Telegram Mini Apps really are a powerful feature from the Telegram platform that allow developers to develop seamless, interactive web applications that run inside Telegram interface. These apps provide a smooth buyer experience and can vary from games and productivity tools to e-commerce storefronts and booking systems.
In this article, we’ll walk you through the process of how to make telegram mini app from scratch.
🧠 What Is a Telegram Mini App?
Telegram Mini Apps are lightweight web apps launched inside Telegram chats via inline buttons or through bot commands. They are built using internet technologies (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) and interact with Telegram’s Bot API and Web Apps API.
These apps:
Run in Telegram's built-in browser
Can access user data (with permission)
Integrate seamlessly with Telegram bots
Support payment and authorization flows
🛠️ Tools & Prerequisites
Before getting started, you’ll need:
A Telegram account
A Telegram bot (via BotFather)
Basic website design knowledge (HTML, CSS, JS)
Hosting on your web app (e.g., Vercel, Netlify, or your own personal server)
Optional tools:
Node.js (for backend logic)
Web frameworks like React or Vue
📝 Step 1: Create a Telegram Bot
Open @BotFather on Telegram.
Use /newbot to produce a new bot.
Choose a name and a username for your bot.
Copy the API token provided — you’ll require it to communicate with Telegram’s servers.
🌐 Step 2: Build the Web App
You can use plain HTML/CSS/JS or even a frontend framework. Here’s a simple example using plain HTML:
html
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Hello from Telegram Mini App!
Send Data
<br/> const tg = window.Telegram.WebApp;<br/> tg.expand(); // Makes the app take full screen<br/> <br/> function sendData() <br/> tg.sendData("Hello Telegram!");<br/> <br/>
Host this file using any static hosting provider.
⚙️ Step 3: Set Up Web App in Bot
Go to BotFather.
Use /setdomain to subscribe your web app domain.
Use /setcommands to include a command like /start or /open.
In your bot code, you’ll send a keyboard button which has a web_app object:
Example in Node.js (using node-telegram-bot-api):
js
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const TelegramBot = require('node-telegram-bot-api');
const token = 'YOUR_BOT_TOKEN';
const bot = new TelegramBot(token, polling: true );
bot.onText(/\/start/, (msg) =>
bot.sendMessage(msg.chat.id, "Open the mini app:",
reply_markup:
keyboard: [[ text: "Open App", web_app: url: "//yourdomain.com/app" ]],
resize_keyboard: true,
one_time_keyboard: true,
);
);
✅ Optional: Get User Data
In your frontend, you have access to Telegram user info via Telegram.WebApp.initDataUnsafe.
js
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console.log(Telegram.WebApp.initDataUnsafe.user);
Make likely to validate this data on your own backend using Telegram’s Web App Authorization.
💳 Bonus: Accept Payments
Telegram Mini Apps support payments via Telegram’s payment system.
Set up a payment provider via BotFather (/setpaymentoptions).
Use the Bot API’s sendInvoice method to create payment flows.
Payments are processed securely via Telegram with support for services like Stripe.
🧪 Testing Your Mini App
Use Telegram on mobile or desktop (not the internet app).
Make sure your domain uses Hyper Text Transfer Protocol Secure.
Ensure your bot has access to web app features and commands.
🧩 Use Cases
Telegram Mini Apps can be used for:
E-commerce (stores, carts, checkouts)
Booking and reservations
Games and entertainment
Form submissions
Personal dashboards
Telegram Mini Apps bridge the gap between messaging and fully interactive applications. By combining the reach of Telegram bots with all the flexibility of web related technologies, developers can build powerful experiences within the chat interface.