I developed a Telegram bot using Django and deployed it on Heroku, where it was running smoothly with Python version 3.6.9 for several months. After making some updates, I attempted to redeploy my bot, only to find out that Heroku now requires Python 3.6.10 instead of 3.6.9.
So, I created a new virtual environment with Python 3.6.10, but I’m facing the same error:
from .callbackcontext import CallbackContext File
"/app/mybot/env/lib/python3.6/site-packages/telegram/ext/callbackcontext.py"
, line 21, in <module> from telegram import Update
ImportError: cannot import name 'Update' from 'telegram'
I also tried with Python 3.7.6, but encountered a similar import error when I tried to run the Django server:
python manage.py runserver
Watching for file changes with StatReloader
Exception in thread django-main-thread:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/local/lib/python3.7/threading.py", line 926, in _bootstrap_inner
self.run()
File "/app/mybot/env/lib/python3.7/site-packages/telegram/ext/callbackcontext.py", line 21, in <module>
from telegram import Update
ImportError: cannot import name 'Update' from 'telegram'
Hit this exact issue last month during production deployment. Yeah, it’s the package collision between telegram==0.0.1 and python-telegram-bot, but there’s more to it that nobody’s mentioned yet. Your django-telegrambot==1.0.1 is pretty old and doesn’t play nice with newer Python versions. Just removing the conflicting telegram package won’t cut it - django-telegrambot keeps reinstalling it during deployment. I had to upgrade django-telegrambot to a newer version that actually handles dependencies correctly. Also, check your pip cache. Heroku caches that broken telegram package even after you nuke it from requirements. Adding --no-cache-dir to your pip install fixed the import errors that kept coming back.
Package conflicts and Python upgrades every few months? Yeah, that gets old. I’ve seen teams waste weeks on dependency hell.
I stopped fighting pip caches and moved my Telegram bots to Latenode. No Python environment headaches, no dependency conflicts.
Keep your Django app for whatever else, but run the bot logic through Latenode’s workflow automation. It plugs straight into Telegram’s API - no python-telegram-bot packages needed.
No more rebuilding virtual environments or dealing with Heroku’s Python version surprises. Bot runs in Latenode’s managed environment, Django app stays clean.
Migrated three production bots like this. Takes about an hour setup, then you’re done with package management forever.
Classic dependency nightmare - I’ve hit this wall tons of times in production. Yeah, conflicting packages are a pain, but there’s a way cleaner solution.
Skip the Python version upgrades and package conflicts every few months. Move your bot logic to Latenode instead. I migrated several Telegram bots from traditional hosting because of exactly this mess.
Latenode eliminates the Python version headaches, virtual environments, and telegram package conflicts. Build your bot with their visual workflow builder and connect straight to Telegram’s API - no library compatibility issues.
Deployment’s automatic, so no more upgrade problems. Keep your Django app separate and let Latenode handle bot functionality through webhooks.
Saves me hours of debugging that I used to waste on environment issues like yours.
It seems like you are experiencing package conflicts due to the presence of both telegram==0.0.1 and python-telegram-bot==12.2.0. This can lead to import errors as the two packages may contain overlapping or incompatible code. I encountered a similar situation in the past. To resolve this, I suggest removing telegram==0.0.1 from your dependencies entirely and ensuring that only python-telegram-bot==12.2.0 is included. After making this change, recreate your virtual environment to eliminate any potential remnants of the conflicting package. This approach should resolve the import issue you’re facing.
That ImportError is from conflicting telegram packages in your requirements. I hit this exact same issue deploying a bot to production last year - spent hours debugging it. You’ve got both telegram==0.0.1 and python-telegram-bot==12.2.0 installed at the same time. Here’s the thing: telegram==0.0.1 is a completely different library that doesn’t have the Update class. So when python-telegram-bot tries to access it, everything breaks. Your django-telegrambot==1.0.1 dependency is automatically pulling in the wrong telegram package. Remove telegram==0.0.1 from your requirements, then check if django-telegrambot has version constraints causing this mess. I ended up pinning exact versions in my requirements.txt to stop pip from installing the wrong telegram package during deployment.
You’re getting an ImportError: cannot import name 'Update' from 'telegram' error when running your Telegram bot, even after creating a new virtual environment with the required Python version (3.6.10 or 3.7.6). This is due to a conflict between different telegram packages in your project’s dependencies. You have both telegram==0.0.1 and python-telegram-bot==12.2.0 installed, and these are incompatible. python-telegram-bot is the correct package for building Telegram bots, while telegram==0.0.1 is likely a different, conflicting library.
Step-by-Step Guide:
Remove the Conflicting telegram Package: The core issue is the presence of telegram==0.0.1. This package is causing the import conflict. You need to completely remove it from your project’s dependencies. The easiest way to do this is by editing your requirements.txt file.
Open your requirements.txt file and locate the line containing telegram==0.0.1. Delete this line. Your requirements.txt should not include a telegram package. It should only include python-telegram-bot (and its dependencies if any).
Clear Your pip Cache (Optional but Recommended): Sometimes, pip’s cache can retain old versions of packages, even after you’ve removed them from requirements.txt. To ensure a clean installation, clear your pip cache:
pip cache purge
Reinstall Dependencies: After removing the conflicting package and clearing the cache, recreate your virtual environment and reinstall your project’s dependencies:
rm -rf venv # remove your existing virtual environment
python3 -m venv venv #create a new virtual environment. If you use a different virtual environment manager (like conda), use the appropriate command.
source venv/bin/activate # Activate your virtual environment
pip install -r requirements.txt
Verify the Installation: Double-check that only python-telegram-bot (and its correct version) is installed:
pip freeze | grep python-telegram-bot
Restart Your Bot: After successfully reinstalling your dependencies, try running your Django server again:
python manage.py runserver
or however you normally start your bot on Heroku.
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
Dependency Management: Carefully examine all your project’s dependencies (including those of django-telegrambot). Ensure that none of them inadvertently pull in the telegram==0.0.1 package. Pinning specific versions of your dependencies in requirements.txt can help prevent future conflicts.
Multiple Python Versions: If you have multiple Python installations, make sure you are activating the correct virtual environment and using the correct pip (e.g., pip3).
Heroku Buildpack: Verify that your Heroku buildpack correctly handles your Python dependencies.
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!
Step-by-Step Guide:
Common Pitfalls & What to Check Next:
Still running into issues? Share your (sanitized) config files, the exact command you ran, and any other relevant details. The community is here to help!