Skip to main content

What is an MPChat bot? Capabilities, data flow, and limits

Understand what an MPChat bot is, how messages flow in and out, which Bot API categories are supported, and the phase-one limits before you start building.

In short: An MPChat bot is an MPChat account controlled by your backend through the Bot API. It can send messages into existing conversations, receive user and group events, and open MiniApps — but it cannot start a conversation from nothing, and a subset of Telegram-style methods are not available yet.


Overview

This page gives you the mental model before you write any code. A bot uses a secret bot token to call the Bot API on a single predictable path shape:

https://call.mp.net/bot/bot{MPCHAT_BOT_TOKEN}/{methodName}

The real token only ever appears in the bot{token} path segment, never in headers, frontend code, logs, or screenshots.

What a bot can do

  • Send text and media messages into conversations the bot already has context for.

  • Receive incoming user/group events (Updates) by polling or webhook.

  • Read chat and member metadata, manage messages (edit/pin/forward/copy/recall), and manage its command menu.

  • Open a MiniApp from a message button and let your backend verify the signed user identity.

Data flow

Every integration is the same two-way loop:

  • Inbound: user message → Update → your getUpdates loop or webhook handler.

  • Outbound: parse chat_idsendMessage (optionally with a reply_markup.web_app button to open a MiniApp).

What is supported

The Bot API exposes 41 endpoints across 7 categories: Core, Message, Management, Group, Bot Commands, Webhook, and User. The authoritative, parameter-level list lives in the official methods reference; this help center covers the core integration path and a method matrix you can scan.

What is NOT supported yet

  • Bots cannot start conversations. A user or chat must establish context first, then the bot can reply.

  • Some methods return HTTP 501 (currently sendChatAction, sendLocation, sendPoll).

  • file_id reuse is not supported — send media via a public URL or multipart upload.

  • MiniApp client return flows are limited (web_app_data / sendData / answerWebAppQuery are not available in the current phase).

Where to go next

  • Non-developers: try a bot in 10 minutes on Windows or iOS (see "Try a bot in 10 minutes").

  • Developers: jump to the curl + Node.js quickstart.

  • Then read Integration Basics (concepts, auth, errors, polling vs webhook).

Related

The supported method set and MP differences may change. The parameter-level source of truth is always core.mp.net/bots.

Did this answer your question?