:
- Get customized news and notifications. A configured bot can serve as a smart newspaper, while sending you content once after it was published.
- Be integrated with other tools and services. They can fulfill Telegram chats via content from extensive range of sources. Here are the samples of entirely operational apps already implemented into the messaging software: IMDBbot, Imagebot, Gmailbot, Youtubebot, Musicbot, GIFbot, Wikibot.
- Accept payments from the users of Telegram. This type of app can work as a virtual storefront or offer paid services. Here is the demo sample of a working solution: Shopbot.
- Create predefined tools. An app can handle formatting, translations, weather forecasts, alerts, etc. Here are a few samples of this category: Likebot, Votebot, Stickerbot, Markdownbot.
- Build multi- and single player games. The variety of interactive gaming includes any genres, from puzzles and logical arcades to real-time strategies and dynamic 3D-shooters: Gamee, GameBot.
- Create and implement social services. A custom bot can connect people with the same areas of interest, hobbies or proximity: HotOrBot.
What are the principles of bot operations?
In fact, these specific kinds of solutions serve as embedded accounts and do not need a different phone number to operate and configure. Common users can interact with bots in two ways:
- send messages and commands to bots by adding them to groups or by opening a chat with them. That is quite handy and comfortable for news bots and chat bots (the official TechCrunch bot, for instance). If you would like to get a detailed info regarding how to add Telegram bot to new group, refer to “How to add a bot in Telegram group or channel”) guide.
- deliver requests right from the input field via typing the bot’s @username and a query. That allows sending content from inline bots right into any channel, group or chat.
What is the way to create a new bot?
If you want to create a new Telegram in-app solution, there is a special bot for that called BotFather. Just talk to him and get a list of commands that you can execute to get the expected result. Further we will provide a detailed instruction on what commands can you use in order to create a new bot via BotFather:
- Visit BotFather page in Telegram messenger and click on Start button below.
- After the Star button is clicked, the list of commands to be executed is instantly displayed on the screen. Let’s make a new app by typing “/newbot” command in the input window.
- After that, the request appears to specify the app name. This name will be used for all essential operations, so think over something creative and descriptive.
- On this stage, we are suggested to specify the unique username not used previously by other apps. The username should end with “bot” word, like “UnityBot” or “Unity_bot”.
- Copy the access token given within the definition into the clipboard.
