How to create Telegram bot buttons without using slash commands?

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1

I’m working on a Telegram bot and I want to make custom keyboard buttons that don’t need a slash. I know the docs say commands must start with ‘/’, but I’ve seen other bots do it differently. Like @TriviaBot has buttons you can just tap without typing a command.

I tried to grab the text before the command starts and add a slash, but it didn’t work. Does anyone know how to set this up? I’m using PHP for my bot.

I’d really appreciate any tips or examples on how to make the buttons work without slash commands. Thanks!

2

You’re on the right track looking at custom keyboards. To create buttons without slash commands, you’ll want to use Telegram’s InlineKeyboardMarkup or ReplyKeyboardMarkup.

These allow you to define custom buttons that send predefined text when tapped, bypassing the need for slash commands. In PHP, you can create these using the Telegram Bot API.

Here’s a basic approach:

  1. Define your keyboard layout
  2. Send it with your message
  3. Handle the incoming button presses in your webhook

The key is to focus on the ‘callback_data’ for inline keyboards or the button text for reply keyboards. This way, your bot responds to button presses rather than slash commands.

Remember to implement proper error handling and consider user experience when designing your button layout.

3

I’ve been working with Telegram bots for a while now, and I can tell you that creating buttons without slash commands is definitely possible and quite useful. The key is to use Telegram’s custom keyboards, specifically the ReplyKeyboardMarkup.

Here’s what worked for me:

  1. Create a keyboard layout with the buttons you want.
  2. Send this keyboard along with your message.
  3. In your webhook, look for the ‘text’ field in the update, not ‘command’.

This way, when a user taps a button, your bot receives the button text as a regular message. You can then program your bot to respond accordingly.

One thing to keep in mind: make sure your button labels are clear and intuitive. Users should understand what each button does without needing explanations.

Also, consider adding an option to hide the keyboard when it’s not needed. This improves the overall user experience.