Creating custom keyboard for Telegram bot in PHP

Other Questions Telegram bot
1

Hey everyone! I’m working on a Telegram bot using PHP and I’m having trouble setting up a custom keyboard. I’ve tried using the reply_markup parameter, but it’s not working as expected. Here’s what I’ve got so far:

$botAPI = 'https://api.telegram.org/bot' . $token;
$keyboardData = json_encode([
    'keyboard' => [['Test Button']],
    'resize_keyboard' => true,
    'one_time_keyboard' => false
]);

$response = file_get_contents($botAPI . '/sendMessage?chat_id=' . $chatID . '&text=Check out this keyboard!&reply_markup=' . urlencode($keyboardData));

Can anyone point out what I’m doing wrong or suggest a better way to implement this? I’m pretty new to Telegram bot development, so any help would be awesome. Thanks in advance!

2

I’ve encountered similar issues when implementing custom keyboards for Telegram bots. One thing that helped me was using the Guzzle HTTP client instead of file_get_contents(). It provides better error handling and more flexibility.

Here’s a snippet that worked for me:

$client = new GuzzleHttp\Client();
$response = $client->post($botAPI . '/sendMessage', [
    'json' => [
        'chat_id' => $chatID,
        'text' => 'Check out this keyboard!',
        'reply_markup' => [
            'keyboard' => [['Test Button']],
            'resize_keyboard' => true,
            'one_time_keyboard' => false
        ]
    ]
]);

This approach eliminates the need for manual JSON encoding and URL encoding. It’s more robust and easier to debug. Give it a try and let us know if it resolves your issue.

3

Your approach is on the right track, but there might be a few things to consider. First, ensure your bot token is valid and the chat ID is correct. Sometimes, network issues can interfere with API requests, so it’s worth trying a few times.

If the issue persists, I’d recommend using a dedicated PHP library for Telegram bots, like the TelegramBot PHP SDK. It simplifies the process and handles many edge cases. I’ve used it in several projects, and it’s quite reliable for implementing custom keyboards and other advanced features.

Also, don’t forget to check Telegram’s official API documentation. They occasionally update their requirements, which might affect how custom keyboards are implemented.

4

hey sofiap, ur code looks fine to me. have u checked if the $token and $chatID variables are set correctly? also, make sure ur bot has the necessary permissions. if it still doesnt work, try using cURL instead of file_get_contents(). that might help!