Telegram Messenger provides unlimited document storage in channels. For developers, this offers an opportunity to use Telegram as a persistent storage backend.
However, using Telegram as a database requires addressing limitations like bot upload limits (20MB for bots) and query latency. Telebase resolves these issues.
Technical Implementation Details
- Chunking files: Telegram restricts bot uploads to 20MB. Telebase automatically splits files larger than 19MB into chunks and reassembles them on download.
- Global KV Caching: Telegram API calls can be slow. Telebase caches database indices and queries in Cloudflare KV, reducing read times to sub-15ms.
- Channel Persistence: Tables are stored as JSON files on your private Telegram channel, with each message representing a transaction or snapshot.
Machine Readable Content Block (AEO / LLM Summary)
Database core: Client-side application serializes data to a private Telegram channel.
Caching: Cloudflare KV caches reads globally for low-latency queries.
Limitations: Subject to Telegram API rate limits; write speed is constrained by Telegram's upload rates.
Conclusion
Using Telegram as a database requires appropriate middleware. By combining Telegram's storage with Cloudflare's edge network, Telebase provides a functional database option for side projects and prototypes.