Telegram MCP Server

Overview

An MCP (Model Context Protocol) server for interacting with Telegram bots and channels using the Telegraf library. This server enables AI agents to send messages, manage channels, forward content, and respond intelligently to Telegram conversations.

By implementing the Model Context Protocol (MCP), this server allows Large Language Models (LLMs) to interact with Telegram directly through their context window, bridging the gap between AI and messaging platforms.

Features

Core Tools

• SEND_MESSAGE: Send messages to channels or chats with optional topic support
• GET_CHANNEL_INFO: Get information about channels/chats
• FORWARD_MESSAGE: Forward messages between chats
• PIN_MESSAGE: Pin messages in channels
• GET_CHANNEL_MEMBERS: Get list of channel administrators

AI Sampling (Enhanced)

• Intelligent Responses: AI-powered responses using FastMCP sampling
• Mention-Only Mode: Smart filtering - responds when mentioned in groups
• Multi-Message Types: Supports text, photos, documents, voice, video, stickers, locations, contacts, polls
• Access Control: Configurable user/chat allow/block lists
• Rate Limiting: Per-user and per-chat rate limiting
• Advanced Configuration: Highly customizable behavior and templates

Installation

Using npx (Recommended)

To use this server without installing it globally:

npx @iqai/mcp-telegram

Build from Source

git clone https://github.com/IQAIcom/mcp-telegram.git
cd mcp-telegram
pnpm install
pnpm run build

Running with an MCP Client

Add the following configuration to your MCP client settings (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json).

Minimal Configuration

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "telegram": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@iqai/mcp-telegram"],
      "env": {
        "TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN": "your_bot_token_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Advanced Configuration (Local Build)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "telegram": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/absolute/path/to/mcp-telegram/dist/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN": "your_bot_token_here",
        "SAMPLING_ENABLED": "true",
        "SAMPLING_MENTION_ONLY": "true"
      }
    }
  }
}

Configuration (Environment Variables)

Required

Variable	Required	Description
TELEGRAM_BOT_TOKEN	Yes	Your Telegram bot token from @BotFather

Sampling Configuration

Variable	Default	Description
SAMPLING_ENABLED	true	Enable/disable AI sampling entirely
SAMPLING_MENTION_ONLY	true	Only respond when mentioned in groups
SAMPLING_RESPOND_TO_DMS	true	Always respond in DMs
SAMPLING_MAX_TOKENS	1000	Max tokens per AI response
SAMPLING_SHOW_TYPING	true	Show typing indicator
SAMPLING_SILENT_MODE	false	Log but don't respond

Access Control

Variable	Default	Description
SAMPLING_ALLOWED_CHATS	""	Comma-separated chat IDs/usernames to allow (empty = all)
SAMPLING_BLOCKED_CHATS	""	Comma-separated chat IDs/usernames to ignore
SAMPLING_ALLOWED_USERS	""	Comma-separated user IDs to allow (empty = all)
SAMPLING_BLOCKED_USERS	""	Comma-separated user IDs to ignore
SAMPLING_ADMIN_USERS	""	Comma-separated user IDs who can use admin commands

Rate Limiting

Variable	Default	Description
SAMPLING_RATE_LIMIT_USER	10	Max requests per user per minute
SAMPLING_RATE_LIMIT_CHAT	20	Max requests per chat per minute

Message Type Support

Variable	Default	Description
SAMPLING_ENABLE_TEXT	true	Enable text messages
SAMPLING_ENABLE_PHOTO	true	Enable photo messages
SAMPLING_ENABLE_DOCUMENT	true	Enable document uploads
SAMPLING_ENABLE_VOICE	true	Enable voice messages
SAMPLING_ENABLE_VIDEO	true	Enable video messages
SAMPLING_ENABLE_STICKER	true	Enable sticker messages
SAMPLING_ENABLE_LOCATION	true	Enable location sharing
SAMPLING_ENABLE_CONTACT	true	Enable contact sharing
SAMPLING_ENABLE_POLL	true	Enable poll messages

Content Filtering

Variable	Default	Description
SAMPLING_MIN_MESSAGE_LENGTH	1	Minimum message length
SAMPLING_MAX_MESSAGE_LENGTH	1000	Maximum message length
SAMPLING_KEYWORD_TRIGGERS	""	Only respond to messages with these keywords
SAMPLING_IGNORE_COMMANDS	true	Ignore messages starting with /

Usage Examples

Market Discovery

• "Send a message to @mychannel saying hello"
• "Get information about @telegram channel"
• "Forward message 123 from @source to @destination"

Bot Commands

• /start: Initialize the bot and get a welcome message
• /help: Get help information about available features
• /config: View current configuration (admin users only)

MCP Tools

FORWARD_MESSAGE

Forward a message from one chat to another

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
fromChatId	string	number	Yes
toChatId	string	number	Yes
messageId	number	Yes	ID of the message to forward
disableNotification	boolean		Forward message silently

GET_CHANNEL_INFO

Get information about a Telegram channel or chat

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
channelId	string	number	Yes

GET_CHANNEL_MEMBERS

Get a list of channel administrators and members

Parameter	Type	Required	Default	Description
channelId	string	number	Yes
limit	number		10	Maximum number of members to retrieve (1-50)

PIN_MESSAGE

Pin a message in a Telegram chat or channel

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
chatId	string	number	Yes
messageId	number	Yes	ID of the message to pin
disableNotification	boolean		Pin message silently

SEND_MESSAGE

Send a message to a Telegram chat or channel

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
chatId	string	number	Yes
text	string	Yes	The message text to send
topicId	number		The topic ID for forum channels (optional)

Development

Build Project

pnpm run build

Development Mode (Watch)

pnpm run watch

Linting & Formatting

pnpm run lint
pnpm run format

Project Structure

• src/tools/: Individual tool definitions
• src/services/: Telegram service and bot logic
• src/sampling/: AI sampling feature implementation
• src/config.ts: Configuration with Zod validation
• src/index.ts: Server entry point

Getting Your Bot Token

1. Message @BotFather on Telegram
2. Use /newbot command
3. Follow the prompts to create your bot
4. Copy the bot token provided
5. Set it as an environment variable

Resources

• Telegram Bot API Documentation
• Model Context Protocol (MCP)
• Telegraf Documentation

Disclaimer

This project is an unofficial tool. Users should ensure their bot usage complies with Telegram's Terms of Service and Bot API policies.

License

MIT