Telegram MCP

# Telegram MCP Server  [](https://opensource.org/licenses/Apache-2.0) [](https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp/actions/workflows/python-lint-format.yml) [](https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp/actions/workflows/docker-build.yml) --- ## 🤖 MCP in Action Here's a demonstration of the Telegram MCP capabilities in [Claude](https://docs.anthropic.com/en/docs/agents-and-tools/mcp): **Basic usage example:**  1. **Example: Asking Claude to analyze chat history and send a response:**  2. **Successfully sent message to the group:**  As you can see, the AI can seamlessly interact with your Telegram account, retrieving and displaying your chats, messages, and other data in a natural way. --- A full-featured Telegram integration for Claude, Cursor, and any MCP-compatible client, powered by [Telethon](https://docs.telethon.dev/) and the [Model Context Protocol (MCP)](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/). This project lets you interact with your Telegram account programmatically, automating everything from messaging to group management. --- ## 🚀 Features & Tools This MCP server exposes a huge suite of Telegram tools. **Every major Telegram/Telethon feature is available as a tool!** ### Chat & Group Management - **get_chats(page, page_size)**: Paginated list of chats - **list_chats(chat_type, limit)**: List chats with metadata and filtering - **get_chat(chat_id)**: Detailed info about a chat - **create_group(title, user_ids)**: Create a new group - **create_channel(title, about, megagroup)**: Create a channel or supergroup - **edit_chat_title(chat_id, title)**: Change chat/group/channel title - **delete_chat_photo(chat_id)**: Remove chat/group/channel photo - **leave_chat(chat_id)**: Leave a group or channel - **get_participants(chat_id)**: List all participants - **get_admins(chat_id)**: List all admins - **get_banned_users(chat_id)**: List all banned users - **promote_admin(chat_id, user_id)**: Promote user to admin - **demote_admin(chat_id, user_id)**: Demote admin to user - **ban_user(chat_id, user_id)**: Ban user - **unban_user(chat_id, user_id)**: Unban user - **get_invite_link(chat_id)**: Get invite link - **export_chat_invite(chat_id)**: Export invite link - **import_chat_invite(hash)**: Join chat by invite hash - **join_chat_by_link(link)**: Join chat by invite link ### Messaging - **get_messages(chat_id, page, page_size)**: Paginated messages - **list_messages(chat_id, limit, search_query, from_date, to_date)**: Filtered messages - **list_topics(chat_id, limit, offset_topic, search_query)**: List forum topics in supergroups - **send_message(chat_id, message)**: Send a message - **reply_to_message(chat_id, message_id, text)**: Reply to a message - **edit_message(chat_id, message_id, new_text)**: Edit your message - **delete_message(chat_id, message_id)**: Delete a message - **forward_message(from_chat_id, message_id, to_chat_id)**: Forward a message - **pin_message(chat_id, message_id)**: Pin a message - **unpin_message(chat_id, message_id)**: Unpin a message - **mark_as_read(chat_id)**: Mark all as read - **get_message_context(chat_id, message_id, context_size)**: Context around a message - **get_history(chat_id, limit)**: Full chat history - **get_pinned_messages(chat_id)**: List pinned messages - **get_last_interaction(contact_id)**: Most recent message with a contact - **create_poll(chat_id, question, options, multiple_choice, quiz_mode, public_votes, close_date)**: Create a poll ### Contact Management - **list_contacts()**: List all contacts - **search_contacts(query)**: Search contacts - **add_contact(phone, first_name, last_name)**: Add a contact - **delete_contact(user_id)**: Delete a contact - **block_user(user_id)**: Block a user - **unblock_user(user_id)**: Unblock a user - **import_contacts(contacts)**: Bulk import contacts - **export_contacts()**: Export all contacts as JSON - **get_blocked_users()**: List blocked users - **get_contact_ids()**: List all contact IDs - **get_direct_chat_by_contact(contact_query)**: