Telegram Bot API: Messages and Formatting

Purpose

Use this skill when building text-first bot UX.

Core API surface

• sendMessage
• sendMessageDraft
• forwardMessage, forwardMessages
• copyMessage, copyMessages
• editMessageText, editMessageReplyMarkup
• deleteMessage, deleteMessages
• pinChatMessage, unpinChatMessage, unpinAllChatMessages
• ReplyParameters
• MessageEntity
• LinkPreviewOptions

Developer guidance

1. Pick one rendering strategy:
   • raw entities for maximum control
   • HTML
   • MarkdownV2
2. Escape content rigorously if you generate markup dynamically.
3. Treat editing as a first-class pattern for interactive bots:
   • update one message instead of sending clutter
   • especially for inline keyboards and settings menus
4. Use ReplyParameters when reply context matters.
5. Use sendMessageDraft for streaming or partial AI-style responses in supported private-chat/topic flows.

Formatting rules that matter

• MarkdownV2 is powerful but escape-heavy.
• HTML is simpler for many server-side renderers.
• Custom emoji and date-time entities have extra capability rules.
• Link previews are configurable and should be intentional.
• Quotes must match source text exactly when using quoted replies.

Forward vs copy

• Use forward when provenance should stay visible.
• Use copy when you need a clean repost without a backlink.
• Protected content and some service/payment media cannot be forwarded or copied.

Editing constraints

• Inline messages require inline-message identifiers.
• Some business messages are only editable within limited windows.
• Some paid or suggested-post content has extra restrictions.

Common mistakes

• Unescaped user data in MarkdownV2.
• Assuming message text always exists; many messages are media-only.
• Editing messages that Telegram does not allow you to edit.
• Deleting messages without checking age/admin constraints.

Read next

• 04-media-and-files
• 06-inline-mode-and-callbacks
• 19-security-privacy-and-identity