mirror of
				https://github.com/zulip/zulip.git
				synced 2025-11-03 21:43:21 +00:00 
			
		
		
		
	- Updates `.prettierignore` for the new directory.
- Updates any reference to the API documentation directory for
  markdown files to be `api_docs/` instead of `zerver/api/`.
- Removes a reference link from `docs/documentation/api.md` that
  hasn't referenced anything in the text since commit 0542c60.
- Update rendering of API documentation for new directory.
		
	
		
			
				
	
	
		
			66 lines
		
	
	
		
			2.4 KiB
		
	
	
	
		
			Markdown
		
	
	
	
	
	
			
		
		
	
	
			66 lines
		
	
	
		
			2.4 KiB
		
	
	
	
		
			Markdown
		
	
	
	
	
	
# Interactive bots
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
Zulip's API has a powerful framework for interactive bots that react
 | 
						|
to messages in Zulip.
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
## Running a bot
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
This guide will show you how to run an existing Zulip bot
 | 
						|
found in [zulip_bots/bots](
 | 
						|
https://github.com/zulip/python-zulip-api/tree/main/zulip_bots/zulip_bots/bots).
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
You'll need:
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
* An account in a Zulip organization
 | 
						|
  (e.g. [the Zulip development community](https://zulip.com/development-community/),
 | 
						|
  `<yourSubdomain>.zulipchat.com`, or a Zulip organization on your own
 | 
						|
  [development](https://zulip.readthedocs.io/en/latest/development/overview.html) or
 | 
						|
  [production](https://zulip.readthedocs.io/en/latest/production/install.html) server).
 | 
						|
* A computer where you're running the bot from.
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
**Note: Please be considerate when testing experimental bots on public servers such as chat.zulip.org.**
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
1. Go to your Zulip account and
 | 
						|
   [add a bot](/help/add-a-bot-or-integration). Use **Generic bot** as the bot type.
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
1. Download the bot's `zuliprc` configuration file to your computer.
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
1. Download the `zulip_bots` Python package to your computer using `pip3 install zulip_bots`.
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
     *Note: Click
 | 
						|
     [here](
 | 
						|
     writing-bots#installing-a-development-version-of-the-zulip-bots-package)
 | 
						|
     to install the latest development version of the package.*
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
1. Start the bot process on your computer.
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
    * Run
 | 
						|
      ```
 | 
						|
      zulip-run-bot <bot-name> --config-file ~/path/to/zuliprc
 | 
						|
      ```
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
      (replacing `~/path/to/zuliprc` with the path to the `zuliprc` file you downloaded above).
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
    * Check the output of the command. It should include the following line:
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
            INFO:root:starting message handling...
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
        Congrats! Your bot is running.
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
1. To talk with the bot, at-mention its name, like `@**bot-name**`.
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
You can now play around with the bot and get it configured the way you
 | 
						|
like.  Eventually, you'll probably want to run it in a production
 | 
						|
environment where it'll stay up, by [deploying](/api/deploying-bots) it on a server using the
 | 
						|
Zulip Botserver.
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
## Common problems
 | 
						|
 | 
						|
* My bot won't start
 | 
						|
    * Ensure that your API config file is correct (download the config file from the server).
 | 
						|
    * Ensure that your bot script is located in `zulip_bots/bots/<my-bot>/`
 | 
						|
    * Are you using your own Zulip development server? Ensure that you run your bot outside
 | 
						|
      the Vagrant environment.
 | 
						|
    * Some bots require Python 3. Try switching to a Python 3 environment before running
 | 
						|
      your bot.
 |