How do I configure long polling for Telegram bots behind a proxy

Configuring Long Polling for Telegram Bots Behind a Proxy

To run your Telegram bot behind a proxy using long polling, you can follow these steps:

1. Set up the proxy

Configure your proxy server with the necessary authentication credentials (username and password). Make sure the proxy allows outgoing HTTP requests to the Telegram Bot API.

2. Use the `request` option in your bot library

When initializing your bot, pass the `request` option with the proxy details. For example, in the `node-telegram-bot-api` library:

javascript
const bot = new TelegramBot(token, {
  polling: true,
  request: {
    proxy: 'https://username:password@proxy_host:proxy_port'
  }
});

Replace `username`, `password`, `proxy_host`, and `proxy_port` with your actual proxy credentials and server details[1].

3. Use long polling

Set the `polling` option to `true` when initializing your bot to enable long polling[1][3]. This will make your bot continuously check for updates from the Telegram servers.

4. Handle updates concurrently (optional)

To process updates concurrently for better performance, you can use a runner like the one provided by the `grammY` library[3]:

javascript
import { run } from 'grammy';

run(bot);

This will handle updates in parallel, allowing your bot to respond faster to incoming messages.

5. Monitor for disconnections

Keep an eye on your bot's logs for any disconnections or errors related to the proxy. If the long polling connection drops after a certain period (e.g., 1 day), it could be due to a Telegram server-side issue[4].

By following these steps and configuring the necessary proxy settings in your bot library, you should be able to run your Telegram bot behind a proxy using long polling. Remember to test your bot thoroughly and monitor its behavior to ensure it continues to work as expected.