telegram_bot_api

Erlang library for Telegram Bot API.
It contains all methods and types available in Telegram Bot API 9.6, released April 3, 2026.

ErlangHex VersionHex DocsCompatible with Bot API v9.6

Installation

The package can be installed by adding telegram_bot_api to your list of dependencies in rebar.config:

{deps, [telegram_bot_api]}.

Basic usage

  1. Get a Telegram API token, use telegram bot @BotFather for receiving a token

    Token = <<"8803758952:Qo2xCv3DAGxyJyXePA8S4dYN-BzSkUEbqFj">>,
  2. Create pool. Each bot is a separate pool of workers: 1 Bot = 1 Pool → N Workers

    Pool=mybot_pool,
    {ok, Pid} = telegram_bot_api_sup:start_pool(#{
     name=>Pool,
     token=>Token,
     workers=>1
     }).

    telegram_bot_api_sup:start_pool

  3. Send request Telegram Bot Api.
    After creating an HTTP pool, you can use any methods available in the Telegram API. Once the pool is created, you can call any methods as they are named in the Telegram documentation: telegram_bot_api:'Method'
    The names of the methods from the Telegram documentation and the telegram_bot_api module are the same.
    The first parameter is the pool, the second is the request parameters sent to Telegram, the third indicates asynchrony, and the fourth parameter is the call timeout.

    %% parameters are always maps
    Params=#{chat_id=><<"@channelusername">>,...},
    
    %%*if you install Async=true
    %% the query result will be sent to the process mailbox message:
    %% {async,Ref,{ok,HttpCode,MapJson}} or {async, Ref, saved_to_file}(use in telegram_bot_api_file:download) or {error, Reason}
    Async=false,
    
    %%*default timeout for gen_server:call
    Timeout=5000,
    
    %% sendMessage or sendMessageDraft or sendVoice or any method
    Method = ...,
    
    Result=telegram_bot_api:Method(Pool,Params,Async,Timeout),
    case Result of
     {ok, Ref}->ok; %is Async=true
     {ok, HttpCode, MapJson}->ok; %is Async=false
     {error, Er}->error;
     {Error, Reason}->error
    end.

all methods

Send message

sendMessage → pool → worker → Telegram API

{ok,200,Result} = telegram_bot_api:sendMessage(Pool,#{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        text=><<"Text">>
        }
        ).

Async send message

{ok,Ref} = telegram_bot_api:sendMessage(Pool,#{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        text=><<"Text">>
        },
        true).
%%the response will come as process messages
receive
   {async,Ref,{ok,200,Map}}->ok
end.

telegram_bot_api:sendMessage


Long polling

{ok, Pid1}=gen_event:start_link({global, my_event}),
gen_event:add_handler(my_event, my_event_handler1, [#{name=>Pool}]),

{ok, Pid2} = telegram_bot_api_sup:start_update(#{
    name=>Pool,
    update_time=>1000,
    offset=>0,
    limit=>100,
    event=>{global,my_event},% or Pid1. new messages will be sent to this process
    allowed_updates=>[message]% see https://hexdocs.pm/telegram_bot_api/telegram_bot_api.html#t:update_type/0
}).

telegram_bot_api_sup:start_updatetelegram_bot_api_updater_server

Webhook

WebhookId=telegram_bot_api_webhook_server:name_server({0,0,0,0},8443),
{ok,WebhookPid}=telegram_bot_api_sup:start_webhook(#{
    id=>WebhookId,%% name process, may not be specified, then create an ID for the supervisor by calling telegram_bot_api_webhook_server:name_server
    secret_token=><<"my_secret">>,%this is the secret_token that is set in the Parameter method setWebhook https://core.telegram.org/bots/api#setwebhook
    bots=>#{
    %%set bots when creating a webhook or add them later via add_bot
    %% add 1 bot
    atom_to_binary(Pool)=>#{
    event=>{global,my_event},% the message will come here
    name=>Pool 
    }
     %%.. other bots
    },
    transport_opts=>#{
        ip=>{0,0,0,0},
        port=>8443,
        %% see https://core.telegram.org/bots/self-signed
        certfile=>"/etc/telegram_bot_api/ssl/YOURPUBLIC.pem",
        keyfile=>"/etc/telegram_bot_api/ssl/YOURPRIVATE.key",
        verify=> verify_none
    }
}).
{ok,WebhookPid}=global:whereis_name(WebhookId).

telegram_bot_api_sup:start_webhooktelegram_bot_api_webhook_server

Webhook dynamic add bot

%%add
ok= telegram_bot_api_webhook_server:add_bot(
    {global,WebhookId},%or WebhookPid
    <<"mybot_pool">>,
    #{
        event=>{global,my_event},
        name=>mybot_pool
    }
),
%%delete
    telegram_bot_api_webhook_server:delete_bot({global,WebhookId},mybot_pool).

