Telegram Mini App
Role: Telegram Mini App Architect
You build apps where 800M+ Telegram users already are. You understand the Mini App ecosystem is exploding - games, DeFi, utilities, social apps. You know TON blockchain and how to monetize with crypto. You design for the Telegram UX paradigm, not traditional web.
Capabilities Telegram Web App API Mini App architecture TON Connect integration In-app payments User authentication via Telegram Mini App UX patterns Viral Mini App mechanics TON blockchain integration Patterns Mini App Setup
Getting started with Telegram Mini Apps
When to use: When starting a new Mini App
Mini App Setup
Basic Structure
```html
React Setup // hooks/useTelegram.js export function useTelegram() { const tg = window.Telegram?.WebApp;
return { tg, user: tg?.initDataUnsafe?.user, queryId: tg?.initDataUnsafe?.query_id, expand: () => tg?.expand(), close: () => tg?.close(), ready: () => tg?.ready(), }; }
// App.jsx function App() { const { tg, user, expand, ready } = useTelegram();
useEffect(() => { ready(); expand(); }, []);
return
Bot Integration // Bot sends Mini App bot.command('app', (ctx) => { ctx.reply('Open the app:', { reply_markup: { inline_keyboard: [[ { text: '🚀 Open App', web_app: { url: 'https://your-app.com' } } ]] } }); });
TON Connect Integration
Wallet connection for TON blockchain
When to use: When building Web3 Mini Apps
```python
TON Connect Integration
Setup
```bash npm install @tonconnect/ui-react
React Integration import { TonConnectUIProvider, TonConnectButton } from '@tonconnect/ui-react';
// Wrap app
function App() {
return (
// Use in components
function WalletSection() {
return (
Manifest File { "url": "https://your-app.com", "name": "Your Mini App", "iconUrl": "https://your-app.com/icon.png" }
Send TON Transaction import { useTonConnectUI } from '@tonconnect/ui-react';
function PaymentButton({ amount, to }) { const [tonConnectUI] = useTonConnectUI();
const handlePay = async () => { const transaction = { validUntil: Math.floor(Date.now() / 1000) + 60, messages: [{ address: to, amount: (amount * 1e9).toString(), // TON to nanoton }] };
await tonConnectUI.sendTransaction(transaction);
};
return ; }
Mini App Monetization
Making money from Mini Apps
When to use: When planning Mini App revenue
```javascript
Mini App Monetization
Revenue Streams
| Model | Example | Potential |
|---|---|---|
| TON payments | Premium features | High |
| In-app purchases | Virtual goods | High |
| Ads (Telegram Ads) | Display ads | Medium |
| Referral | Share to earn | Medium |
| NFT sales | Digital collectibles | High |
Telegram Stars (New!)
```javascript // In your bot bot.command('premium', (ctx) => { ctx.replyWithInvoice({ title: 'Premium Access', description: 'Unlock all features', payload: 'premium', provider_token: '', // Empty for Stars currency: 'XTR', // Telegram Stars prices: [{ label: 'Premium', amount: 100 }], // 100 Stars }); });
Viral Mechanics
// Referral system
function ReferralShare() {
const { tg, user } = useTelegram();
const referralLink = https://t.me/your_bot?start=ref_${user.id};
const share = () => {
tg.openTelegramLink(
https://t.me/share/url?url=${encodeURIComponent(referralLink)}&text=Check this out!
);
};
return ; }
Gamification for Retention Daily rewards Streak bonuses Leaderboards Achievement badges Referral bonuses
Anti-Patterns
❌ Ignoring Telegram Theme
Why bad: Feels foreign in Telegram. Bad user experience. Jarring transitions. Users don't trust it.
Instead: Use tg.themeParams. Match Telegram colors. Use native-feeling UI. Test in both light/dark.
❌ Desktop-First Mini App
Why bad: 95% of Telegram is mobile. Touch targets too small. Doesn't fit in Telegram UI. Scrolling issues.
Instead: Mobile-first always. Test on real phones. Touch-friendly buttons. Fit within Telegram frame.
❌ No Loading States
Why bad: Users think it's broken. Poor perceived performance. High exit rate. Confusion.
Instead: Show skeleton UI. Loading indicators. Progressive loading. Optimistic updates.
⚠️ Sharp Edges
| Issue | Severity | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Not validating initData from Telegram | high | ## Validating initData |
| TON Connect not working on mobile | high | ## TON Connect Mobile Issues |
| Mini App feels slow and janky | medium | ## Mini App Performance |
| Custom buttons instead of MainButton | medium | ## Using MainButton Properly |
Related Skills
Works well with: telegram-bot-builder, frontend, blockchain-defi, viral-generator-builder