Telegram

telegram-send

Use telegram-send to send messages, files, and media to Telegram chats. This tool requires initial configuration with a Telegram bot token.

Setup

Before using, configure telegram-send with your bot token:

telegram-send --configure

This will prompt you to:

1. Create a bot via @BotFather on Telegram
2. Enter the bot token
3. Send /start to your bot to enable messaging

For group chats, use --configure-group instead:

telegram-send --configure-group

Common Commands

Send Text Message

telegram-send "Hello from CodeBuddy!"

Send with Formatting

# Markdown formatting
telegram-send --format markdown "**Bold** and _italic_ text"

# HTML formatting
telegram-send --format html "<b>Bold</b> and <i>italic</i> text"

Send Files

# Send a document
telegram-send --file /path/to/document.pdf

# Send with caption
telegram-send --file /path/to/document.pdf --caption "Here's the report"

Send Images

# Send image
telegram-send --image /path/to/image.png

# Send image with caption
telegram-send --image /path/to/screenshot.png --caption "Screenshot attached"

Send to Specific Config (Multiple Bots/Chats)

# Use a specific config file
telegram-send --config /path/to/custom.conf "Message to specific chat"

Send Code Blocks

# Send pre-formatted code
telegram-send --format markdown "\`\`\`python
def hello():
    print('Hello, World!')
\`\`\`"

Silent Messages (No Notification)

telegram-send --silent "This won't trigger a notification"

Send Location

telegram-send --location 37.7749 -122.4194

Configuration Files

Default config location: ~/.config/telegram-send.conf

You can have multiple configs for different bots/chats:

• ~/.config/telegram-send.conf - default
• ~/.config/telegram-send-group.conf - for group chats
• Custom paths with --config

Security Notes

• Bot tokens are stored in the config file - ensure proper file permissions
• Run chmod 600 ~/.config/telegram-send.conf to secure credentials
• Never commit config files to version control
• Use separate bots for different purposes (personal, work, etc.)

Error Handling

If you get "Unauthorized" errors:

1. Verify your bot token with @BotFather
2. Ensure you've sent /start to the bot
3. Re-run telegram-send --configure

Limitations

• Can only send to users/groups that have started the bot
• Rate limits apply (avoid spamming)
• File size limits: 50MB for documents, 10MB for photos