> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.trypost.it/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Telegram

> Connect a Telegram channel or group to TryPost

# Telegram

TryPost publishes to Telegram **channels and groups** through a shared TryPost bot that you add as an administrator.

## Connect a channel

1. Go to **Accounts** in the TryPost dashboard
2. Click **Connect** on **Telegram**
3. Add the bot (e.g. **@TryPostBot**) as an **administrator** of your channel or group
4. Copy the `/connect <code>` command shown in the dialog and post it in that channel
5. TryPost links the channel automatically — the dialog closes once it's connected

<Note>
  The bot must be an **administrator** of the channel. Telegram only delivers channel posts (including the `/connect` command and reactions) to bots that are admins, and the bot needs admin rights to publish.
</Note>

You can connect as many channels and groups as you like — each one becomes its own account.

## Supported content types

| Type                       | Description                                                            |
| -------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Post** (`telegram_post`) | Text with up to 10 images/videos (multiple media are sent as an album) |

Telegram allows up to **4096** characters of text. Media captions are capped at **1024**, so a longer post is sent as the media followed by a separate text message. Formatting (bold, italic, links, `code`) and plain `@username` mentions are preserved — Telegram auto-links public usernames.

## Analytics

Telegram's Bot API exposes **no post view counts**. TryPost surfaces what is available:

* **Subscribers** — the channel's member count (shown account-wide and on each post)
* **Reactions** — per-post reaction counts (👍 ❤️ 🔥 …), pushed in real time by Telegram

## Self-hosting setup

Telegram uses a single shared bot. Create one with [@BotFather](https://t.me/BotFather), then configure:

```env theme={null}
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=123456:ABC...
TELEGRAM_BOT_USERNAME=YourBot
TELEGRAM_WEBHOOK_SECRET=a-long-random-string
```

Register the webhook so Telegram can deliver `/connect` commands and reactions:

```bash theme={null}
php artisan telegram:set-webhook
```

<Note>
  The webhook URL is `{APP_URL}/telegram/webhook`, so `APP_URL` must be a **public HTTPS URL** Telegram can reach. Re-run `telegram:set-webhook` whenever it changes. See the [Self-Hosting configuration guide](/self-hosting/configuration).
</Note>