--- title: messages.startBot description: Start a conversation with a bot using a [deep linking parameter](https://core.telegram.org/bots#deep-linking) image: https://docs.madelineproto.xyz/favicons/android-chrome-256x256.png redirect_from: /API_docs/methods/messages_startBot.html --- # Method: messages.startBot [Back to methods index](index.md) Start a conversation with a bot using a [deep linking parameter](https://core.telegram.org/bots#deep-linking) ### Parameters: | Name | Type | Description | Required | |----------|---------------|-------------|----------| |bot|[Username, chat ID, Update, Message or InputUser](../types/InputUser.md) | The bot | Optional| |peer|[Username, chat ID, Update, Message or InputPeer](../types/InputPeer.md) | The chat where to start the bot, can be the bot's private chat or a group | Optional| |start\_param|[string](../types/string.md) | [Deep linking parameter](https://core.telegram.org/bots#deep-linking) | Yes| ### Return type: [Updates](../types/Updates.md) ### Can bots use this method: **NO** ### MadelineProto Example ([now async for huge speed and parallelism!](https://docs.madelineproto.xyz/docs/ASYNC.html)): ```php if (!file_exists('madeline.php')) { copy('https://phar.madelineproto.xyz/madeline.php', 'madeline.php'); } include 'madeline.php'; $MadelineProto = new \danog\MadelineProto\API('session.madeline'); $MadelineProto->start(); $Updates = $MadelineProto->messages->startBot(['bot' => InputUser, 'peer' => InputPeer, 'start_param' => 'string', ]); ``` Or, if you're into Lua: ```lua Updates = messages.startBot({bot=InputUser, peer=InputPeer, start_param='string', }) ``` ### Errors | Code | Type | Description | |------|----------|---------------| |400|BOT_INVALID|This is not a valid bot| |400|INPUT_USER_DEACTIVATED|The specified user was deleted| |400|MSG_ID_INVALID|Invalid message ID provided| |400|PEER_ID_INVALID|The provided peer id is invalid| |400|START_PARAM_EMPTY|The start parameter is empty| |400|START_PARAM_INVALID|Start parameter invalid| |400|START_PARAM_TOO_LONG|Start parameter is too long|