Telegram bots: what they are, how to create them, the best

Telegram is one of the most used instant messaging apps in the world. It represents a valid alternative to Whatsapp and, like Whatsapp, it is available for both iOS and Android , as well as having a very useful web component that allows you to use Telegram from a desktop.

Telegram presents itself as one of the messaging apps that has more functions within it, managing to also guarantee a high level of security for users who use it. On Telegram it is possible to create groups, even hidden ones, send any type of file or add channels to your list, very useful for staying updated on different topics.

One of the strengths of Telegram is certainly represented by bots, or automated programs that, at the request of the user, perform very specific and often very useful tasks for finding information or certain types of files.

In this guide we will explain better what Telegram bots are , how to create one for passion or fun and above all we will give you a list of the best Telegram bots to use for different purposes.

 

What are Telegram bots

bot-telegram

 

As already mentioned, Telegram bots are nothing more than automated programs that manage to perform tasks. To launch a Telegram bot it is necessary to write the instruction in the text field where the messages are written, instruction that must be preceded by the symbol ” / ” which is used to recall the functions of the bot. It is also possible to recall all the functions of the bot using the appropriate button that summarizes the available commands.

Bots come in handy on a number of occasions, as there are all kinds of bots . It is possible, in fact, to use Telegram bots alone, in a chat between you and the bot, or insert them into groups and supergroups of users, for example to automatically ban those who go against the group’s regulation.

In fact, there are bots that allow you to search for GIFs in chats, or bots that report news in real time, or even bots with which you can talk in English to practice. We will see later which are the best Telegram bots, now let’s see how to add or remove a bot.

How to add a Telegram bot

Adding a bot is very simple. Once you have selected the bot you want to add to your Telegram account, you will have to click or tap on the link. The browser will ask you if you want to add the bot , answer in the affirmative and the application will automatically open in the chat window with the bot.

At this point, all you have to do is start the conversation with the bot by clicking on the Start button Once the chat is started, the bot (usually) will present itself summarizing its functions and the main commands to use.

 

To see the entire list of commands that can be recalled, all you have to do is click on the appropriate button , located next to the emoji one, and scroll through the list. It is possible to open the same window through “ / “, the character required to launch the instructions. To select a specific function, just tap on it, which will automatically be launched to the bot that will reply with the information you have requested.

Remove a Telegram bot

 

Telegram bots often need to access profile information to work. This isn’t always necessary, but it could happen. For this reason, if you no longer want to use a Telegram bot, then you must first stop it and then delete the chat , since simply deleting the conversation may not stop the bot.

 

To remove a Telegram bot from the desktop, open the chat and click on the options, accessible via the three dots at the top right. At this point you will have to first click on Stop and block bots , and then on Delete chat .

If, on the other hand, you want to remove a Telegram bot from the smartphone application, then you will have to open the chat, click on the bot name at the top, click on Info and then on Stop bot . At this point you can then proceed to delete the chat .

How to create a Telegram bot

How to create a Telegram bot

 

If the bots have intrigued you to the point of wanting to try to create one, just know that the operation to create an empty Telegram bot is not very complicated. The most difficult part is certainly the one concerning the microservices to be written, that is all those instructions written through a programming code that the bot will have to execute to perform tasks automatically. Bots can be developed in Python, a very popular programming language, but also in Java, PHP or Node.js .

The microservices are called through HTTP requests , that is what the user writes in the chat with the bot, which Telegram also to the services that host the microservices: they are, therefore, a communication channel between the two platforms.

To create a Telegram bot you will need, therefore, to choose the platform that will host the microservices and then BotFather, which is the parent bot of all the other bots that are created. In this guide we will see how to create a Telegram bot using BotFather.

BotFather

To create a Telegram bot through BotFather you will first have to start the bot by clicking on this link , or by searching for it from within Telegram. Once BotFather is added, start the conversation and type or click on the command / newbot .

BotFather will ask you for a variety of information needed to create your bot. Choose and enter a name, a username that must necessarily end with the word “bot”.

At the end of the process, you will have created your bot, which will be empty in the sense that it will have no instructions to carry out, but it is there ready to be used. BotFather will then return you a token, which is necessary to make the bot work. The token must be noted and stored with care, and must not be disclosed because anyone who knows your token will be able to control your bot. The token must then be inserted into the microservices management platform in order to allow communication between the Telegram bot and the platform.

 

Other instructions you can use to customize your bot are as follows.

  • / setdescription – sets a description of the bot
  • / setabouttext : sets an introductory text that will be shown by the bot on startup
  • / setuserpic : Sets the bot profile picture or avatar.

The best Telegram bots to try

As already stated, Telegram bots are very useful in several ways. We have collected the best bots for you to try at least once, which could increase your productivity with your smartphone and make it even more useful.

To add them, just click or tap on the link and add them to Telegram.

  • Amazon Global Bot : useful for searching for a product on Amazon from within Telegram chats, to find out the price immediately.
  • BotFather : the bot that allows you to create other bots.
  • CodiceFiscaleBot : immediately calculate a person’s tax code.
  • DottorBot : allows you to receive scientific and medical information with in-depth articles and wikis.
  • DuckDuckGoBot : the bot of DuckDuckGo, the alternative search engine to Google. It returns you the search results and the first image from a word or phrase.
  • Fakemailbot – Allows you to create temporary and anonymous email addresses.
  • FlightRadar24Bot : bot that monitors air traffic in the vicinity of those who use it.
  • FreeSecreteriaBot : this bot lets you know who is calling you while your smartphone is off or unreachable. It is a valid alternative to the “I looked for you” services, which telephone companies are paying more and more often. This Telegram bot can also act as an answering machine, recording the messages of those who call you to let you listen to them again via voice message.
  • OffersMobile : bot that will notify you of the latest offers proposed by telephony operators.
  • PollBot : allows you to add polls in Telegram groups and channels.
  • SpacoBot : bot that has the sole purpose of entertaining the chat, also through insults that you can address to other users.
  • TempMail : this bot also allows you to create temporary emails.
  • TrackBot : a bot that tracks packages and shipments through the package tracking code. Allows you to have automatic updates on the status of the shipment.
  • Transcriber_Bot : a very useful bot that transcribes a voice message or audio note into a text message. Useful if you can’t hear a voice message right away or if someone sends you a 10 minute voice.
  • TrenItBot : bot that gives you information on train timetables, delays included.
  • TranslateBot : This bot is able to translate what is written in the chat in any language.
  • YouTubeAudioDownloader : allows you to download only the audio of the YouTube video, starting from the video URL.
  • YouTubeBot : allows you to search for videos on YouTube from within Telegram