malikshi · March 25, 2024 04:33 · Dec 20, 2023
diff --git a/how_to_get_telegram_chat_id.md b/how_to_get_telegram_chat_id.md
@@ -0,0 +1,106 @@
+# How to get Telegram Bot Chat ID
+
+## Create a Telegram Bot and get a Bot Token
+
+1. Open Telegram application then search for `@BotFather`
+1. Click Start
+1. Click Menu -> /newbot or type `/newbot` and hit Send
+1. Follow the instruction until we get message like so
+    ```
+    Done! Congratulations on your new bot. You will find it at t.me/new_bot.
+    You can now add a description.....
+
+    Use this token to access the HTTP API:
+    63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c
+    Keep your token secure and store it safely, it can be used by anyone to control your bot.
+
+    For a description of the Bot API, see this page: https://core.telegram.org/bots/api
+    ```
+1. So here is our bot token `63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c` (make sure we don't share it to anyone).
+
+## Get Chat ID for a Private Chat
+
+1. Search and open our new Telegram bot
+1. Click Start or send a message
+1. Open this URL in a browser `https://api.telegram.org/bot{our_bot_token}/getUpdates`   
+    - See we need to prefix our token with a wor `bot`
+    - Eg: `https://api.telegram.org/bot63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c/getUpdates`
+1. We will see a json like so
+    ```
+    {
+      "ok": true,
+      "result": [
+        {
+          "update_id": 83xxxxx35,
+          "message": {
+            "message_id": 2643,
+            "from": {...},
+            "chat": {
+              "id": 21xxxxx38,
+              "first_name": "...",
+              "last_name": "...",
+              "username": "@username",
+              "type": "private"
+            },
+            "date": 1703062972,
+            "text": "/start"
+          }
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+    ```
+1. Check the value of `result.0.message.chat.id`, and here is our Chat ID: `21xxxxx38`
+3. Let's try to send a message: `https://api.telegram.org/bot63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c/sendMessage?chat_id=21xxxxx38&text=test123`
+4. When we set the bot token and chat id correctly, the message `test123` should be arrived on our Telegram bot chat.
+
+## Get Chat ID for a Channel
+
+1. Add our Telegram bot into a channel
+1. Send a message to the channel
+1. Open this URL `https://api.telegram.org/bot{our_bot_token}/getUpdates`
+1. We will see a json like so
+    ```
+    {
+      "ok": true,
+      "result": [
+        {
+          "update_id": 838xxxx36,
+          "channel_post": {...},
+            "chat": {
+              "id": -1001xxxxxx062,
+              "title": "....",
+              "type": "channel"
+            },
+            "date": 1703065989,
+            "text": "test"
+          }
+        }
+      ]
+    }
+    ```
+1. Check the value of `result.0.channel_post.chat.id`, and here is our Chat ID: `-1001xxxxxx062`
+1. Let's try to send a message: `https://api.telegram.org/bot63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c/sendMessage?chat_id=-1001xxxxxx062&text=test123`
+1. When we set the bot token and chat id correctly, the message `test123` should be arrived on our Telegram channel.
+
+## Get Chat ID for a Group Chat
+
+The easiest way to get a group chat ID is through a Telegram desktop application.
+
+1. Open Telegram in a desktop app
+1. Add our Telegram bot into a chat group
+1. Send a message to the chat group
+1. Right click on the message and click `Copy Message Link`
+    - We will get a link like so: `https://t.me/c/194xxxx987/11/13`
+    - The pattern: `https://t.me/c/{group_chat_id}/{group_topic_id}/{message_id}`
+    - So here is our Chat ID: `194xxxx987`
+1. To use the group chat ID in the API, we need to prefix it with the number `-100`, like so: `-100194xxxx987`
+1. Now let's try to send a message: `https://api.telegram.org/bot63xxxxxx71:AAFoxxxxn0hwA-2TVSxxxNf4c/sendMessage?chat_id=-100194xxxx987&text=test123`
+1. When we set the bot token and chat id correctly, the message `test123` should be arrived on our group chat.
+
+## Get Chat ID for a Topic in a Group Chat
+
+In order to send a message to a specific topic on Telegram group, we need to get the topic ID.
+
+1. Similar to steps above, after we click the `Copy Message Link`, we will get a link like: `https://t.me/c/194xxxx987/11/13`, so the group Topic ID is `11`.
+1. Now we can use it like so (see `message_thread_id`): `https://api.telegram.org/bot783114779:AAEuRWDTFD2UQ7agBtFSuhJf2-NmvHN3OPc/sendMessage?chat_id=-100194xxxx987&message_thread_id=11&text=test123`
+1. When we set the bot token and chat id correctly, the message `test123` should be arrived inside our group chat topic.