Files
Lucas Berger 1f4caa775d docs(01): capture phase context
Phase 01: Foundation
- Implementation decisions documented
- Phase boundary established
2026-01-28 17:52:41 -05:00

1.9 KiB

Phase 1: Foundation - Context

Gathered: 2026-01-28 Status: Ready for planning

## Phase Boundary

Basic Telegram ↔ n8n communication working. Set up Telegram bot via BotFather, create n8n workflow with Telegram trigger, verify message round-trip with echo, and implement user ID authentication. This phase delivers REQ-01 (send/receive messages) and REQ-09 (user ID auth).

## Implementation Decisions

Bot personality & responses

  • Tone: Claude's discretion — pick what feels natural for each response
  • Formatting: Use Telegram formatting (bold for names, code blocks for logs, etc.)
  • Emojis: Claude's discretion — use where they add clarity
  • Error messages: Include technical details ("Couldn't start Plex: container already running")

Authentication behavior

  • Unauthorized users: Silent ignore — no response, bot appears offline to strangers
  • User ID config: Environment variable in n8n — easy to change without editing workflow
  • Logging: Optional for troubleshooting, but default to silent ignore

Message handling

  • Command style: Both slash commands (/status) AND natural language ("how's plex?") work
  • Unknown messages: Claude's discretion on how to handle misunderstandings
  • No /help command — keep it minimal, figure it out from conversation
  • Echo test: Include metadata — "Got: [message]" + timestamp to confirm processing

Claude's Discretion

  • Exact tone and personality of responses
  • Emoji usage (use where helpful)
  • How to handle misunderstood messages
## Specific Ideas
  • Echo test should include timestamp to prove the message was processed, not just reflected
  • Bot should feel like messaging a knowledgeable friend, not a rigid command interface
## Deferred Ideas

None — discussion stayed within phase scope


Phase: 01-foundation Context gathered: 2026-01-28