We will write a bot like this
Nowadays, anyone without programming skills can write a simple chatbot on their own. For example, to provide services via Telegram, organize a community’s work, etc. Let’s say, for tracking attendance in a classroom, for communicating in a building’s group chat, for downloading movies and music. And for a technical specialist, writing such a bot is a trivial task. Why chatbots are needed, how businesses and individuals can use them, and how to write a bot yourself, whether you have programming skills or not, we will discuss in this article.
In simple terms, a Telegram chatbot is a small application (program) within the messenger, capable of performing various tasks through interaction with the user. There are already quite a few existing bots, and their number continues to grow because any user can create these applications by spending a little time and effort.
Bots can be used for personal purposes; their range of application is wide. They can be used for reminders, ordering train, theater, or movie tickets, etc., for downloading movies and music, searching for information on the internet or other sources, and so on.
Bots are widely used in business. They display product and service catalogs, provide consultations, accept payments and arrange delivery, act as technical support, take requests from users and answer their questions, work as a secretary by reminding about meetings, creating schedule entries, scheduling interviews, etc.: there are many ways to use these applications in this sphere as well.
The principle of how a chatbot works is as follows: after launching, it greets the user and offers to ask a question or choose an action from the available options. The person presses one of the available buttons or writes a message. The application sees the response and reacts to it, fulfilling the request or sending the next message. This dialogue continues until the person’s question is resolved or the bot transfers the conversation to a live employee if it decides it cannot handle the task.
If you need a bot for specific tasks, you can order one on specialized platforms. However, by understanding the principle of how a bot works, you can write one for your needs yourself. There are two ways:
Below we will talk more about creating bots using both methods.
If you have programming skills, writing your own bot is not difficult at all. Alternatively, a custom chatbot can be ordered from a freelance programmer for a modest sum.
Usually, chatbots are written in Python, but other languages can also be used: Java, C++, Ruby, etc. If you are not familiar with any of them, you can spend time learning them or do otherwise: create a technical specification and contact a programmer. You can find one on the internet, through social networks, freelance exchanges, specialized companies, or through acquaintances.
Instructions for writing a chatbot in Python:
To create a bot, you need to contact an existing bot in Telegram, BotFather. With it, we select the command and come up with a name and username (it must end with ‘bot’) for our bot. BotFather sends the token for our new bot, and we copy it. Here you can also immediately add an avatar, description, and much more using the interactive menu.
Now you need to install the necessary library on your computer. To do this, open the command line and type .
Then, go to any Python coding environment and import this library, and also, to create different objects, you need to include the module. After that, we create the bot itself.
We add a welcome message after launch and one more command necessary for stable operation, after which the simplest bot is ready.
For example, let’s create a simple bot for a beauty salon. Its functionality will include viewing necessary information about it, as well as booking an appointment. To do this, we create a keyboard template and several buttons using the module and add these buttons to the template. We will also repeat the actions for the “Back” button.
For the user to see this keyboard, you need to add the parameter to the line with the bot’s message output.
When any of the buttons is pressed, the user automatically sends a message with the corresponding text. For the bot to react to such messages, you need to add a function in which the program simply performs comparisons and, based on them, outputs the required text. As the reply keyboard for all buttons except “Book an appointment”, we display the already created “Back” button.
For orders to come to you personally after registration, you need to create a group and add your bot to it. After that, we create a new function , which will forward the user’s message to your group and output some text. In the parameter, we insert the link to the group with orders.
After this, we write the method so that the bot waits for the user’s next message and executes the function.
Here is the result we got:
API and Technical Details
When programming a bot, the API (Application Programming Interface) is of great importance, through which programs, web services, and applications exchange data. Telegram bots are controlled by programs that communicate with the messenger’s servers to receive data (for example, about a message received by the bot) and send commands (for example, to send a reply to a message). The communication between the programs controlling the bots and the servers is done via an API.
The main API through which data is exchanged is the Telegram API (MTProto API). It is based on the MTProto protocol, created by the Telegram team, and is open so that developers can write their own programs for the messenger. In addition to it, there is the Bot API — this is an additionally developed API on top of the MTProto API, on which only bots operate. It was created so that programmers could write bots using standard HTML requests, without spending time getting acquainted with MTProto.
For bot development, you can use libraries for both the Telegram API and the Bot API. There are more libraries for the Bot API, but there are also more limitations: for example, it does not allow downloading large files or loading old messages from the chat history.
You can study the technical data of the MTProto protocol in the Telegram documentation.
When contacting a programmer to write a bot, you need to prepare a technical specification. The more detailed and precise it is, the better the chatbot will perform its tasks and meet your expectations. Here is what should be specified in the technical specification:
The more precise and detailed the technical specification is, the better the result you will get, and the less time you and the programmer will spend on potential revisions.
