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How a Python bot works on NxCreate

A Python bot is a set of command scripts. Each script has a name and a type, and NxCreate runs it when its trigger fires. A script is plain Python statements: no function wrapper, no imports and no polling loop.

A complete example

A /start command that sends a button, and the callback command that handles the press:

# command: /start
name = message.from_user.first_name
m = InlineKeyboardMarkup()
m.add(InlineKeyboardButton("✅ Verify", callback_data="verify"))
bot.replyText(u, f"Hi {name}! Tap to continue.", reply_markup=m)

# callback: verify
bot.answerCallbackQuery(call.id, "Verified")
User.saveData("verified", True)
bot.editMessageText("You're verified.", chat_id=u, message_id=call.message.message_id)

What is already there

• bot: the Telegram API, with both camelCase and snake_case method names
• u: the chat id of the user who wrote to your bot
• message, text, params, args and call: the incoming message, its text and any callback
• User and Bot: per-user and bot-wide storage
• libs: counters for balances and points, random helpers and date helpers
• env: your private variables, such as API keys and admin ids
• requests: HTTP calls to public URLs
• InlineKeyboardMarkup, InlineKeyboardButton, ReplyKeyboardMarkup and KeyboardButton, with no import

Storage without a database

Keep data with User.saveData and Bot.saveData, and use libs.Resources for anything numeric such as coins or stock.

count = int(User.getData("visits") or 0) + 1
User.saveData("visits", count)
libs.Resources.userRes("coins").add(5)
bot.replyText(u, f"Visit {count}")

Multi-step flows and delayed commands

Ask a question and route the next message to another command with Bot.handleNextCommand. Schedule a command for later with Bot.runCommandAfter, which survives restarts. Send a message to every user with Bot.broadcast.

# command: /feedback
bot.replyText(u, "What should we improve?")
Bot.handleNextCommand("save_feedback")
 
# command: save_feedback
User.saveData("feedback", text)
bot.replyText(u, "Thanks, noted.")

Secrets and limits

Keep tokens and keys out of your code. Add them under Environment / Private Variables and read them with env.get("KEY_NAME").

Scripts should finish quickly: 4 seconds on the free plan and 12 seconds on Pro. Avoid long loops and time.sleep, and use a delayed command instead.

What Python bots on NxCreate do not use

Because NxCreate runs your scripts for you, there is no import statement, no polling loop and no webhook code. Modules such as os, sys, subprocess and threading, and file access, are not available.

Get a Python bot online in three steps

1. 1

   Create the bot with BotFather

   Copy the token @BotFather gives you.

2. 2

   Create a Python bot

   Add it in NxCreate with your token, then add one script for each command, button and text you want to handle.

3. 3

   Deploy

   NxCreate registers the webhook and starts your bot. Edit a script and it is live straight away.

Questions and answers

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