I’m looking for some guidance on creating a Telegram bot that can handle my Gmail and Google Calendar without breaking the bank. I’ve tried searching online, but most guides suggest using expensive APIs.
Does anyone know how to set up a bot that:
Works with Gmail and Google Calendar
Runs completely on my own machine
Doesn’t need any paid services
Keeps my data private and secure
I’m pretty tech-savvy and comfortable with self-hosting, so I’m open to using open-source tools or coding it myself if needed. Any tips, tutorials, or personal experiences would be super helpful!
Have you considered using Node-RED for this project? It’s an open-source flow-based programming tool that can integrate with both Telegram and Google services. You can run it on your local machine or a Raspberry Pi.
For Gmail and Calendar, Node-RED has nodes that connect to Google APIs. You’ll need to set up OAuth2 credentials, but it’s free. The Telegram nodes allow you to create bot interactions easily.
Security-wise, Node-RED can be configured to run locally only, ensuring your data stays on your machine. You might want to set up HTTPS for added protection.
I’ve used Node-RED for various automation tasks, and it’s quite powerful once you get the hang of it. The visual programming interface makes it easier to understand and modify your bot’s logic compared to traditional coding.
Just be prepared for a learning curve if you’re new to Node-RED. The community is helpful if you get stuck.
yo, check out botpress. its open-source n free, works great for telegram bots. u can host it urself on ur machine. for gmail n calendar, use their APIs - theyre free too. just gotta set up OAuth.
might take sum time to figure out, but its worth it. keeps everything private n secure on ur own system. good luck man!
I’ve actually built something similar for my own use, so I can share some insights. For Gmail and Calendar integration, I recommend using the Google API Client Library for Python. It’s free and fairly straightforward to set up with OAuth2 for authentication.
To keep it self-hosted and cost-free, I run my bot on a Raspberry Pi at home. It’s low-power and can run 24/7 without significant expense. For the Telegram bot part, the python-telegram-bot library works great and is well-documented.
The trickiest part was ensuring data privacy. I implemented end-to-end encryption for sensitive data and set up a VPN on my Pi to add an extra layer of security.
One tip: make sure to implement proper error handling and logging. It’ll save you lots of headaches down the line when troubleshooting.
It took some trial and error, but the end result has been incredibly useful for managing my schedule and emails. Good luck with your project!