What is Discord?
Discord is a no-cost application that enables users to engage in live communication through text, voice, or video chat. It serves as a widely embraced platform for individuals sharing common interests to interact virtually, and is particularly favored within the gaming community.
It is accessible across multiple platforms and devices such as Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, iPadOS, Android, and web browsers.
What is a Discord bot in JavaScript?
Within the realm of JavaScript, discord.js stands out as a robust Node.js framework that simplifies the process of engaging with the Discord API. Bots are commonly utilized in numerous Discord servers to streamline tasks through automation. These bots, essentially programs, assist in automating various functions such as messaging and server upkeep within the JavaScript environment.
There are numerous pre-installed bots available in Discord. Users also have the option to develop their own bots tailored to their specific needs within Discord. JavaScript developers can leverage the discord.js package offered by Discord to facilitate the creation of custom bots for their server.
Prerequisites
- Discord account with your own Discord server.
- We need to install the Node.js and npm.
- We should have basic knowledge of JavaScript.
How to create a Discord Bot in JavaScript
To develop a Discord bot, there are specific procedures that must be adhered to, including:
Create your Bot
To begin the registration process for your bot, you should first navigate to https://discord.com/developers/applications/ and proceed by logging in using your account credentials.
Next, you should select the "New Application" button, proceed by assigning a name to your application. Subsequently, initiate the application creation process by clicking on the Create button to establish an application leveraging the Discord API.
Next, navigate to the bot tab and proceed to select the option labeled "Add Bot" in order to generate a fresh bot. Following this action, you will be directed to a dashboard displaying specific information about your bot such as its name, authentication token, and profile image.
Users have the option to adjust the name or profile image of their bot within the dashboard. To ensure security, tokens are only visible at the time of creation. If a token is misplaced or forgotten, it is essential to create a new one for continued access.
Note: You need to make sure you never share or upload your bot token, as it allows anyone to log into your bot.
Begin by accessing the OAuth2 section in the application dashboard and proceed to the URL generation section. Proceed by scrolling through the options and opt for "bot" under scopes to generate an invitation link. Define the permissions to regulate the functionalities your bot can execute within guilds. In this guide, you have the option to pick "Administrator" to grant your bot the authority to carry out a wide range of actions within guilds. Lastly, duplicate the link by utilizing the copy feature.
Subsequently, proceed to include the bot in a server by accessing the previously generated link. Select the desired server from the dropdown menu where you either possess ownership or administrator privileges.
Proceed by selecting the "Continue" button. Make sure to check the box adjacent to "Administrator" to enable administrator privileges for the tool. Next, click on "Authorize." Discord will prompt you to complete a CAPTCHA verification before the bot can be added to the server. After this process, you will find the Discord bot listed as a member in the server where you included it, showing as offline.
Having completed the creation and addition of a Discord bot to a server, the subsequent task involves developing a program to authenticate and log in to the bot.
Creating Your Project
During this phase, we will establish the fundamental coding environment necessary for constructing our chatbot and enabling programmatic login to the bot.
Initially, it is essential to establish a project directory and create all the required project documents for the bot.
Next, you will be required to set up the discord.js library by executing the provided command.
npm i discord.js
To incorporate the discord.js package into your project, you should import it using the command provided below:
const discord - require('discord.js');
To enable our bot to respond with "Hello JTP!!" whenever a user types "hello" on the server, we require a Discord client that can manage this task. In JavaScript, the Discord client provides functionality to detect a message event, enabling the bot to scan messages transmitted within a channel.
Example
// Creates a discord client
const client = new discord.Client();
// Runs whenever a message is sent
client.on("message", message => {
// Checks if the message says "hello"
if (message.content === "hello") {
// Sending custom message to the channel
message.channel.send("Hello JTP!!");
}
});
To initiate the bot, the next step involves inserting the client.login(Your bot token) function call within the index.js file.
client.login("Bot token"); // Starts the bot up
Ensure to update the bot token by replacing "Your bot token" with the actual token you receive from the Bot tab.
Upon completing the aforementioned steps, the resulting index.js file will resemble the following:
const discord = require('discord.js');
// Creates a discord client
const client = new discord.Client();
// Runs whenever a message is sent
client.on("message", message => {
// Checks if the message says "hello"
if (message.content === "hello") {
// Sending custom message to the channel
message.channel.send("Hello JTP!!");
}
});
client.login("Your_Bot_Token");
Run your index.js file to run your bot
To execute the index.js file, you should utilize the subsequent command within your command line interface:
node index.js
Note: If the index.js stops running, the bot will also stop working. To keep your bot running 24/7, it must be deployed to a server.
Popular Discord bots that you should try on your server
Below is a compilation of renowned discord bots that we recommend exploring as they serve as excellent tools for effectively overseeing your discord server. Here are some examples:
This versatile bot serves various functions such as greeting new members and facilitating the creation of personalized commands. It enables the establishment of reaction roles, integration of a leveling and XP framework, management of support tickets, automation configuration, polling functionality, spam filtering, application of moderation features, logging conversations, and additional capabilities.
There are additional advanced functionalities available for a fee, requiring a subscription starting at $12 per month. These features also enable users to link their social media profiles for receiving notifications and more.
ProBot
It is a widely used versatile bot that assists in generating personalized welcome images, customizing embeds, implementing reaction roles, and incorporating a leveling system.
Premium functionalities are available for a fee, with prices beginning at $5 per month. These features comprise in-depth member records, personalized emojis, prioritized assistance, security elements such as anti-raid safeguards, tailored bot configurations, automated role assignments, customizable profile pictures, and additional capabilities.
Dank Memer
The text-based gaming bot offered by Dank Memer enhances engagement within your server by allowing users to generate and share memes during conversations. Furthermore, it incorporates a currency system based on gems, enabling server members to engage in competitions for rewards and to showcase their achievements on server and global leaderboards.
By utilizing this bot, users have the opportunity to acquire digital pets, engage in small-scale games, purchase, create, and trade goods, explore and produce images or memes, share humorous memes, and simulate working activities, alongside various other virtual escapades.
Arcane
Arcane is a bot designed for member leveling, enabling the creation of leaderboards and facilitating rewards for server members. This bot is capable of monitoring both text and voice chat interactions to determine leveling progress. Additionally, it provides a range of standard bot functionalities such as reaction roles, moderation tools, custom commands, logging capabilities, and YouTube notifications.
Additional functionalities are present as well, such as personalized greeting backgrounds, expanded custom command options, additional YouTube notification alerts, and limitless reaction role assignments.
Memris
Utilizing this tool enables individuals to acquire a new language independently or in a group setting. The primary objective is to educate users on various languages through interactive conversations with an AI chatbot powered by GPT, rather than focusing on formal grammar rules or syntax.
It offers clues, offers interpretations, and enables users to accumulate points on the leaderboard for competitive play within the server or on a global scale.
Midjourney Bot
Midjourney stands out as the leading AI-powered image creator presently, and it holds the distinction of being one of the most widely used bots on Discord, boasting a user base of more than 16 million members. You have the option to incorporate the Midjourney Bot into your server, although this requires a subscription to the platform.
The pricing for Midjourney plans begins at $10 per month. Users are able to utilize the bot for tasks such as providing a description of an image, creating an image from a given prompt, and merging multiple images.
Truth or Dare
To foster interaction on your server, consider utilizing Truth or Dare, which is a text-based gaming bot featuring various game modes beyond the popular party game of the same name.
Members on Discord have the option to engage in gaming activities such as Would You Rather, Never Have I Ever, and Paranoia.