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Long polling provides a pull-based alternative to push proxy. External bots/backends can call getUpdates via BotMux instead of Telegram — no code changes needed, just change the API base URL.

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Setup

  1. Enable the Long Poll toggle in bot settings
  2. In your backend, change the Telegram API base URL:
# Before (direct to Telegram)
https://api.telegram.org/bot{TOKEN}/getUpdates

# After (via BotMux)
http://localhost:8080/tgapi/bot{TOKEN}/getUpdates
That’s it — no other code changes needed.

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How It Works

Telegram ──getUpdates──> BotMux (polls Telegram)
                            │
                            ├── saves to UpdateQueue (ring buffer, 1000 updates)
                            ├── Management: tracks chats/messages in DB
                            │
Backend ──getUpdates──> /tgapi/ (long poll) ──> returns from UpdateQueue
Backend ──sendMessage──> /tgapi/ (proxy) ──> Telegram API

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Parameters

Response format is identical to Telegram: {"ok": true, "result": [...]}.
ParameterDescription
offsetIdentifier of the first update to return
limitMaximum number of updates (max 100)
timeoutLong polling timeout in seconds (max 60)

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Features

  • Telegram-compatible — same request/response format as Telegram API
  • Multiple clients can poll the same bot simultaneously
  • Works alongside push proxy — both can be active for the same bot
  • In-memory ring buffer — 1000 updates per bot with waiter notification
  • Authenticated API also available: GET /api/updates/poll?bot_id=X (Bearer or session)
If your backend also sends messages, point those at /tgapi/ too to capture outgoing messages in BotMux.