Telegram Bot API: Commands, Keyboards, and Input

Purpose

Use this skill when defining how users will tell the bot what to do.

Core API surface

• Bot commands and command scopes
• setMyCommands, getMyCommands, deleteMyCommands
• setChatMenuButton, getChatMenuButton
• ReplyKeyboardMarkup
• ReplyKeyboardRemove
• ForceReply
• KeyboardButton
• KeyboardButtonRequestUser, KeyboardButtonRequestChat, contact/location/poll requests

Developer guidance

1. Define concise command names and descriptions.
2. Always implement /start and /help.
3. Add /settings if the bot has mutable per-user preferences.
4. Keep command validation server-side; command scopes do not replace authorization.
5. Prefer explicit buttons when free text would increase user error.

Input surface choices

• Commands for expert or repeat usage
• Reply keyboards for constrained answers
• Force reply for step-by-step collection in privacy mode
• Chat or user selection buttons when the bot needs identifiers without copy/paste
• Menu button for command discovery or Mini App entry

Group-specific concerns

• Privacy mode changes which messages the bot receives.
• Commands in groups should remain explicit and auditable.
• Avoid fragile natural-language parsing in groups.

Common mistakes

• Treating command scope as access control.
• Building flows that require messages the bot will never receive in privacy mode.
• Using reply keyboards when inline keyboards or editing would feel smoother.
• Forgetting localization for command descriptions and menu text.

Read next

• 06-inline-mode-and-callbacks
• 07-chat-types-membership-and-invites
• 20-localization-testing-and-local-bot-api