TeleAssist - Telegram Bot

Frontend interface for the TeleAssist project!

Features

TeleAssist - Web Server Features

Limitations

TeleAssist - Web Server Limitations

Requirements

Note that the functionality of this TeleAssist - Telegram Bot is meant to be paired with the TeleAssist - Web Server. It acts as the back-end containing all the core functionalities.

• Python 3
  • Recommended: >= 3.10.4
• Host Machine
  • RAM: >= 75MB to ensure optimal performance
  • Internet connectivity
    • To ping Telegram for any new messages (these are termed by Telegram as "updates")
• Docker (optional)
  • Dockerfile provided if you wish to containerize it

Setup

1. Create Telegram bot via BotFather

   • Link to instructions on Telegram docs
   • Obtain your bot token

2. Clone repository

   > git clone https://github.com/lihaan/TeleAssist-Bot.git

3. Create message_templates.py in /src directory

   • This python file will contain the messages that the app sends
   • Refer to samples_messages_templates.txt for a quickstart!

4. Create a .env file with the following parameters

   • BOT_TOKEN (Telegram bot_token)
   • MY_USER_ID (Your Telegram user_id, can be easily found by using @userinfobot on Telegram)

5. Install dependencies

   • Recommended to create a virtual environment (eg. venv) before installing

     > pip install -r requirements.txt

Run

1. Run locally

   > python src/main.py

Build and Deploy (with Docker)

• Dockerfile is provided for reference at /src/Dockerfile

• Take note to amend the URL of the web server in /src/rest.py from localhost to [name_assigned_to_web_server_container]. By default, you should change the URL to http://web:5000

• If you are using TeleAssist - Web Server, you should consider placing all docker containers in the same network

• Final list of commands to build and run:

  > docker network create tele-assist-network

  > docker build -t tele-assist-bot .

  > docker run --name bot --net tele-assist-network -d tele-assist-bot

Contributing

Although TeleAssist is simply a pet project of mine, I am super keen on improving it and expanding its capabilities. Feel free to raise issues to provide feedback if you have any. If this project has helped you in any way, do give it a star or buy this struggling university student a coffee! Thank you!

~ Li Han