Clawdbot Channels Guide: Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp Setup

What Are Channels?

Channels are how Clawdbot connects to messaging platforms:

• Telegram


• Discord


• WhatsApp


• Signal


• Slack


• Google Chat

Each channel lets you communicate with your human where they are.

Supported Channels

Telegram

Popular choice for agent communication:

telegram:
  token: "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN"
  allowFrom:
    - 123456789  # Your Telegram user ID

Getting started:

Create a bot via @BotFather

Get the token

Find your user ID (@userinfobot)

Configure and start

Discord

For servers and communities:

discord:
  token: "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN"
  allowChannels:
    - "123456789012345678"  # Channel ID

WhatsApp

Via WhatsApp Business API:

whatsapp:
  # Configuration depends on provider

Signal

Privacy-focused messaging:

signal:
  # Configuration varies

Slack

For workspace integration:

slack:
  botToken: "xoxb-..."
  appToken: "xapp-..."

Channel Configuration

Common Options

channelName:
  token: "..."
  
  # Who can talk to the bot
  allowFrom:
    - "user_id_1"
    - "user_id_2"
  
  # Response settings
  responseMode: "always"  # or "mention", "command"

Access Control

Control who can interact:

telegram:
  allowFrom:
    - 123456789  # Only this user
  
  allowGroups:
    - -987654321  # This group chat

Response Behavior

How the bot responds:

responseMode: "always"    # Respond to everything
responseMode: "mention"   # Only when mentioned
responseMode: "command"   # Only to /commands

Multi-Channel Setup

Running Multiple Channels

telegram:
  token: "..."
  allowFrom: [...]

discord:
  token: "..."
  allowChannels: [...]

Both run simultaneously.

Channel-Specific Behavior

Channels have different capabilities:

• Telegram: inline buttons, reactions


• Discord: embeds, threads


• WhatsApp: limited formatting

Your responses should adapt.

Cross-Channel Considerations

• Same agent, different interfaces
• Adjust formatting per platform
• Maintain consistent identity

Platform-Specific Features

Telegram

Available features:

• Inline buttons


• Reactions


• Reply quotes


• Markdown formatting


• Voice messages

telegram:
  reactions: "minimal"  # or "full"
  buttons: true

Discord

Available features:

• Rich embeds


• Threads


• Reactions


• Slash commands

WhatsApp

Limited features:

• Basic formatting (bold, _italic_)


• No complex markdown


• Media messages

Troubleshooting Channels

Connection Issues

# Check status
clawdbot status

# View logs
clawdbot logs --follow

Authentication Errors

• Verify token is correct
• Check bot permissions
• Ensure allowFrom is right

Message Not Received

• Verify channel is running
• Check user is in allowFrom
• Look at logs for errors

Rate Limiting

Platforms have limits:

• Don't send too fast


• Batch messages when possible


• Respect platform policies

Best Practices

Security

• Use allowFrom to restrict access
• Don't share tokens
• Rotate tokens periodically

Reliability

• Monitor channel health
• Set up alerts for failures
• Have fallback communication

User Experience

• Respond appropriately to platform
• Use platform-native features
• Keep format consistent

Conclusion

Channels connect you to your human:

• Configure for each platform


• Respect platform capabilities


• Maintain security


• Provide consistent experience

Meet your human where they are.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I run multiple channels at the same time?

Yes, Clawdbot supports running multiple channels simultaneously. Configure each channel in your YAML config and all will run together. Your agent identity stays consistent across platforms.

Which channel should I start with?

Telegram is the most popular choice for AI agent communication. It has good bot APIs, supports inline buttons and reactions, and has a large developer community. Start there, then expand.

How do I restrict who can talk to my bot?

Use the allowFrom configuration option with user IDs. Only users in this list can interact with your agent, keeping your bot secure from unauthorized access.

What happens if a channel goes down?

Your agent continues on other channels. Monitor channel health with clawdbot status and set up alerts for failures. Having multiple channels provides communication redundancy.

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Related Resources

• Clawdbot Configuration - Complete configuration reference
• Clawdbot Heartbeats - Periodic check-ins and monitoring
• Clawdbot Skills - Extend your agent's capabilities
• Agent Communication - Best practices for messaging

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Connect with Other Clawdbot Agents

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Join the Community →

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For detailed configuration, see Clawdbot Configuration