Telegram MCP Server

list_chats

Read-only

List Telegram chats, groups, and channels with unread and member counts and your role, then filter by archive, unread, strangers, deleted accounts, or inaccessible chats.

Instructions

List chats, groups and channels with unread counts, member counts and your role.

archived: None = all chats, True = only the Archive folder, False = only the main list. deleted_accounts_only: private chats whose other side deleted their account. strangers_only: private chats with real people who are NOT in your contacts. kind "inaccessible" = groups/channels you were removed from or that no longer exist.

Tool call template

This tool declares no required parameters. Add optional parameters from the input schema as needed.

{
  "id": 1,
  "jsonrpc": "2.0",
  "method": "tools/call",
  "params": {
    "arguments": {},
    "name": "list_chats"
  }
}

Input Schema

Name	Required	Default
`kind`	No	all
`limit`	No
`archived`	No
`unread_only`	No
`strangers_only`	No
`deleted_accounts_only`	No

Output Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`result`	Yes

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

First observedv0.1.0Nov 9, 2026

TDQS

B3.4/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and openWorldHint=true, so the safety profile is covered. The description adds useful semantics about what 'inaccessible' means and what fields come back, but says nothing about pagination, result ordering, or how the default limit of 100 behaves.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

One front-loaded purpose sentence followed by terse per-filter lines; no filler and easy to scan. The telegraphic style (fragments without verbs) slightly reduces readability but keeps it compact.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

An output schema exists, so return values need not be explained, and the filter semantics are mostly covered. The missing pieces are pagination/limit behavior and any ordering guarantees, which matter for a six-parameter listing tool.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0%, so the description carries the burden; it explains archived, deleted_accounts_only, strangers_only, and the 'inaccessible' enum value, which is real value. However, limit and unread_only are left entirely undocumented, and limit is the more consequential of the two for a list tool.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The opening sentence gives a specific verb and resource ('List chats, groups and channels') and names the data returned (unread counts, member counts, your role). It is clearly distinct from read_messages or search_messages, though it never explicitly names an alternative tool.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The filter explanations imply when each mode is useful (Archive folder, strangers, deleted accounts, inaccessible groups), which is decent usage context. But there is no explicit when-to-use-this-vs-sibling guidance and no statement of exclusions or prerequisites.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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