I’m building a C# WinForms desktop application that integrates with a Telegram bot. The Telegram Bot API provides two main approaches for receiving messages: polling with getUpdates and webhook notifications.
The polling approach retrieves all available updates, but I’m struggling with implementing it efficiently. When I tried using a continuous loop to check for new messages, the application became unresponsive and felt sluggish.
The webhook method seems more elegant since it automatically notifies about incoming messages, making it easier to handle only fresh updates. However, there’s a problem - webhooks require a public URL endpoint, and my application is a desktop WinForms app, not a web application.
What would be the best strategy to handle real-time message processing in a desktop environment? Are there any workarounds for using webhooks with WinForms, or is there a better way to implement polling without freezing the UI?
polling’s def the way to go for a desktop app. try using async/await with Task.Delay() to avoid blocking. i usually do await Task.Delay(1000) between getUpdates calls, and it’s been working great without freezing.
I’ve run into this same issue with desktop Telegram bots. Here’s what works: use long polling instead of hammering the API with constant requests. Set the timeout parameter in getUpdates to 30-60 seconds - this makes the request wait for new messages instead of returning empty results immediately. Cuts down server load massively and makes everything way more efficient. Pair it with HttpClient.GetAsync() for proper async handling and you’ll get near real-time updates without beating up the API. It’s basically webhook behavior but works in desktop apps. Been using this setup for over a year - handles message bursts perfectly with zero performance problems.
For WinForms apps, polling’s your best option since webhooks need a public endpoint. The UI freezing happens because you’re blocking the main thread. Run your polling on a separate thread using BackgroundWorker or Timer. I use System.Threading.Timer with 2-3 second intervals - works great without freezing anything. Just remember to use Control.Invoke() when updating UI elements from the background thread or you’ll get cross-thread exceptions. This setup’s been rock solid for me and keeps everything responsive while handling messages in real-time.