I’m just getting started with creating Telegram bots and I have a question about user data management. I need to find a way to get the chat_id values for users who interact with my bot. Is there a method to access this information from the bot’s data storage?
I’ve been searching through documentation but haven’t found clear instructions on how to retrieve user identifiers. What’s the best approach to get chat_id for specific users? Are there any built-in functions or APIs that allow me to access this data?
I want to be able to modify and work with the user information that my bot collects. Any guidance on accessing stored user data would be really helpful.
just get the chat_id from the user object when they msg u - it’s either update.message.from_user.id or update.message.chat.id. also remember, telegram doesn’t save this for u, so u’ll need ur own db for keeping user info.
You can easily retrieve the chat_id directly from the incoming messages your bot receives. Each message contains the chat_id at message.chat.id within the update. Additionally, for callback queries, you can find it at callback_query.message.chat.id. It’s important to note that Telegram does not provide built-in data storage for user information; instead, you should utilize an external database such as SQLite, PostgreSQL, or a simple JSON file to manage user data. When processing updates, be sure to store the chat_id alongside any relevant user data you collect. This way, you can retrieve and modify user information as needed later while ensuring that you’re compliant with privacy regulations.
I’ve built several Telegram bots, and here’s what you need to know: there’s no centralized chat_id storage from Telegram. You grab the chat_id when users interact with your bot using update.message.chat.id, then store it yourself. I set up a simple registration flow - when someone first messages the bot, I automatically save their chat_id plus username and preferences to my database. For storage, SQLite works great for small projects, PostgreSQL for anything serious. The real challenge isn’t grabbing the chat_id - that’s easy. It’s designing your database schema so you can efficiently query users later for broadcasts or personalized messages.