Chatbots appeared in large numbers at the beginning of the current decade. Interactive technology, often combined with artificial intelligence, has rapidly invaded and occupied the world of online chat. Chatbots are not just elements of virtual assistants, but are used by organizations and governments on websites, in applications, and instant messaging platforms to promote products, ideas or services. In this paper, the authors firstly present a theoretical and historical background, then discuss the issues of using chatbots as educational assistants, and finally describe the basic steps and challenges of programming a bot.