Telegram API: Webhook vs Long Polling

Compare the two main methods for receiving Telegram updates. Learn the pros, cons, performance differences, and when to use each approach for your bot development.

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Overview: Two Ways to Receive Updates

When building Telegram bots, you have two primary methods to receive updates from the Telegram servers: Webhooks and Long Polling. Each method has distinct advantages and trade-offs that make them suitable for different scenarios.

🔗 Webhook Method

Telegram sends updates directly to your server endpoint in real-time via HTTP POST requests.

🔄 Long Polling Method

Your bot actively requests updates from Telegram servers at regular intervals using getUpdates API.

Webhook Method Deep Dive

Webhooks provide a push-based approach where Telegram automatically sends updates to your specified HTTPS endpoint whenever new messages or events occur. This creates a real-time, event-driven architecture.

How Webhooks Work:

  1. You register your HTTPS endpoint with Telegram using setWebhook
  2. When users interact with your bot, Telegram immediately sends a POST request to your endpoint
  3. Your server processes the update and responds with HTTP 200 OK
  4. No polling or waiting required - updates arrive instantly
⚠️

HTTPS Requirement

Webhooks require a valid HTTPS certificate. Self-signed certificates won't work in production.

Long Polling Method Deep Dive

Long polling uses a pull-based approach where your bot regularly checks for new updates by calling the getUpdates method. The "long" in long polling refers to keeping the connection open until updates arrive or a timeout occurs.

How Long Polling Works:

  1. Your bot sends a getUpdates request to Telegram
  2. If updates are available, Telegram responds immediately
  3. If no updates, Telegram keeps the connection open for up to timeout seconds
  4. Your bot processes updates and repeats the cycle
💡

Development Friendly

Perfect for local development, testing, and scenarios where you can't set up HTTPS.

Side-by-Side Comparison

🔗 Webhook

Real-time, event-driven approach with instant update delivery

✅ Pros

  • •Instant real-time updates
  • •Lower server resource usage
  • •Better scalability for high-traffic bots
  • •No constant polling overhead
  • •More efficient for production apps

❌ Cons

  • •Requires HTTPS and valid SSL certificate
  • •More complex server setup
  • •Harder to debug and test locally
  • •Need public-facing server
  • •Dependency on webhook endpoint uptime

🎯 Best For

  • •Production applications
  • •High-traffic bots
  • •Real-time chat applications
  • •E-commerce bots requiring instant responses
  • •Bots with time-sensitive notifications

🔄 Long Polling

Pull-based approach with regular update checking

✅ Pros

  • •Simple setup and implementation
  • •Works without HTTPS
  • •Great for development and testing
  • •No need for public server
  • •Easy to debug and monitor

❌ Cons

  • •Higher server resource usage
  • •Slight delay in receiving updates
  • •Constant network connections
  • •Less efficient for high-traffic scenarios
  • •Potential for missed updates if bot crashes

🎯 Best For

  • •Development and testing
  • •Low-traffic bots
  • •Local development environments
  • •Bots behind firewalls or NAT
  • •Simple personal projects

Performance Analysis

⚡

Latency

Webhook: ~100ms
Polling: ~1-30s

💾

Resource Usage

Webhook: Low
Polling: Medium-High

📈

Scalability

Webhook: Excellent
Polling: Limited

Performance Recommendations

Choose Webhook When:
  • • Expecting >100 messages per day
  • • Real-time responses are critical
  • • Running in production environment
  • • Need to minimize server costs
Choose Long Polling When:
  • • Developing or testing locally
  • • Low message volume (<50/day)
  • • Can't set up HTTPS easily
  • • Simple prototype or MVP

Quick Implementation Guide

🔗 Setting Up Webhook

# Set webhook URL
curl -X POST \
https://api.telegram.org/bot<TOKEN>/setWebhook \
-d url=https://yourserver.com/webhook

Your endpoint must respond with HTTP 200 and handle POST requests with JSON payloads.

🔄 Setting Up Long Polling

# Get updates via polling
curl "https://api.telegram.org/bot<TOKEN>/
getUpdates?timeout=30&offset=<OFFSET>"

Implement a loop that calls getUpdates continuously, updating the offset with each batch.

Build Bot with Node.js ▸Get Your API Key ▸Security & Rate Limits ▸

Decision Matrix: Which Method to Choose?

ScenarioRecommendedReason
Production bot with high trafficWebhookReal-time responses, lower resource usage
Local development & testingLong PollingNo HTTPS required, easier debugging
E-commerce bot with instant ordersWebhookTime-sensitive transactions need immediate processing
Personal bot with <10 usersLong PollingSimple setup, low traffic doesn't justify webhook complexity
Corporate bot behind firewallLong PollingOutbound connections allowed, inbound webhook blocked
24/7 customer support botWebhookAlways-on service requires instant response capability

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for production: Webhook or Long Polling?
Webhooks are generally better for production due to real-time delivery, lower server load, and better scalability. Use long polling for development or when HTTPS isn't available.
Can I switch from Long Polling to Webhook later?
Yes, you can switch anytime. Just set up your webhook endpoint and call setWebhook. Remember to stop your polling loop first to avoid conflicts.
Do webhooks require HTTPS?
Yes, Telegram webhooks require HTTPS with a valid SSL certificate. You can use free certificates from Let's Encrypt or cloudflare for testing.
What happens if my webhook endpoint is down?
Telegram will retry delivery for up to 24 hours. After that, updates are lost. Implement proper error handling and monitoring for production webhooks.
Can I use both methods simultaneously?
No, you can only use one method at a time per bot. Using both will cause conflicts and unpredictable behavior.

Related Articles

What is Telegram API?

Basics, features, and use cases for Telegram Bot API development.

Get Your API Key

Step-by-step guide to obtain your Telegram bot token with screenshots.

Build Bot with Node.js

Complete coding tutorial for creating Telegram bots using Node.js.

Security & Rate Limits

API restrictions, best practices, and safe usage guidelines.

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