Python Telegram Bot

A Python wrapper around the Telegram Bot API.

By Leandro Toledo

Table of contents

• Introduction
• Status
  1. Telegram API support
  2. Python Version support
• Installing
• Getting the code
• Getting started
  1. API
  2. Logging
  3. Examples
  4. Documentation
• License
• Contact
• TODO

Introduction

This library provides a pure Python interface for the Telegram Bot API. It works with Python versions from 2.6+. It also works with Google App Engine.

Status

Telegram API support

Telegram Bot API Method	Supported?
getMe	Yes
sendMessage	Yes
forwardMessage	Yes
sendPhoto	Yes
sendAudio	Yes
sendDocument	Yes
sendSticker	Yes
sendVideo	Yes
sendVoice	Yes
sendLocation	Yes
sendChatAction	Yes
getUpdates	Yes
getUserProfilePhotos	Yes
getFile	Yes
setWebhook	Yes

Python Version support

Python Version	Supported?
2.6	Yes
2.7	Yes
3.3	Yes
3.4	Yes
PyPy	Yes
PyPy3	Yes

Installing

You can install python-telegram-bot using:

$ pip install python-telegram-bot

Or upgrade to the latest version:

$ pip install python-telegram-bot --upgrade

Getting the code

The code is hosted at https://github.com/leandrotoledo/python-telegram-bot

Check out the latest development version anonymously with:

$ git clone https://github.com/leandrotoledo/python-telegram-bot
$ cd python-telegram-bot

Run tests:

$ make test

To see other options available, run:

$ make help

Getting started

View the last release API documentation at: https://core.telegram.org/bots/api

API

The API is exposed via the telegram.Bot class.

To generate an Access Token you have to talk to BotFather and follow a few simple steps (described here).

For full details see the Bots: An introduction for developers.

To create an instance of the telegram.Bot:

>>> import telegram
>>> bot = telegram.Bot(token='token')

To see if your credentials are successful:

>>> print bot.getMe()
{"first_name": "Toledo's Palace Bot", "username": "ToledosPalaceBot"}

Bots can't initiate conversations with users. A user must either add them to a group or send them a message first. People can use telegram.me/<bot_username> links or username search to find your bot.

To fetch text messages sent to your Bot:

>>> updates = bot.getUpdates()
>>> print [u.message.text for u in updates]

To fetch images sent to your Bot:

>>> updates = bot.getUpdates()
>>> print [u.message.photo for u in updates if u.message.photo]

To reply messages you'll always need the chat_id:

>>> chat_id = bot.getUpdates()[-1].message.chat_id

To post a text message:

>>> bot.sendMessage(chat_id=chat_id, text="I'm sorry Dave I'm afraid I can't do that.")

To post a text message with markdown:

>>> bot.sendMessage(chat_id=chat_id, text="*bold* _italic_ [link](http://google.com).", parse_mode=telegram.ParseMode.MARKDOWN)

To post an Emoji (special thanks to Tim Whitlock):

>>> bot.sendMessage(chat_id=chat_id, text=telegram.Emoji.PILE_OF_POO)

To post an image file via URL (right now only sendPhoto supports this):

>>> bot.sendPhoto(chat_id=chat_id, photo='https://telegram.org/img/t_logo.png')

To post a voice file:

>>> bot.sendVoice(chat_id=chat_id, voice=open('tests/telegram.ogg', 'rb'))

To tell the user that something is happening on bot's side:

>>> bot.sendChatAction(chat_id=chat_id, action=telegram.ChatAction.TYPING)

To create Custom Keyboards:

>>> custom_keyboard = [[ telegram.Emoji.THUMBS_UP_SIGN, telegram.Emoji.THUMBS_DOWN_SIGN ]]
>>> reply_markup = telegram.ReplyKeyboardMarkup(custom_keyboard)
>>> bot.sendMessage(chat_id=chat_id, text="Stay here, I'll be back.", reply_markup=reply_markup)

To hide Custom Keyboards:

>>> reply_markup = telegram.ReplyKeyboardHide()
>>> bot.sendMessage(chat_id=chat_id, text="I'm back.", reply_markup=reply_markup)

To download a file (you will need its file_id):

>>> file_id = message.voice.file_id
>>> newFile = bot.getFile(file_id)
>>> newFile.download('voice.ogg')

There are many more API methods, to read the full API documentation:

$ pydoc telegram.Bot

Logging

You can get logs in your main application by calling logging and setting the log level you want:

>>> import logging
>>> logger = logging.getLogger()
>>> logger.setLevel(logging.INFO)

If you want DEBUG logs instead:

>>> logger.setLevel(logging.DEBUG)

Examples

Here follows some examples to help you to get your own Bot up to speed:

• echobot replies back messages.
• roboed talks to Robô Ed.
• Simple-Echo-Telegram-Bot simple Python Telegram bot that echoes your input with Flask microframework, setWebhook method, and Google App Engine (optional) - by @sooyhwang.
• DevOps Reaction Bot sends latest or random posts from DevOps Reaction. Running on Google App Engine (billing has to be enabled for fully Socket API support).

Documentation

python-telegram-bot's documentation lives at Read the Docs.

License

You may copy, distribute and modify the software provided that modifications are described and licensed for free under LGPL-3. Derivatives works (including modifications or anything statically linked to the library) can only be redistributed under LGPL-3, but applications that use the library don't have to be.

Contact

Feel free to join to our Telegram group.

If you face trouble joining in the group please ping me via Telegram, I'll be glad to add you.

TODO

Patches and bug reports are welcome, just please keep the style consistent with the original source.

• Add commands handler.