telegraf

📢 Modern Telegram bot framework for node.js.

Features

• Full Telegram Bot API 2.1 support;
• Inline mode;
• Middleware support(Community middlewares on npm);
• HTTP/HTTPS webhooks;
• Connect/express.js webhooks;
• Reply via webhook connection;

Installation

$ npm install telegraf

Example

var Telegraf = require('telegraf');
var telegraf = new Telegraf(process.env.BOT_TOKEN);

// Message handling
telegraf.on('message', function * () {
  this.reply('*42*', { parse_mode: 'Markdown' })
})

telegraf.startPolling()

One more example

var Telegraf = require('telegraf');
var telegraf = new Telegraf(process.env.BOT_TOKEN);

// Look ma, middleware!
var sayYoMiddleware = function * (next) {
  yield this.reply('yo')
  yield next
}

// Command handling
telegraf.hears('/command', sayYoMiddleware, function * () {
  this.reply('Sure')
})

// Wow! RegEx
telegraf.hears(/reverse (.+)/, sayYoMiddleware, function * () {
  this.reply(this.match[1].split('').reverse().join(''))
})

telegraf.startPolling()

There are some other examples.

API

Application

A Telegraf application is an object containing an array of middleware generator functions which are composed and executed in a stack-like manner upon request. Telegraf is similar to many other middleware systems that you may have encountered such as Koa, Ruby's Rack, Connect, and so on - however a key design decision was made to provide high level "sugar" at the otherwise low-level middleware layer. This improves interoperability, robustness, and makes writing middleware much more enjoyable.

var telegraf = new Telegraf(process.env.BOT_TOKEN)

telegraf.on('text', function * (){
  this.reply('Hello World')
})

telegraf.startPolling()

Cascading

Telegraf middleware cascade in a more traditional way as you may be used to with similar tools - this was previously difficult to make user friendly with node's use of callbacks. However with generators we can achieve "true" middleware. Contrasting Connect's implementation which simply passes control through series of functions until one returns, Telegraf yields "downstream", then control flows back "upstream".

The following example bot will reply with "Hello World", however first the message flows through the logger middleware to mark when the message has been received. When a middleware invokes yield next the function suspends and passes control to the next middleware defined. After there are no more middleware to execute downstream, the stack will unwind and each middleware is resumed to perform its upstream behaviour.

var telegraf = new Telegraf(process.env.BOT_TOKEN)

// Logger middleware
telegraf.use(function * (next){
  var start = new Date
  this.state.started = start
  yield next
  var ms = new Date - start
  debug('response time %sms', ms)
})

telegraf.on('text', function * (){
  this.reply('Hello World')
})

Context

A Telegraf Context encapsulates telegram message. Context is created per request, and is referenced in middleware as the receiver, or the this identifier, as shown in the following snippet:

telegraf.use(function * (){
  this.telegraf           // Telegraf instance
  this.eventType          // Event type(message, inline_query, etc.)
  this.eventSubType       // Event subtype(text, sticker, audio, etc.)
  this.message            // Received message
  this.editedMessage      // Edited message
  this.inlineQuery        // Received inline query
  this.chosenInlineResult // Received inline query result
  this.callbackQuery      // Received callback query
  this.match              // Regex match (available only for `hears` handler)
});

The recommended way to extend application context.

var telegraf = new Telegraf(process.env.BOT_TOKEN)

telegraf.context.db = {
  getScores: function () { return 42 }
}

telegraf.on('text', function * (){
  var scores = this.db.getScores(this.message.from.username)
  this.reply(`${this.message.from.username}: ${score}`)
})

State

The recommended namespace to share information between middlewares.

var telegraf = new Telegraf(process.env.BOT_TOKEN)

telegraf.use(function * (next) {
  this.state.role = getUserRole(this.message) 
  yield next
})

telegraf.on('text', function * (){
  this.reply(`Hello ${this.state.role}`)
})

Session

var telegraf = new Telegraf(process.env.BOT_TOKEN)

// Session state will be lost on app restart
telegraf.use(Telegraf.memorySession())

telegraf.on('text', function * (){
  this.session.counter = this.session.counter || 0
  this.session.counter++
  this.reply(`Message counter:${this.session.counter}`)
})

Important: For production environment use any of telegraf-session-* middleware.