Find direct chat with a contact - **get_contact_chats(contact_id)**: List all chats with a contact ### User & Profile - **get_me()**: Get your user info - **update_profile(first_name, last_name, about)**: Update your profile - **delete_profile_photo()**: Remove your profile photo - **get_user_photos(user_id, limit)**: Get a user's profile photos - **get_user_status(user_id)**: Get a user's online status ### Media - **get_media_info(chat_id, message_id)**: Get info about media in a message ### Search & Discovery - **search_public_chats(query)**: Search public chats/channels/bots - **search_messages(chat_id, query, limit)**: Search messages in a chat - **resolve_username(username)**: Resolve a username to ID ### Stickers, GIFs, Bots - **get_sticker_sets()**: List sticker sets - **get_bot_info(bot_username)**: Get info about a bot - **set_bot_commands(bot_username, commands)**: Set bot commands (bot accounts only) ### Privacy, Settings, and Misc - **get_privacy_settings()**: Get privacy settings - **set_privacy_settings(key, allow_users, disallow_users)**: Set privacy settings - **mute_chat(chat_id)**: Mute notifications - **unmute_chat(chat_id)**: Unmute notifications - **archive_chat(chat_id)**: Archive a chat - **unarchive_chat(chat_id)**: Unarchive a chat - **get_recent_actions(chat_id)**: Get recent admin actions ### Input Validation To improve robustness, all functions accepting `chat_id` or `user_id` parameters now include input validation. You can use any of the following formats for these IDs: - **Integer ID**: The direct integer ID for a user, chat, or channel (e.g., `123456789` or `-1001234567890`). - **String ID**: The integer ID provided as a string (e.g., `"123456789"`). - **Username**: The public username for a user or channel (e.g., `"@username"` or `"username"`). The server will automatically validate the input and convert it to the correct format before making a request to Telegram. If the input is invalid, a clear error message will be returned. ## Removed Functionality Please note that tools requiring direct file path access on the server (`send_file`, `download_media`, `set_profile_photo`, `edit_chat_photo`, `send_voice`, `send_sticker`, `upload_file`) have been removed from `main.py`. This is due to limitations in the current MCP environment regarding handling file attachments and local file system paths. Additionally, GIF-related tools (`get_gif_search`, `get_saved_gifs`, `send_gif`) have been removed due to ongoing issues with reliability in the Telethon library or Telegram API interactions. --- ## 📋 Requirements - Python 3.10+ - [Telethon](https://docs.telethon.dev/) - [MCP Python SDK](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/) - [Claude Desktop](https://claude.ai/desktop) or [Cursor](https://cursor.so/) (or any MCP client) --- ## 🔧 Installation & Setup ### 1. Fork & Clone ```bash git clone https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp.git cd telegram-mcp ``` ### 2. Install Dependencies with uv ```bash uv sync ``` ### 3. Generate a Session String ```bash uv run session_string_generator.py ``` Follow the prompts to authenticate and update your `.env` file. ### 4. Configure .env Copy `.env.example` to `.env` and fill in your values: ``` TELEGRAM_API_ID=your_api_id_here TELEGRAM_API_HASH=your_api_hash_here TELEGRAM_SESSION_NAME=anon TELEGRAM_SESSION_STRING=your_session_string_here ``` Get your API credentials at [my.telegram.org/apps](https://my.telegram.org/apps). --- ## 🐳 Running with Docker If you have Docker and Docker Compose installed, you can build and run the server in a container, simplifying dependency management. ### 1. Build the Image From the project root directory, build the Docker image: ```bash docker build -t telegram-mcp:latest . ``` ### 2. Running the Container You have two options: **Option A: Using Docker Compose (Recommended for Local Use)** This method uses the `docker-compose.yml` file and automatically reads your credentials from a `.env` file. 1. **Create `.env` File:** Ensure you have a `.env` file in the project root containing your `TELEGRAM_API_ID`, `TELEGRAM_API_HASH`, and `TELEGRAM_SESSION_STRING` (or `TELEGRAM_SESSION_NAME`). Use `.env.example` as a template. 