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TELEGRAM_SETUP.md

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Telegram Channel Setup

This guide covers configuring the Telegram channel for IronClaw, including DM pairing for access control.

Overview

The Telegram channel lets you interact with IronClaw via Telegram DMs and groups. It supports:

  • Webhook mode (recommended): Instant delivery via tunnel
  • Polling mode: No tunnel required; ~30s delay
  • DM pairing: Approve unknown users before they can message the agent
  • Group mentions: @YourBot or /command to trigger in groups

Prerequisites

  • IronClaw installed and configured (ironclaw onboard)
  • A Telegram bot token from @BotFather

Quick Start

1. Create a Bot

  1. Message @BotFather on Telegram
  2. Send /newbot and follow the prompts
  3. Copy the bot token (e.g., 123456789:ABCdefGHIjklMNOpqrsTUVwxyz)

2. Configure via Setup Wizard

ironclaw onboard

When prompted, enable the Telegram channel and paste your bot token. The wizard will:

  • Validate the token
  • Optionally configure a webhook secret
  • Set up tunnel (if you want webhook mode)

3. (Optional) Configure Tunnel for Webhooks

For instant message delivery, expose your agent via a tunnel:

# ngrok
ngrok http 8080

# Cloudflare
cloudflared tunnel --url http://localhost:8080

Set the tunnel URL in settings or via TUNNEL_URL env var. Without a tunnel, the channel uses polling (~30s delay).

DM Pairing

When an unknown user DMs your bot, they receive a pairing code. You must approve them before they can message the agent.

Flow

  1. Unknown user sends a message to your bot
  2. Bot replies: To pair with this bot, run: ironclaw pairing approve telegram ABC12345
  3. You run: ironclaw pairing approve telegram ABC12345
  4. User is added to the allow list; future messages are delivered

Commands

# List pending pairing requests
ironclaw pairing list telegram

# List as JSON
ironclaw pairing list telegram --json

# Approve a user by code
ironclaw pairing approve telegram ABC12345

Configuration

Edit ~/.ironclaw/channels/telegram.capabilities.json (or the config injected by the host):

Option Values Default Description
dm_policy open, allowlist, pairing pairing open = allow all; allowlist = config + approved only; pairing = allowlist + send pairing reply to unknown
allow_from ["user_id", "username", "*"] [] Pre-approved IDs/usernames. * allows everyone.
owner_id Telegram user ID null When set, only this user can message (overrides dm_policy)
bot_username Bot username (no @) null Used for mention detection in groups; when set, only strips this mention from messages
respond_to_all_group_messages true/false false When true, respond to all group messages; when false, only @mentions and /commands

Manual Installation

If the channel isn't installed via the wizard:

# Build the Telegram channel (requires wasm32-wasip2 target)
rustup target add wasm32-wasip2
./channels-src/telegram/build.sh

# Install
mkdir -p ~/.ironclaw/channels
cp channels-src/telegram/telegram.wasm channels-src/telegram/telegram.capabilities.json ~/.ironclaw/channels/

Secrets

The channel expects a secret named telegram_bot_token. Configure via:

  • Setup wizard: Saves to encrypted secrets store
  • Environment: TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN=your_token
  • Secrets store: ironclaw CLI (if available)

Webhook Secret (Optional)

For webhook validation, set telegram_webhook_secret in secrets. Telegram will send X-Telegram-Bot-Api-Secret-Token with each request; the host validates it before forwarding.

Troubleshooting

Messages not delivered

  • Polling mode: Check logs for getUpdates errors. Ensure the bot token is valid.
  • Webhook mode: Verify tunnel is running and TUNNEL_URL is correct. Telegram requires HTTPS.

Pairing code not received

  • Verify the channel can send messages (HTTP allowlist includes api.telegram.org)
  • Check dm_policy is pairing (not allowlist which blocks without reply)

Group mentions not working

  • Set bot_username in config to your bot's username (e.g., MyIronClawBot)
  • Ensure the message contains @YourBot or starts with /

"Connection refused" when starting

  • For webhook mode: Start your tunnel before ironclaw run
  • For polling only: No tunnel needed; ignore tunnel-related warnings