Telegram WebHook

var telegraf = new Telegraf(process.env.BOT_TOKEN)

// TLS options
var tlsOptions = {
  key: fs.readFileSync('server-key.pem'),
  cert: fs.readFileSync('server-cert.pem'),
  // This is necessary only if the client 
  // uses the self-signed certificate.
  ca: [ fs.readFileSync('client-cert.pem') ]
}

// Set telegram webhook
telegraf.setWebHook('https://server.tld:8443/secret-path', {
  content: 'server-cert.pem'
})

// Start https webhook
telegraf.startWebHook('/secret-path', tlsOptions, 8443)


// Http webhook, for nginx/heroku users.
telegraf.startWebHook('/secret-path', null, 5000)


// Use webHookCallback() if you want attach telegraf to existing http server
require('http')
  .createServer(telegraf.webHookCallback('/secret-path'))
  .listen(3000)

require('https')
  .createServer(tlsOptions, telegraf.webHookCallback('/secret-path'))
  .listen(8443)

// Connect/Express.js integration
var express = require('express')
var app = express()

app.use(telegraf.webHookCallback('/secret-path'))

app.get('/', function (req, res) {
  res.send('Hello World!')
})

app.listen(3000, function () {
  console.log('Example app listening on port 3000!')
})

Error Handling

By default Telegraf will print all errors to stderr and rethrow error. To perform custom error-handling logic you can set onError handler:

telegraf.onError = function(err){
  log.error('server error', err)
  throw err
}

Shortcuts

Telegraf context shortcuts:

Available shortcuts:

message event:

• getChat() -> telegraf.getChat()
• getChatAdministrators() -> telegraf.getChatAdministrators()
• getChatMember() -> telegraf.getChatMember()
• getChatMembersCount() -> telegraf.getChatMembersCount()
• leaveChat() -> telegraf.leaveChat()
• reply() -> telegraf.sendMessage()
• replyWithAudio() -> telegraf.sendAudio()
• replyWithChatAction() -> telegraf.sendChatAction()
• replyWithDocument() -> telegraf.sendDocument()
• replyWithLocation() -> telegraf.sendLocation()
• replyWithPhoto() -> telegraf.sendPhoto()
• replyWithSticker() -> telegraf.sendSticker()
• replyWithVideo() -> telegraf.sendVideo()
• replyWithVoice() -> telegraf.sendVoice()

callback_query event:

• answerCallbackQuery() -> telegraf.answerCallbackQuery()
• getChat() -> telegraf.getChat()
• getChatAdministrators() -> telegraf.getChatAdministrators()
• getChatMember() -> telegraf.getChatMember()
• getChatMembersCount() -> telegraf.getChatMembersCount()
• leaveChat() -> telegraf.leaveChat()
• reply() -> telegraf.sendMessage()
• replyWithAudio() -> telegraf.sendAudio()
• replyWithChatAction() -> telegraf.sendChatAction()
• replyWithDocument() -> telegraf.sendDocument()
• replyWithLocation() -> telegraf.sendLocation()
• replyWithPhoto() -> telegraf.sendPhoto()
• replyWithSticker() -> telegraf.sendSticker()
• replyWithVideo() -> telegraf.sendVideo()
• replyWithVoice() -> telegraf.sendVoice()

inline_query event:

• answerInlineQuery() -> telegraf.answerInlineQuery()

Examples

var telegraf = new Telegraf(process.env.BOT_TOKEN)

telegraf.on('text', function * (){
  // Simple usage 
  telegraf.sendMessage(this.message.chat.id, `Hello ${this.state.role}`)
  
  // Using shortcut
  this.reply(`Hello ${this.state.role}`)

  // If you want to mark message as reply to source message
  this.reply(`Hello ${this.state.role}`, { reply_to_message_id: this.message.id })
})

telegraf.on('/quit', function * (){
  // Simple usage 
  telegraf.leaveChat(this.message.chat.id)
  
  // Using shortcut
  this.leaveChat()
})

telegraf.on('callback_query', function * (){
  // Simple usage 
  telegraf.answerCallbackQuery(this.callbackQuery.id)
  
  // Using shortcut
  this.answerCallbackQuery()
})

telegraf.on('inline_query', function * (){
  var result = []
  // Simple usage 
  telegraf.answerInlineQuery(this.inlineQuery.id, result)
  
  // Using shortcut
  this.answerInlineQuery(result)
})

