Telegram Integration
Deploy your AI chatbot as a Telegram bot to respond to messages in private chats
The Telegram integration allows you to deploy your AI chatbot as a Telegram bot, enabling users to interact with it through private messages. Your bot responds instantly to questions using your knowledge base.
Key Features
- Instant AI-powered responses to Telegram messages
- Private chat support for one-on-one conversations
- Customizable response tone (professional, friendly, casual, etc.)
- Configurable response delay for message batching
- Typing indicator while generating responses
- Conversation tracking in your dashboard
- Full conversation history for context-aware responses
Quick Setup
Create a Telegram Bot
- Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
- Send
/newbotto create a new bot - Follow the prompts to:
- Choose a display name for your bot (e.g., "My Support Bot")
- Choose a username (must end in
bot, e.g.,my_support_bot)
- BotFather will send you a bot token - copy this for the next step
Keep your bot token secure - it provides full control over your bot. Never share it publicly.
Connect in FutureBase
- Go to Integrations in your FutureBase dashboard
- Click Install on the Telegram integration
- Click Connect Bot and paste your bot token
- Click Connect to validate and activate your bot
The integration automatically sets up a webhook to receive messages from Telegram.
Configure Settings
After connecting, configure your bot's behavior:
- Response Tone: Choose how your bot communicates
- Response Delay: Set how long to wait before responding (for message batching)
Test Your Bot
- Open Telegram and search for your bot by username
- Click Start to begin a conversation
- Send a message and watch for the AI response
How It Works
- A user sends a message to your Telegram bot
- Telegram forwards the message to FutureBase via webhook
- The AI analyzes the message along with conversation history
- A response is generated using your knowledge base
- The bot sends the response back to the user
The bot shows a "typing" indicator while generating responses, so users know a reply is coming.
Configuration Options
Response Tone
Choose how your bot communicates with users:
| Tone | Description |
|---|---|
| Professional | Clear, direct, and business-appropriate |
| Friendly | Warm and approachable (default) |
| Supportive | Empathetic and understanding, great for frustrated users |
| Casual | Relaxed and conversational, like talking to a friend |
| Formal | Traditional, polite, and highly structured |
Response Delay
Configure how long the bot waits before responding (0-30 seconds). This allows the AI to batch multiple messages sent in quick succession into a single response. Default is 2 seconds.
- Set to 0 for immediate responses
- Set to 2-5 seconds to handle users who send multiple messages
Telegram users typically expect quick responses. We recommend keeping the delay under 5 seconds for the best experience.
Supported Features
Private Chats
The integration currently supports private (one-on-one) conversations. Users can message your bot directly to get AI-powered responses.
Text Messages
The bot responds to text messages. Other message types (photos, documents, voice messages) are acknowledged but not processed.
Conversation History
The AI maintains context from up to 50 previous messages in a conversation, allowing it to understand references to earlier parts of the discussion.
Markdown Formatting
Responses are sent with Markdown formatting enabled, allowing the AI to use:
- Bold and italic text
Code blocksfor technical content- Bullet points and numbered lists
Security & Permissions
- Encrypted bot tokens - Your bot token is encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM
- Webhook verification - All incoming webhooks are verified using Telegram's secret token
- Minimal data access - The bot only receives messages sent directly to it
- Disconnect anytime - Remove the integration from your dashboard instantly
We recommend creating a dedicated bot for FutureBase rather than using an existing bot token.
Troubleshooting
Best Practices
Setting Up Your Bot
- Choose a clear, recognizable bot username
- Set a helpful bot description in BotFather (
/setdescription) - Add a profile photo to make your bot more recognizable
Optimizing Responses
- Keep your knowledge base comprehensive and up-to-date
- Use clear, structured content for better AI comprehension
- Include FAQs and common questions users might ask
User Experience
- Use the "Friendly" tone for casual support scenarios
- Keep response delays low (2-5 seconds) for a responsive feel
- Monitor conversations to identify common questions
Scaling
- Review conversation metrics to measure effectiveness
- Update your knowledge base based on common user questions
- Consider adding more detailed content for frequent topics
Frequently Asked Questions
Need Help?
Contact our support team at support@futurebase.io or check the Getting Started guide for more information.