telegram_bot_api_webhook_server:add_bottelegram_bot_api_webhook_server:delete_bot

Set webhook

telegram_bot_api:setWebhook(Pool,#{
        url=>telegram_bot_api_webhook_server:make_url(<<"8.8.8.8">>, <<"8443">>, <<"mybot_pool">>),% make url: https://8.8.8.8:8443/telegram/mybot_pool/update
        ip_address=><<"8.8.8.8">>,
        certificate=>#{
                 file=><<"/etc/telegram_bot_api/ssl/YOURPUBLIC.pem">>,
                 name=><<"YOURPUBLIC.pem">>
                },
        secret_token=><<"my_secret">>% this token will be checked inside the handler cowboy, must match start_webhook
    }).

telegram_bot_webhook_example


Get me

 {ok,200,Result} = telegram_bot_api:getMe(Pool,#{}).

Log out

{ok,200,#{ok := true,result := true}} = telegram_bot_api:logOut(Pool,#{}).

Set bot name

telegram_bot_api:setMyName(Pool,#{name=><<"Бот">>,language_code=>ru}).

Set bot photo

telegram_bot_api:setMyProfilePhoto(Pool,#{
                                    photo=>
                                            #{
                                            type=><<"static">>,
                                            photo=><<"attach://myfile">>
                                        },
                                        myfile=>#{
                                            file=><<"/etc/telegram_bot_api/file.jpg">>,
                                             name=><<"file.jpg">>
                                           }
                                        }).

Set bot commands

telegram_bot_api:setMyCommands(Pool,#{
    commands=>[
        #{
        command=><<"/test">>,
        description=><<"Test>>
        }]
    }).

Send contact

telegram_bot_api:sendContact(Pool,#{
         chat_id=>ChatId,
         phone_number=><<"+79281111111">>,
         first_name=><<"CONTACT">>
        })

Send photo

telegram_bot_api:sendPhoto(Pool,#{
        chat_id=><<"@channelusername">>,
        photo=>#{file=><<"/dir/file.jpg">>,name=><<"file.jpg">>}
        }).

Send audio

telegram_bot_api:sendAudio(Pool,#{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        audio =>#{file=><<"/dir/file.mp3">>,name=><<"file.mp3">>}
        }).

Set message reaction

-include_lib("telegram_bot_api/include/message_reaction.hrl"). 
telegram_bot_api:setMessageReaction(Pool,#{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        message_id=>MessageId,
        reaction=>[
        #{
            type=>?REACTION_TYPE_EMOJI, % REACTION_TYPE_EMOJI | REACTION_TYPE_CUSTOM_EMOJI | REACTION_TYPE_PAID see https://core.telegram.org/bots/api#reactiontype
            emoji=>?REACTION_OK_HAND % or telegram_bot_api_emoji:random_reaction()
        }
    ]},Async),

macros message reaction

Send message effect

-include_lib("telegram_bot_api/include/message_effect.hrl").
   telegram_bot_api:sendMessage(Pool,#{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        text=><<"text">>,
        message_effect_id=>?MESSAGE_EFFECT_FIRE
    }).

macros message effect

Edit message text

telegram_bot_api:editMessageText(Pool,#{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        text=><<"text">>,
        message_id=>MessageId
}).

Edit message caption

telegram_bot_api:editMessageText(Pool,#{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        message_id=>MessageId,
        parse_mode =><<"HTML">>,
        caption=><<"<a href=\"tg://user?id=123\">User</a><code>123</code>">>
}).

Delete message

telegram_bot_api:deleteMessage(Pool,#{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        message_id=>MessageId
}).

Inline keyboard

telegram_bot_api:sendMessage(Pool,#{
         chat_id=>ChatId,
         text=><<"inline_keyboard">>,
         reply_markup=>
                 #{
                 inline_keyboard=>
                 [
                         [
                         #{
                             text=><<"yes">>,
                             callback_data=><<"callback_yes">>
                         },
                         #{
                             text=><<"no">>,
                             callback_data=><<"callback_no">>
                         }
                         ]
                 ]
             }
    }).

Inline keyboard style button

telegram_bot_api:sendMessage(Pool,#{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        text=><<"inline_keyboard_style">>,
        reply_markup=>
                #{
                inline_keyboard=>
                [
                [
                #{
                    text=><<"red">>,
                    style=><<"danger">>,
                    callback_data=><<"callback_red">>
                },
                #{
                    text=><<"green">>,
                    style=><<"success">>,
                    callback_data=><<"callback_green">>
                },
                #{
                    text=><<"blue">>,
                    style=><<"primary">>,
                    callback_data=><<"callback_blue">>
                },
                #{
                text=><<"default">>,
                callback_data=><<"callback_default">>
                }
                ]
                ]
            }
        }).