API reference

• Telegraf.handler(messageType, handler, [handler...])
• Telegraf.compose(handlers)
• new Telegraf(token)
  • .answerCallbackQuery(callbackQueryId, text, showAlert)
  • .answerInlineQuery(inlineQueryId, results, extra)
  • .editMessageCaption(chatId, messageId, caption, extra)
  • .editMessageReplyMarkup(chatId, messageId, markup, extra)
  • .editMessageText(chatId, messageId, text, extra)
  • .forwardMessage(chatId, fromChatId, messageId, extra)
  • .getChat(chatId)
  • .getChatAdministrators(chatId)
  • .getChatMember(chatId, userId)
  • .getChatMembersCount(chatId)
  • .getFile(fileId)
  • .getFileLink(fileId)
  • .getMe()
  • .getUserProfilePhotos(userId, offset, limit)
  • .handleUpdate(rawUpdate, response)
  • .hears(string|ReGex, handler, [handler...])
  • .kickChatMember(chatId, userId)
  • .leaveChat(chatId)
  • .on(messageType, handler, [handler...])
  • .removeWebHook()
  • .sendAudio(chatId, audio, extra)
  • .sendChatAction(chatId, action)
  • .sendContact(chatId, phoneNumber, firstName, extra)
  • .sendDocument(chatId, doc, extra)
  • .sendLocation(chatId, latitude, longitude, extra)
  • .sendMessage(chatId, text, extra)
  • .sendPhoto(chatId, photo, extra)
  • .sendSticker(chatId, sticker, extra)
  • .sendVenue(chatId, latitude, longitude, title, address, extra)
  • .sendVideo(chatId, video, extra)
  • .sendVoice(chatId, voice, extra)
  • .setWebHook(url, cert)
  • .startPolling(timeout, limit)
  • .startWebHook(webHookPath, tlsOptions, port, [host])
  • .stop()
  • .unbanChatMember(chatId, userId)
  • .use(function)
  • .webHookCallback(webHookPath)

---

Telegraf.handler(eventType, handler, [handler...]) => GeneratorFunction

Generates middleware for handling provided event type.

Param	Type	Description
eventType	string|string[]	Event type
handler	GeneratorFunction	Handler

---

Telegraf.compose(handlers) => GeneratorFunction

Compose middleware returning a fully valid middleware comprised of all those which are passed.

Param	Type	Description
handlers	GeneratorFunction[]	Array of handlers

---

new Telegraf(token)

Initialize new Telegraf app.

Param	Type	Description
token	string	Bot Token

---

.answerCallbackQuery(callbackQueryId, text, showAlert) => Promise

Use this method to send answers to callback queries.

Param	Type	Description
callbackQueryId	string	Query id
[text]	string	Notification text
[showAlert]	bool	Show alert instead of notification

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.answerInlineQuery(inlineQueryId, results, extra) => Promise

Use this method to send answers to an inline query.

Param	Type	Description
inlineQueryId	string	Query id
results	object[]	Results
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.editMessageCaption(chatId, messageId, caption, extra) => Promise

Use this method to edit captions of messages sent by the bot or via the bot

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
messageId	string	Message id
caption	string	Caption
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.editMessageReplyMarkup(chatId, messageId, markup, extra) => Promise

Use this method to edit only the reply markup of messages sent by the bot or via the bot.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
messageId	string	Message id
markup	object	Keyboard markup
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.editMessageText(chatId, messageId, text, extra) => Promise

Use this method to edit text messages sent by the bot or via the bot.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
messageId	string	Message id
text	string	Message
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.forwardMessage(chatId, fromChatId, messageId, extra) => Promise

Forwards message.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Source Chat id
fromChatId	number|string	Target Chat id
messageId	number	Message id
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.getChat(chatId) => Promise

Use this method to get up to date information about the chat (current name of the user for one-on-one conversations, current username of a user, group or channel, etc.).

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.getChatAdministrators(chatId) => Promise

Use this method to get a list of administrators in a chat. On success, returns an Array of ChatMember objects that contains information about all chat administrators except other bots. If the chat is a group or a supergroup and no administrators were appointed, only the creator will be returned.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.getChatMember(chatId) => Promise

Use this method to get information about a member of a chat.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id

_{Related Telegram api docs}

.getChatMembersCount(chatId) => Promise

Use this method to get the number of members in a chat.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.getFile(fileId) => Promise

Returns basic info about a file and prepare it for downloading.

Param	Type	Description
fileId	string	File id

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.getFileLink(fileId) => Promise

Returns link to file.

Param	Type	Description
fileId	string	File id

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.getMe() => Promise

Returns basic information about the bot.

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.getUserProfilePhotos(userId, offset, limit) => Promise

Returns profiles photos for provided user.

Param	Type	Description
userId	number	Chat id
offset	number	Offset
limit	number	Limit

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.handleUpdate(rawUpdate, [webHookResponse])

Handle raw Telegram update. In case you use centralized webhook server, queue, etc.

Param	Type	Description
rawUpdate	object	Telegram update payload
[webHookResponse]	object	(Optional) http.ServerResponse

---

.hears(pattern, handler, [handler...])

Registers handler only for text events using string pattern or RegEx.

