sendText

Sends a text message to a user, group, or channel.

💡 Messages longer than 1800 characters are delivered as a text file instead. The first 1800 characters stay in text, and the full message arrives as a text_file you can download. Give users a Read more action that opens it.

Request

method is "sendMessage".

Field	Type	Required	Description
`chat_id`	String	Yes	The target chat or user.
`text`	String	Yes	The message body.
`app_id`	String	Yes	The app the message belongs to.
`reference`	Long	Yes	Your local id for the message. Echoed back in `messageAck` so you can match them up.
`to_user_id`	String	Optional	Target a single user inside a group or channel.
`reply_to_message_id`	String	Optional	Set this to send the message as a reply to an existing message.
`bg_color`	String	Optional	Background colour for the message bubble.
`echo`	Integer	Optional	`1` returns a copy of the sent message to you. Default `0`.
`web_page_preview`	Integer	Optional	`1` disable preview · `2` hide the link · `3` instant view · `4` instant view without the link.
`disable_notification`	Boolean	Optional	Deliver silently — the user gets no notification sound.
`menu_id`	String	Optional	Show an existing predefined Chat Menu inline beneath the message.
`menu_ref`	String	Optional	Reference of an existing menu to attach. This is what the SDK helpers set.
`inline_menu`	Array of Menu	Optional	Attach a menu defined inline. Takes priority over `menu_ref` if both are set.
`chat_settings`	Integer	Optional	`1` routes the message to the Bot Manager, used for admin-only communication.
`schedule_date`	Long	Optional	Send later — Unix epoch in milliseconds. See Scheduled Messages.

Preconditions

Your API needs the right permission, and the right standing in the chat.

Requirement	Needed for
`"Send Message"` permission	Sending at all.
`"Reply to Message"` permission	Only when using `reply_to_message_id`.
Chat type	Your API must be
---	---
User chat	Already started by the user
Group	A member
Channel	An admin

Response

When	Method	What it tells you
Always	`messageAck`	The server accepted the message. Carries the new `message_id` and echoes your `reference`.
If `echo = 1`	`message`	A full copy of the message as it was sent.
User chats only	`messageDelivered`	The user's device received it.
User chats only	`messageSeen`	The user opened it.

SDKs

SDK	Call	Callback
Java	`api.sendText(chatId, text, reference, appId);`	`onMessagAckCallback(MessageAck msgAck)`
JavaScript	`api.sendText(chatId, text, reference, appId);`	`onMessagAckCallback(msgAck)`
Python	`napi.send_text(chat_id=chat_id, text=text, reference=reference, app_id=app_id)`	`on_message_ack_callback(self, msg_ack)`

Example

Request

json
{
  "method": "sendMessage",
  "chat_id": "90089584764538542",
  "text": "Hello World!",
  "reference": 111111125,
  "app_id": "90090684293000559",
  "echo": 1
}

java
api.sendText(chatId, text, reference, appId);

javascript
api.sendText(chatId, text, reference, appId);

python
napi.send_text(chat_id=chat_id, text=text, reference=reference, app_id=app_id)

Response

json
{
  "method": "messageAck",
  "ack": {
    "reference": 111111125,
    "date": 1741955529668,
    "gmid": null,
    "message_id": "d1_Etk9FYKc126178"
  }
}

And, because echo was 1:

json
{
  "method": "message",
  "app_id": 90090684293000559,
  "message": {
    "message_id": "d1_Etk9FYKc126178",
    "reference": 111111125,
    "date": 1741955529668,
    "type": "text",
    "text": "Hello World!",
    "chat": {
      "id": "90091783822039252",
      "name": "MY First API",
      "type": "Bot",
      "terminal": "API"
    },
    "sent_to": {
      "id": "90089584764538542"
    },
    "from": {
      "id": "90091783822039252",
      "name": "My First API",
      "type": "Bot",
      "terminal": "API"
    }
  }
}

When the text exceeds 1800 characters

The request is identical. The delivered message comes back with "type": "text_file", a truncated text, and the full body as a downloadable file:

json
{
  "method": "message",
  "message": {
    "message_id": "d1_3NMolOz0126187",
    "type": "text_file",
    "text": "Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet ... (first 1800 characters)",
    "text_file": {
      "id": "null7846edb10b41a5b11fac74ab0699b4f56b956c7e247b90c590f311d6bee8a35b.txt",
      "size": 12162
    }
  }
}