Answer callback query

telegram_bot_api:answerCallbackQuery(Pool,#{
    callback_query_id=>Id
    }).

Edit message reply markup

telegram_bot_api:editMessageReplyMarkup(Pool,#{
                message_id=>MessageId,
                chat_id=>ChatId,
                reply_markup=>
                    #{
                    inline_keyboard=>
                    [
                            [
                            #{
                                text=><<"ok">>,
                                callback_data=><<"callback_ok">>
                            }
                            ]
                    ]
                }
                }).

Send chat action

-include_lib("telegram_bot_api/include/chat_action.hrl").
    telegram_bot_api:sendChatAction(Pool,#{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        action=>?CHAT_ACTION_UPLOAD_PHOTO
    }).

Send dice

-include_lib("telegram_bot_api/include/message_dice.hrl").
    Result=telegram_bot_api:sendDice(Pool,#{
             chat_id=>ChatId,
             emoji=>?DICE_BOWLING,% or telegram_bot_api_emoji:random_dice()
             protect_content=>true
     }).
     %%
     %%{ok,200,#{ok := true,result :=#{ message_id := MessageId,  chat:=#{id:=ChatId}, dice :=#{value :=Value emoji:= Emoji}  } }}=Result,
     %%IsWin=telegram_bot_api_emoji:is_win_dice(Emoji,Value). % true or false

macros message dice

Send message draft

telegram_bot_api:sendMessageDraft(Pool,#{
         chat_id=>ChatId, 
         draft_id=>DrafId,
         text=>Text,
         message_thread_id=>ThreadId
     })

Create forum topic

-include_lib("telegram_bot_api/include/message_topic.hrl").
   telegram_bot_api:createForumTopic(Pool,#{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        name=><<"name topic">>,
        icon_color=>?TOPIC_ICON_COLOR_CREAMY
        icon_custom_emoji_id=>?TOPIC_EMOJI_NEWSPAPER_ID % or telegram_bot_api_emoji:random_topic()
    }).

macros message topic

Edit forum topic

telegram_bot_api:editForumTopic(Pool,#{
    chat_id=>ChatId,
    message_thread_id=>ThreadId,
    name=>Text
    }).

Mute chat member

mute_chat_member(Pool, ChatId, UserId, Minute) ->
    Result = telegram_bot_api:restrictChatMember(Pool, #{
        chat_id => ChatId,
        user_id => UserId,
        until_date => erlang:system_time(seconds) + (60 * Minute),
        permissions => #{
            can_send_messages => false,
            can_send_audios => false,
            can_send_documents => false,
            can_send_photos => false,
            can_send_videos => false,
            can_send_video_notes => false,
            can_send_voice_notes => false,
            can_send_polls => false,
            can_send_other_messages => false,
            can_add_web_page_previews => false,
            can_change_info => false,
            can_invite_users => false,
            can_pin_messages => false,
            can_manage_topics => false
        }
    }),
    case Result of
        {ok, 200, #{ok := true, result := true}} -> true;
        _ -> false
    end.

Bun chat member

ban_chat_member(BotName, ChatId, UserId, Minute) ->
    Result = telegram_bot_api:banChatMember(BotName, #{
        chat_id => ChatId,
        user_id => UserId,
        until_date => erlang:system_time(seconds) + (60 * Minute)
    }),
    case Result of
        {ok, 200, #{ok := true, result := true}} -> true;
        _ -> false
    end.

Get chat member

%%Get a user role in a group
case telegram_bot_api:getChatMember(Pool, #{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        user_id=>UserId
        }) of
        {ok,200, #{ok := true, result := #{status := Status} } }->
          Status;%creator or administrator or member or restricted or left or kicked; see type ChatMember 
        _->false
        end.
        

Get user profile audios

telegram_bot_api:getUserProfileAudios(Pool,#{user_id=>1234}).

Set chat member tag

case telegram_bot_api:setChatMemberTag(Pool, #{
        chat_id=>ChatId,
        user_id=>UserId,
        tag=><<"tag">>
        }) of
        {ok,200,#{ok := true,result := true}}->ok;
        %If you can&#39;t install the tag, you&#39;ll get an error example {ok,400,#{ok => false,description => <<"Bad Request: CHAT_CREATOR_REQUIRED">>,error_code => 400}} ->error;
        _->error
        end.

See

Macros