Command Flow¶

Every bot is a pile of commands. Telegram sends an update, your bot picks one command, runs it, and calls it a day. No background process, no event loop — just match, run, done.

This section explains how commands are built, matched, and executed — from basic /start replies to callbacks, markdown, and public web pages.

What is command flow?¶

Every Telegram bot on TeleBotHost is a collection of commands. The platform receives an update, picks one command, runs it, and finishes.

You get	You skip
Answer + Keyboard without code	Building a web server
Logic when you need it	Event-driven architecture
Special handlers (`@`, `!`, `@@`)	Custom error middleware

New to TBL?

TBL is JavaScript with built-in bot extras — not a separate language. Brand new? Start with Getting Started, then Your First Bot. The big picture: What is TBL?. Quick intro: Learning TBL.

How an update becomes a response¶

Telegram update arrives
        │
        ▼
Run `@` initialization (if defined)
        │
        ▼
Match one command (priority order)
        │
        ▼
Send Answer + Keyboard (if configured)
        │
        ▼
Run Logic code (if any)
        │
        ▼
On error → run `!` handler
        │
        ▼
Run `@@` post-processor (if defined)
        │
        ▼
Done

See Execution Flow for the full lifecycle.

Try it — your first command¶

No Logic needed — just an Answer field:

Create a command named /start
Set Answer to: Welcome! Type /help for commands.
Save and message your bot /start

That's command flow in action. Add Logic when you need dynamic behavior:

Bot.sendMessage("Hey " + user.first_name + "! Your chat ID is " + chat.id)

Globals like user and chat: Global Variables

Command surfaces at a glance¶

Surface	Trigger	Answer field	Logic + `res`
Telegram message	User sends text/command	Yes	Yes
Callback query	Inline button tap	Yes (then logic)	Yes
Webhook	Signed HTTP URL	No	Yes + `res`
Webapp	`/webapp/{bot_id}/{cmd}`	No	Yes + `res`
Public web	`/public/{bot_id}/{path}`	N/A — serves command source	No sandbox

Pages in this section¶

Core concepts¶

Page	What you'll learn
Command Fields	Answer, Logic, Keyboard, aliases, `need_reply`, `is_web`, `parse_mode`
Matching & Priority	How the platform picks which command runs
Execution Flow	`@`, `!`, `@@`, answer-before-logic, sessions
Special Commands	`/start`, `@`, `!`, `@@`, `*`
Dynamic Handlers	`/handle_{update_type}`, inline query, channel

Formatting & web¶

Page	What you'll learn
Markdown & Formatting	Answer markdown, `parse_mode`, `modules.md2html`
Public Web Commands	`is_web` flag, static pages per bot

Interactions¶

Page	What you'll learn
Handling Callbacks	Inline buttons, `callback_query`, editing messages
Handling User Input	`need_reply` sessions
Using Aliases	Multiple triggers for one command
Wildcard (*)	Catch-all for unknown input

Hands-on tutorials¶

Page	What you'll build
Your First Bot	`/start` with an answer
Adding a Keyboard	Reply keyboard menu
Command Structure	Short overview + links

Read first¶

New to TeleBotHost? Start with Getting Started, then Your First Bot.

Want the big picture? What is TBL? explains the command-driven model.