Use this guide when you want DeepScientist to continue a quest through Telegram.

Telegram in the current open-source runtime uses the built-in polling path:

• no public webhook is required
• the main credential is the BotFather token
• direct messages can auto-bind to the latest active quest when enabled

DeepScientist currently supports Telegram through:

• TelegramPollingService for inbound polling
• GenericRelayChannel for bindings, inbox/outbox, targets, and runtime status
• TelegramConnectorBridge for direct outbound sends through the Bot API

This means Telegram already fits the same quest-binding model as the other connector surfaces.

1. Open BotFather.
2. Run /newbot.
3. Save the generated bot token.
4. Open Settings > Connectors > Telegram.
5. Enable Telegram.
6. Keep transport: polling.
7. Fill bot_token.
8. Save the connector.
9. Send one real private message such as /start or /help to the bot.
10. Return to DeepScientist and verify that the runtime has discovered the target conversation.

Route:

• Settings > Connectors > Telegram

Use this page to:

• keep transport: polling
• fill bot_token
• inspect target discovery and runtime state after the first message

Main fields:

• enabled
• transport
• bot_name
• bot_token
• command_prefix
• require_mention_in_groups
• dm_policy
• allow_from
• group_policy
• group_allow_from
• groups
• auto_bind_dm_to_active_quest

For the full field reference, see 01 Settings Reference.

Telegram conversations are normalized into quest-aware connector ids like:

• telegram:direct:<chat_id>
• telegram:group:<chat_id>

DeepScientist binds quests to those normalized conversation ids, not to transient webhook state.

Important rules:

• one quest keeps local access plus at most one external connector target
• direct messages can auto-follow the latest active quest when auto-bind is enabled
• bindings can be changed later from the project settings page

By default:

• Telegram direct messages are allowed
• group behavior depends on group_policy
• if require_mention_in_groups is true, the bot only reacts when explicitly mentioned or when a command is used

This is the recommended default for larger shared groups.

Telegram outbound delivery currently focuses on text-first quest updates:

• progress
• milestone summaries
• binding notices
• structured quest replies

The current bridge uses sendMessage through the Bot API.

Telegram may be hidden by the system connector gate. Confirm that:

• config.connectors.system_enabled.telegram is true

Check that:

• bot_token is filled
• or bot_token_env points at a real environment variable

Check that:

• the bot token is correct
• the bot was started from Telegram at least once
• transport is still polling
• no stale public webhook is intercepting updates

Check:

• group_policy
• groups
• group_allow_from
• require_mention_in_groups

Check that:

• the conversation is bound to the intended quest
• or auto_bind_dm_to_active_quest is enabled for direct-message pairing

• 01 Settings Reference
• 02 Start Research Guide
• 09 Doctor
• 13 Core Architecture Guide