Bot Token — OpenClaw Glossary
A unique authorization string issued by a messaging platform (like Telegram's BotFather) that allows a program to send and receive messages on behalf of a specific bot account.
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Bot token ek special password hai jo Telegram ya WhatsApp jaisi apps deti hain. BotFather se milne wala token hi aapke OpenClaw ko us specific bot account ko control karne aur messages bhejne ki power deta hai. Isko kabhi kisi ke sath share mat karna.
What is a Bot Token?
A Bot Token is a string of characters (e.g., 1234567890:ABCdefGhIJKlmNoPQRstuVwXyz) that acts as a secure identifier and password for a messaging bot.
When you create a bot on Telegram using @BotFather, it gives you this token. Any software that knows this token can connect to Telegram’s servers and control that bot.
Why it matters for OpenClaw
To use OpenClaw via Telegram, the Gateway process needs to authenticate itself. You put the token in your .env file as TELEGRAM_TOKEN.
When OpenClaw starts, it uses this token to tell Telegram: “I am this bot. Send any messages users send to me, and let me reply.”
Common mistake
Exposing the token publicly.
Just like API keys, bot tokens are highly sensitive. If a malicious actor gets your bot token, they can:
- Read incoming messages from your users (compromising privacy).
- Send spam or malicious links to your users from your bot’s account.
- Hook the bot up to their own agent.
Fix: Never paste your token into public forums. Do not commit your .env file to Git. If your token is ever leaked, go back to @BotFather immediately, use the /revoke command to invalidate the old token, and generate a new one.
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