2. **Run Compose:** ```bash docker compose up --build ``` * Use `docker compose up -d` to run in detached mode (background). * Press `Ctrl+C` to stop the server. **Option B: Using `docker run`** You can run the container directly, passing credentials as environment variables. ```bash docker run -it --rm \ -e TELEGRAM_API_ID="YOUR_API_ID" \ -e TELEGRAM_API_HASH="YOUR_API_HASH" \ -e TELEGRAM_SESSION_STRING="YOUR_SESSION_STRING" \ telegram-mcp:latest ``` * Replace placeholders with your actual credentials. * Use `-e TELEGRAM_SESSION_NAME=your_session_file_name` instead of `TELEGRAM_SESSION_STRING` if you prefer file-based sessions (requires volume mounting, see `docker-compose.yml` for an example). * The `-it` flags are crucial for interacting with the server. --- ## ⚙️ Configuration for Claude & Cursor ### MCP Configuration Edit your Claude desktop config (e.g. `~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json`) or Cursor config (`~/.cursor/mcp.json`): ```json { "mcpServers": { "telegram-mcp": { "command": "uv", "args": [ "--directory", "/full/path/to/telegram-mcp", "run", "main.py" ] } } } ``` ## 📝 Tool Examples with Code & Output Below are examples of the most commonly used tools with their implementation and sample output. ### Getting Your Chats ```python @mcp.tool() async def get_chats(page: int = 1, page_size: int = 20) -> str: """ Get a paginated list of chats. Args: page: Page number (1-indexed). page_size: Number of chats per page. """ try: dialogs = await client.get_dialogs() start = (page - 1) * page_size end = start + page_size if start >= len(dialogs): return "Page out of range." chats = dialogs[start:end] lines = [] for dialog in chats: entity = dialog.entity chat_id = entity.id title = getattr(entity, "title", None) or getattr(entity, "first_name", "Unknown") lines.append(f"Chat ID: {chat_id}, Title: {title}") return "\n".join(lines) except Exception as e: logger.exception(f"get_chats failed (page={page}, page_size={page_size})") return "An error occurred (code: GETCHATS-ERR-001). Check mcp_errors.log for details." ``` Example output: ``` Chat ID: 123456789, Title: John Doe Chat ID: -100987654321, Title: My Project Group Chat ID: 111223344, Title: Jane Smith Chat ID: -200123456789, Title: News Channel ``` ### Sending Messages ```python @mcp.tool() async def send_message(chat_id: int, message: str) -> str: """ Send a message to a specific chat. Args: chat_id: The ID of the chat. message: The message content to send. """ try: entity = await client.get_entity(chat_id) await client.send_message(entity, message) return "Message sent successfully." except Exception as e: logger.exception(f"send_message failed (chat_id={chat_id})") return "An error occurred (code: SENDMSG-ERR-001). Check mcp_errors.log for details." ``` Example output: ``` Message sent successfully. ``` ### Getting Chat Invite Links The `get_invite_link` function is particularly robust with multiple fallback methods: ```python @mcp.tool() async def get_invite_link(chat_id: int) -> str: """ Get the invite link for a group or channel. """ try: entity = await client.get_entity(chat_id) # Try using ExportChatInviteRequest first try: from telethon.tl import functions result = await client(functions.messages.ExportChatInviteRequest( peer=entity )) return result.link except AttributeError: # If the function doesn't exist in the current Telethon version logger.warning("ExportChatInviteRequest not available, using alternative method") except Exception as e1: # If that fails, log and try alternative approach logger.warning(f"ExportChatInviteRequest failed: {e1}") # Alternative approach using client.export_chat_invite_link try: invite_link = await client.export_chat_invite_link(entity) return invite_link except Exception as e2: logger.warning(f"export_chat_invite_link failed: {e2}") # Last resort: Try directly fetching chat info try: if isinstance(entity, (Chat, Channel)): full_chat = await client(functions.messages.GetFullChatRequest( chat_id=entity.id )) if hasattr(full_chat, 'full_chat') and hasattr(full_chat.full_chat, 'invite_link'): return full_chat.full_chat.invite_link or "No invite link available." except Exception as e3: logger.warning(f"GetFullChatRequest failed: {e3}") return "Could not retrieve invite link for this chat." except Exception as e: logger.exception(f"get_invite_link failed (chat_id={chat_id})") return f"Error getting invite link: {e}" ``` Example output: ``` https://t.me/+AbCdEfGhIjKlMnOp ``` ### Joining Chats via Invite Links ```python @mcp.tool() async def join_chat_by_link(link: str) -> str: """ Join a chat by invite link. """ try: # Extract the hash from the invite link if '/' in link: hash_part = link.split('/')[-1] if hash_part.startswith('+'): hash_part = hash_part[1:] # Remove the '+' if present else: hash_part = link # Try checking the invite before joining try: # Try to check invite info first (will often fail if not a member) invite_info = await client(functions.messages.CheckChatInviteRequest(hash=hash_part)) if hasattr(invite_info, 'chat') and invite_info.chat: # If we got chat info, we're already a member chat_title = getattr(invite_info.chat, 'title', 'Unknown Chat') return f"You are already a member of this chat: {chat_title}" except Exception: # This often fails if not a member - just continue pass # Join the chat using the hash result = await client(functions.messages.ImportChatInviteRequest(hash=hash_part)) if result and hasattr(result, 'chats') and result.chats: chat_title = getattr(result.chats[0], 'title', 'Unknown Chat') return f"Successfully joined chat: {chat_title}" return f"Joined chat via invite hash." except Exception as e: err_str = str(e).lower() if "expired" in err_str: return "The invite hash has expired and is no longer valid." elif "invalid" in err_str: return "The invite hash is invalid or malformed." elif "already" in err_str and "participant" in err_str: return "You are already a member of this chat." logger.exception(f"join_chat_by_link failed (link={link})") return f"Error joining chat: {e}" ``` Example output: ``` Successfully joined chat: Developer Community ``` ### Searching Public Chats ```python @mcp.tool() async def search_public_chats(query: str) -> str: """ Search for public chats, channels, or bots by username or title. """ try: result = await client(functions.contacts.SearchRequest(q=query, limit=20)) return json.dumps([format_entity(u) for u in result.users], indent=2) except Exception as e: return f"Error searching public chats: {e}" ``` Example output: ```json [ { "id": 123456789, "name": "TelegramBot", "type": "user", "username": "telegram_bot" }, { "id": 987654321, "name": "Telegram News", "type": "user", "username": "telegram_news" } ] ``` ### Getting Direct Chats with Contacts ```python @mcp.tool() async def get_direct_chat_by_contact(contact_query: str) -> str: """ Find a direct chat with a specific contact by name, username, or phone. Args: contact_query: Name, username, or phone number to search for. """ try: # Fetch all contacts using the correct Telethon method result = await client(functions.contacts.GetContactsRequest(hash=0)) contacts = result.users found_contacts = [] for contact in contacts: if not contact: continue name = f"{getattr(contact, 'first_name', '')} {getattr(contact, 'last_name', '')}".strip() username = getattr(contact, 'username', '') phone = getattr(contact, 'phone', '') if (contact_query.lower() in name.lower() or (username and contact_query.lower() in username.lower()) or (phone and contact_query in phone)): found_contacts.append(contact) if not found_contacts: return f"No contacts found matching '{contact_query}'." # If we found contacts, look for direct chats with them results = [] dialogs = await client.get_dialogs() for contact in found_contacts: contact_name = f"{getattr(contact, 'first_name', '')} {getattr(contact, 'last_name', '')}".strip() for dialog in dialogs: if isinstance(dialog.entity, User) and dialog.entity.id == contact.id: chat_info = f"Chat ID: {dialog.entity.id}, Contact: {contact_name}" if getattr(contact, 'username', ''): chat_info += f", Username: @{contact.username}" if dialog.unread_count: chat_info += f", Unread: {dialog.unread_count}" results.append(chat_info) break if not results: return f"Found contacts matching '{contact_query}', but no direct chats with them." return "\n".join(results) except Exception as e: return f"Error searching for direct chat: {e}" ``` Example output: ``` Chat ID: 123456789, Contact: John Smith, Username: @johnsmith, Unread: 3 ``` --- ## 🎮 Usage Examples - "Show my recent chats" - "Send 'Hello world' to chat 123456789" - "Add contact with phone +1234567890, name John Doe" - "Create a group 'Project Team' with users 111, 222, 333" - "Download the media from message 42 in chat 123456789" - "Mute notifications for chat 123456789" - "Promote user 111 to admin in group 123456789" - "Search for public channels about 'news'" - "Join the Telegram group with invite link https://t.me/+AbCdEfGhIjK" - "Send a sticker to my Saved Messages" - "Get all my sticker sets" You can use these tools via natural language in Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-compatible client. --- ## 🧠 Error Handling & Robustness This implementation includes comprehensive error handling: - **Session management**: Works with both file-based and string-based sessions - **Error reporting**: Detailed errors logged to `mcp_errors.log` - **Graceful degradation**: Multiple fallback approaches for critical functions - **User-friendly messages**: Clear, actionable error messages instead of technical errors - **Account type detection**: Functions that require bot accounts detect and notify when used with user accounts - **Invite link processing**: Handles various link formats and already-member cases The code is designed to be robust against common Telegram API issues and limitations. --- ## 🛠️ Contribution Guide 1. **Fork this repo:** [chigwell/telegram-mcp](https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp) 2. **Clone your fork:** ```bash git clone https://github.com/<your-github-username>/telegram-mcp.git ``` 3. **Create a new branch:** ```bash git checkout -b my-feature ``` 4. **Make your changes, add tests/docs if needed.** 5. **Push and open a Pull Request** to [chigwell/telegram-mcp](https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp) with a clear description. 6. **Tag @chigwell or @l1v0n1** in your PR for review. --- ## 🔒 Security Considerations - **Never commit your `.env` or session string.** - The session string gives full access to your Telegram account—keep it safe! - All processing is local; no data is sent anywhere except Telegram's API. - Use `.env.example` as a template and keep your actual `.env` file private. - Test files are automatically excluded in `.gitignore`. --- ## 🛠️ Troubleshooting - **Check logs** in your MCP client (Claude/Cursor) and the terminal for errors. - **Detailed error logs** can be found in `mcp_errors.log`. - **Interpreter errors?** Make sure your `.venv` is created and selected. - **Database lock?** Use session string authentication, not file-based sessions. - **iCloud/Dropbox issues?** Move your project to a local path without spaces if you see odd errors. - **Regenerate session string** if you change your Telegram password or see auth errors. - **Bot-only functions** will show clear messages when used with regular user accounts. - **Test script failures?** Check test configuration in `.env` for valid test accounts/groups. --- ## 📄 License This project is licensed under the [Apache 2.0 License](LICENSE). --- ## 🙏 Acknowledgements - [Telethon](https://github.com/LonamiWebs/Telethon) - [Model Context Protocol](https://modelcontextprotocol.io/) - [Claude](https://www.anthropic.com/) and [Cursor](https://cursor.so/) - [chigwell/telegram-mcp](https://github.com/chigwell/telegram-mcp) (upstream) --- **Maintained by [@chigwell](https://github.com/chigwell) and [@l1v0n1](https://github.com/l1v0n1). PRs welcome!** ## Star History [](https://www.star-history.com/#chigwell/telegram-mcp&Date)