Build bots, custom clients, and powerful integrations with Telegram's open platform.
The Telegram Bot API provides an HTTP interface for creating bots that run on Telegram. Bots are special accounts that do not require a phone number to set up. They can accept payments, process messages, manage groups, and much more.
Bots can interact with users through inline keyboards, callback queries, inline mode, and webhook-based updates. The Bot API supports all message types including text, photos, videos, documents, locations, and custom stickers.
Complete reference for all Bot API methods and types
Learn what bots can do and how to build them
Set up real-time message delivery to your server
Accept payments through Telegram Bot Payments
The MTProto API is the low-level protocol used by Telegram clients. It provides direct access to all Telegram features and is suitable for building custom clients, advanced bots, and third-party applications that need full control over the messaging experience.
The MTProto protocol uses a combination of AES-256 encryption, RSA 2048 encryption, and Diffie-Hellman key exchange to ensure secure communication. It is optimized for speed and works efficiently even on slow network connections.
Technical details of the MTProto encryption protocol
Complete TL-schema reference for all API methods
Third-party libraries for Python, JavaScript, Go, and more
Cross-platform Telegram client library by the official team
To start building with the Telegram API, follow these steps: