Guide

Telegram bot commands:
how they work.

What the commands that start with “/” do, the ones every bot should have, how to add commands to your own bot in BotFather, and the full list for the Skedix reminder bot.

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  • No sign-up: just tap Start
  • English & Russian

BasicsWhat bot commands are

A bot command is a message that starts with a slash, like /start or /help. Telegram highlights commands, and a bot answers them the same way every time, so they are the quickest way to tell a bot what to do.

  • Type “/” in a chat with a bot to see its commands with short descriptions. Tap one to send it.
  • The Menu button next to the message field shows the same list, so you don’t have to remember anything.
  • Tap a highlighted command in any message to send it again.
  • In a group, add the bot’s username so the right bot answers: /help@Skedixbot.
  • Text after a command is passed to the bot: /add Buy milk adds the task “Buy milk”.

Commands every bot should have

Telegram asks bot developers to support three global commands:

  • /start begins the conversation. It is what the Start button sends, and it can carry a parameter from a link.
  • /help explains what the bot does and lists its commands.
  • /settings shows the bot’s settings, if it has any.

Everything else is up to each bot, so lists differ. If you don’t know what a bot can do, type “/” or send /help.

For bot ownersHow to add commands to your bot

  1. Open @BotFather and send /setcommands.
  2. Choose your bot.
  3. Send the whole list in one message, one command per line, as command - Description:
    start - Start the bot
    help - How to use it
    settings - Your settings
  4. Reopen the chat with your bot: the list appears when you type “/” and under the Menu button.

Rules and limits

  • A command is 1–32 characters: lowercase English letters, digits and underscores. No spaces, capitals or other alphabets.
  • A description is up to 256 characters.
  • A bot can have up to 100 commands.

Developers can also set commands from code with the Bot API method setMyCommands, including different lists for private chats, groups or group admins, and per language, so Russian-speaking users see Russian descriptions. The list is only a hint for users: the bot still has to check every command it receives. Details are in the Telegram bot documentation.

Skedix

Skedix bot commands

You don’t need a command to set a reminder: just write “tomorrow at 9 call mom” or send a voice message. Commands are shortcuts for everything else.

Start
/start

Start the bot and connect your account

Menu
/menu

Main menu: tasks, notes and settings

Tasks
/tasks

Your tasks, with To do, In progress and Done filters

Add
/add

Add a task from the text after it: /add Buy milk

Notes
/notes

Your notes

Web
/web

A link to open Skedix in the browser

Settings
/settings

Your settings

Plans
/plans

Your plan and billing

Help
/help

How to use Skedix

In groups

Commands in a group with Skedix

In a Telegram group connected to Skedix, the team’s tasks live in the group’s list.

Add
/add

Group admins: add a task to the group’s list

To-do
/todo

Group admins: reply to any message to turn it into a task

Assign
/assign

Reply to a task with /assign @name to assign it

Status
/status

The group’s active tasks

Language
/language

Switch the bot’s language in the group

FAQ

Telegram bot commands: questions

Try the commands in SkedixOpen Skedix in Telegram and write your first reminder. Free, no card, no forms.

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