Telegram Setup
Last updated
This page covers constructing the core/telegram bot, its connection options, and the Input your handler receives.
Constructor and options
bot, err := telegram.New(token,
telegram.WithPollTimeout(50*time.Second),
telegram.WithHTTPClient(&http.Client{Timeout: 70 * time.Second}),
)
New returns token is required for an empty token and wraps SDK errors as Bot.New: .... It does not contact Telegram.
| Option | Sets | When neither option is passed |
|---|---|---|
WithPollTimeout(d time.Duration) |
The long-poll timeout sent to getUpdates |
SDK defaults apply |
WithHTTPClient(c *http.Client) |
The client used for polling and uploads | SDK defaults apply |
When only one option is passed, the other is filled in: the poll timeout defaults to 1 minute, and the client defaults to &http.Client{Timeout: pollTimeout}.
Set client.Timeout longer than the poll timeout. The same client serves long polling and multipart uploads; if the client timeout is equal to or shorter than the poll timeout, an idle poll is cancelled before Telegram answers and surfaces as context deadline exceeded. Large uploads also need the extra headroom.
Start and webhooks
Start(ctx) calls GetMe (a failure is returned), then GetWebhookInfo. If the bot has a webhook URL set, DeleteWebhook runs with DropPendingUpdates: false, because Telegram refuses long polling while a webhook is active. Failures in these two calls are logged and do not stop Start.
Runtime errors from the polling loop are logged. When Telegram answers with HTTP 429 (too many requests) and a retry_after, the error handler sleeps for that many seconds before polling continues.
Input
| Field | Type | Content |
|---|---|---|
ChatID |
int64 |
Chat the event came from |
ChatName |
string |
Group/channel Title, else Username, else FirstName LastName (private chats), else "" |
MessageID |
int |
The user's message; for select callbacks, the bot's prompt message |
UserID / Username |
int64 / string |
Sender (From); zero values when absent |
Text / Caption |
string |
Message text, or caption of a media message |
Photo |
[]models.PhotoSize |
All sizes of a photo; the last entry is usually the largest |
Document |
*models.Document |
Attached document, if any |
CallbackData |
string |
Item tapped in a SendSelect keyboard |
CallbackPicks |
[]string |
Items chosen in a SendMultiSelect keyboard |
Raw |
*models.Update |
The full SDK update, for fields not copied above |
CallbackData and CallbackPicks are mutually exclusive. To read a SendInput answer, compare in.Raw.Message.ReplyToMessage.ID with the prompt's ID.