After the technical specification is created, write it down and discuss it with the developers. Make sure they can fulfill it according to your wishes and discuss the cost of the work.
Another option for building a bot from scratch is to use a builder. Here you create blocks in which you write the bot’s text and actions and connect them in a specific order. You can get acquainted with the three best builders below.
Botman
A builder for chatbots and sales funnels for Telegram and VK. In the free plan, you will get basic features that allow you to create simple chatbots and use them to solve your tasks. A series of video tutorials will clearly and simply explain how to work on the platform and teach you how to create applications of varying complexity.
Chatbots can be used in the following areas:
Advantages of Botman:
If you don’t want to work on creating a bot yourself, you can order such an application on the platform. To do this, you need to submit a request and describe what exactly is required. After that, a specialist will contact you to discuss the details. A separate advantage of the platform is the free course on bot development without programming skills from the founder himself.
Botmother
A platform for creating chatbots of any complexity. Here you can build applications for Telegram, Viber, WhatsApp, Odnoklassniki, and VKontakte by simply dragging and dropping ready-made blocks in a visual editor.
There are ready-made templates that you can edit for yourself or use as they are. After registration, a free trial plan will be available, on which you can create up to ten bots with a limit on the number of users and sent messages. To remove them, you need to pay for one of the four paid plans.
Multy
Multy is a multi-builder for creating chatbots and websites. It has a simple and intuitive interface, many templates for different life situations, as well as free training to get acquainted with the platform’s tools.
With Multy, you can create chatbots and automate business processes, set up newsletters in Telegram and VK, and build websites. Wide integration possibilities with payment systems, AI, CRM systems, and other services and platforms are available. There are no free plans, but you can explore Multy’s features for 14 days and then choose one of the three tariff plans.
When developing chatbots, it is important to ensure the following is done:
If all this is taken into account, you can proceed to creation.
To create a bot, you need to understand its operating principle and know how scripts are written and what types they come in depending on the application’s type.
Operating Principle
The bot’s operating principle can be represented as follows:
Steps 3-4 are repeated until the person’s question is resolved or until the bot determines it cannot help the user and invites a specialist.
In the field of chatbots, the script, also known as the structure, is of key importance. It looks like a logical chain of message blocks, along which a person moves until their problem is solved. The more precisely the script is made, the better its chain and branches are thought out, the faster the user will get a result.
The script is created taking into account the type of bot, which, in turn, is determined by the goals, tasks the application performs, and its functionality.
Types
There are many classifications of bots based on various criteria. Here are some types of bots:
A specific script is selected for each type of bot to achieve maximum efficiency.
Developing a Script for Each Type of Bot
A script for a chatbot can be created using the following scheme:
Different types of scripts are suitable for different types of bots. Possible options:
The effectiveness of your application will depend on a well-thought-out choice of script.
A number of tips and recommendations that will help in writing an effective bot:
Follow these rules, and the resulting bot will interact well with users and help them solve their questions.
— What should I choose: create a chatbot with a builder or order one from a programmer?
— Both options are possible, but working on the application yourself in a visual builder will be cheaper than hiring programmers. In this case, you will control every step of the application’s development and can achieve the exact result that best meets your needs.
— Where can chatbots be used, in which social networks or messengers?
— The scope of application for chatbots is very wide. They are usually used on Telegram, less often on VK, but you can create a chatbot for WhatsApp, Viber, “Odnoklassniki,” Instagram* or Facebook, for your website. Applications can be developed for external communication with clients, partners, or other people, as well as for internal use, for example, within a company to check completed tasks or work with reports.
— What are bots and why are they called that?
— A bot (short for “robot”) is a small application or program capable of performing specific tasks through interaction with a user. Bots can be used for personal purposes and in business; their range of application is very wide.
— Why have chatbots become so popular?
— Chatbots are popular because they can simplify a wide variety of tasks: with their help, you won’t forget an important event, you can download videos or music, translate foreign words, etc. In business, chatbots help streamline the process of interacting with customers, improve sales, and significantly save on employees: today, such applications successfully work in tech support, act as personal assistants, process sales and product delivery, book appointments or consultations, and solve many other tasks. Even if you order their development from programmers or on sites with bot builders, it will pay off in the long run, as you will improve your work with clients and, consequently, sales, and you will also be able to save on the salaries of employees who will be replaced by the application.
— Can bots be connected to other services and platforms?
— Yes, bots today successfully integrate with other platforms. These can be payment or CRM systems, Google services (Google Sheets, etc.), educational platforms, telephony, advertising services, and much more.