Param	Type	Description
pattern	string|RegEx	Pattern or RegEx
handler	GeneratorFunction	Handler

---

.kickChatMember(chatId, userId) => Promise

Use this method to kick a user from a group or a supergroup.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
userId	number	User id

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.leaveChat(chatId) => Promise

Use this method for your bot to leave a group, supergroup or channel.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.on(eventType, handler, [handler...])

Registers handler for provided event type.

Param	Type	Description
eventType	string|string[]	Event type
handler	GeneratorFunction	Handler

---

.removeWebHook() => Promise

Removes webhook. Shortcut for Telegraf.setWebHook('')

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.sendAudio(chatId, audio, extra) => Promise

Sends audio.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
audio	File	Document
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.sendChatAction(chatId, action) => Promise

Sends chat action.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
action	string	Chat action

---

.sendContact(chatId, phoneNumber, firstName, extra) => Promise

Sends document.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
phoneNumber	string	Contact phone number
firstName	string	Contact first name
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.sendDocument(chatId, doc, extra) => Promise

Sends document.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
doc	File	Document
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.sendLocation(chatId, latitude, longitude, extra) => Promise

Sends location.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
latitude	number	Latitude
longitude	number	Longitude
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.sendMessage(chatId, text, extra) => Promise

Sends text message.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
text	string	Message
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.sendPhoto(chatId, photo, extra) => Promise

Sends photo.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
photo	File	Photo
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.sendSticker(chatId, sticker, extra) => Promise

Sends sticker.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
sticker	File	Document
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.sendVenue(chatId, latitude, longitude, title, address, extra) => Promise

Sends venue information.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
latitude	number	Latitude
longitude	number	Longitude
title	string	Venue title
address	string	Venue address
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.sendVideo(chatId, video, extra) => Promise

Sends video.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
video	File	Document
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.sendVoice(chatId, voice, extra) => Promise

Sends voice.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
voice	File	Document
[extra]	object	Extra parameters

---

.setWebHook(url, [cert]) => Promise

Specifies an url to receive incoming updates via an outgoing webhook.

Param	Type	Description
url	string	Public url for webhook
[cert]	File	SSL public certificate

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.startWebHook(webHookPath, tlsOptions, port, [host])

Start listening @ https://host:port/webHookPath for Telegram calls.

Param	Type	Description
webHookPath	string	Webhook url path (see Telegraf.setWebHook)
tlsOptions	object	(Optional) TLS server options. Pass null to use http
port	number	Port number
[host]	string	(Optional) Hostname

---

.startPolling(timeout, limit)

Start poll updates.

Param	Type	Default	Description
timeout	number	0	Poll timeout
limit	number	100	Limits the number of updates to be retrieved

---

.stop()

Stop WebHook and polling

---

.unbanChatMember(chatId, userId) => Promise

Use this method to unban a previously kicked user in a supergroup.

Param	Type	Description
chatId	number|string	Chat id
userId	number	User id

_{Related Telegram api docs}

---

.use(middleware)

Registers a middleware.

Param	Type	Description
middleware	function	Middleware function

---

.webHookCallback(webHookPath) => Function

Return a callback function suitable for the http[s].createServer() method to handle a request. You may also use this callback function to mount your telegraf app in a Koa/Connect/Express app.

Param	Type	Description
webHookPath	string	Webhook url path (see Telegraf.setWebHook)

File

This object represents the contents of a file to be uploaded.

Supported file sources:

• File path
• Buffer
• ReadStream
• Existing file_id

Example:

  // send file
  telegraf.sendVideo('chatId', {source: '/path/to/video.mp4'}})
  
  // send buffer
  telegraf.sendVoice('chatId', {source: new Buffer(...)})

  // send stream
  telegraf.sendAudio('chatId', {source: fs.createReadStream('/path/to/video.mp4')})

  // resend existing file
  telegraf.sendSticker('chatId', '123123jkbhj6b')

_{Related Telegram api docs}

Events

Supported event:

• message
• inline_query
• chosen_inline_result
• callback_query

Available virtual events:

• text
• audio
• document
• photo
• sticker
• video
• voice
• contact
• location
• venue
• new_chat_member
• left_chat_member
• new_chat_title
• new_chat_photo
• delete_chat_photo
• group_chat_created
• supergroup_chat_created
• channel_chat_created
• migrate_to_chat_id
• migrate_from_chat_id
• pinned_message

// Handle all messages
telegraf.on('message', function * () {
  this.reply('Hey there!')
})

// Handle virtual events
telegraf.on(['sticker', 'photo'], function * () {
  console.log(this.message)
  this.reply('Cool!')
})

_{Related Telegram api docs}

License

The MIT License (MIT)

Copyright (c) 2016 Telegraf

Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions:

The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software.

THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.