Command Fields¶

Open any command in the TeleBotHost editor and you'll see a handful of fields. Together they answer three questions: what triggers this?, what does the user see?, and what code runs?

No magic — just a form. Fill it in, save, test in Telegram.

Field overview¶

* Answer is required when using a Keyboard — buttons cannot be sent without a message. Telegram's rules, not ours.

Command name¶

The primary trigger — the word or phrase that wakes this command up.

Multi-word commands work fine. TBL always tries the longest name first — /set name wins over /set when both exist.

Matching rules in depth: Matching & Priority.

Answer¶

Plain text (or Telegram-formatted text) sent automatically before Logic executes.

*Welcome!*
Choose an option below.

If you fill in Answer, TBL sends it for you. You don't need Bot.sendMessage() for the same text unless Logic should send additional messages on top.

Not used for: public web commands — those serve source as a file, not a chat message. See Public Web Commands.

Logic¶

Real JavaScript that runs after the Answer (if any). Same language you'd write anywhere else — if, await, loops, objects — plus bot-building extras already in scope (Bot, Api, user, chat, db, modules, Libs). No imports needed.

This is where the interesting stuff happens:

• Conditional replies
• Database reads/writes
• Inline keyboards (via Api)
• HTTP calls
• res.json() in webhook/webapp commands

let count = await db.bot.get("visits") || 0
await db.bot.set("visits", count + 1)
Bot.sendMessage("Visit #" + (count + 1))

Bot is a global — no import needed. chat and user tell you who's talking. Leave Logic empty for answer-only commands — totally valid.

When does Answer run vs Logic? Execution Flow.

Keyboard¶

A reply keyboard — buttons shown below the chat input. Tap a button and Telegram sends its label as a normal text message.

Help, About
Settings

Pair button labels with aliases so taps match reliably — aliases are case-sensitive.

For buttons inside the message bubble (inline keyboards), skip this field and build them in Logic instead — Handling Callbacks.

Walkthrough: Adding a Keyboard.

Aliases¶

Comma-separated alternative triggers for the same command.

help, HELP, /h

Aliases are case-sensitive. Keyboard says Help? Add Help as an alias, not help — unless you want both.

Full guide: Using Aliases.

Need Reply¶

When enabled, the command doesn't finish in one shot:

1. Sends the Answer (and keyboard if set)
2. Pauses and waits for the user's next message
3. Runs Logic with that message as input

See Handling User Input. Sending any other valid command (like /start) cancels the wait — users aren't trapped.

Parse mode¶

Controls formatting of the Answer field only. Default is Markdown.

Logic messages need their own parse_mode on each Bot.sendMessage() or Api.sendMessage() call — the command setting doesn't carry over.

Details: Markdown & Formatting.

Public web (is_web)¶

Marks a command as a static web resource served at:

/public/{bot_id}/{command_name}

• HTML, CSS, JS, JSON, .md files
• No Logic execution — source is served directly
• EJS templates (<%) supported in HTML/text

See Public Web Commands.

Group only¶

When enabled, the command runs only in groups and supergroups. Private chats are ignored — no Answer, no Logic, no awkward silence in DMs.

Typical combinations¶

See also¶

• Execution Flow — when Answer and Logic run
• Matching & Priority — how triggers resolve
• Your First Bot — put two fields together in five minutes