Telegram Bot with Node.js only

I built a Telegram Bot with Node.js only!

In the ever-expanding world of blockchain and decentralized technologies, Telegram bots have become powerful tools for simplifying complex tasks. My journey of building a Telegram bot has been nothing short of transformative, blending creativity with technical problem-solving. Here, I share the insights, challenges, and roadmap that shaped this project.

The Vision

The idea was to create a bot that not only simplifies blockchain tasks but also provides a seamless user experience (UX). Key goals included:

1. Wallet Creation: Allowing users to create wallets directly in the bot without redirecting to browsers.
2. Token Management: Enabling users to create and mint tokens effortlessly.
3. NFT Integration: Providing a robust platform for creating and managing NFTs.
4. Permanent Image Storage: Leveraging Arweave for storing images securely.
5. Liquidity Pools: (In v2) Implementing token liquidity pools to enhance token utility.

Key Features

1. Permanent Image Storage

• Users can upload images up to 5 MB, with a limit of 5 free images per user.
• Images are stored on Arweave, ensuring permanence and reliability.

2. Token Launchpad

• Users can create tokens by providing essential metadata such as name, symbol, description, and decimals.
• Wallet integration is a prerequisite to ensure security and usability.

3. NFT Launchpad

• Users can create either collectible or regular NFTs with ease.
• Metadata input for NFTs is handled with UX optimizations, including cancel and go-back options.

4. AI-Powered Chat

• An AI assistant to guide users through commands and processes.

5. Future Features (v2)

• Liquidity pools for tokens, accessible via the /launchPool command.
• A marketplace for buying and selling NFTs and tokens.

The Development Process

1. Wallet Creation

• Wallet creation is integral, with strict warnings to users against sharing their secret keys.
• User’s public and private keys are stored securely in a database, with the private key hashed using the user’s password as a key.

2. Image Uploads

• Users can upload images directly or provide URLs.
• To mitigate Telegram’s compression issue, images are uploaded to Arweave for better quality preservation.

3. Token Creation

The /createToken command prompts users for:

• Token name
• Image URL (or use /uploadToArweave to get one)
• Description
• Symbol
• Decimals

Mint accounts are created with the wallet as the mint authority.

4. NFT Creation

• The /createNFT command distinguishes between collectible and regular NFTs.
• Metadata collection is streamlined to ensure smooth processing.

5. Managing UX Challenges

• Inline keyboards with loading messages help users navigate time-intensive processes.
• Cancel and go-back options enhance usability.

6. Edge Cases and Code Quality

• Rigorous testing ensures all commands handle errors gracefully.
• Users are warned not to send conflicting commands during critical operations.
• Comprehensive fixes for start commands and user registration ensure seamless onboarding.

Commands Overview

General Commands

• /start: Introduces the bot and displays available commands along with the user’s balance.

Token Commands

• /createToken: Initiates token creation.
• /mintToken: Mints tokens to the user’s account or another specified account.

NFT Commands

• /createNFT: Guides users through creating collectibles or regular NFTs.

Image Storage Commands

• /uploadToArweave: Uploads images to Arweave and provides the link.

Lessons Learned

1. User Experience is Paramount: Redirecting users out of Telegram disrupts the flow. Keeping processes within the bot ensures a better UX.
2. Database Design: Restricting user actions (like free uploads) required a robust database schema to track usage metrics.
3. Error Handling: Adding checks for edge cases and warnings against conflicting commands improved reliability.
4. Security Matters: Hashing private keys and storing them securely is non-negotiable.
5. Iterative Development: The roadmap for v2 includes advanced features like liquidity pools and marketplaces, highlighting the importance of phased development.