Want to get started with the Discord Developer Portal?
Perhaps you’ve already had a quick look at the Discord Developer Portal documentation and feel a bit overwhelmed by all the information?
If your goal is to create your first Discord bot (similar to the popular Discord Member Count bot) then we’ve got good news for you, because you don’t actually need to go through all the complicated docs.
In this guide, we’ll quickly introduce you to the Discord Developer Portal and show you 5 excellent tutorials that will help you create your first Discord bot.
Let’s dive right in.
Key Points (tl;dr)
- Discord’s Developer Portal is generally a one-stop shop for everything you’ll ever need in order to create a Discord bot. However, it’s not the most accessible source of information if you’re just getting started.
- Considering that there are dozens of different programming languages that are all competing for popularity, it’s no surprise that most developers prefer to stick to the languages they are familiar with and comfortable with.
- Luckily, there are many good tutorials available that make it a lot easier to get onboarded into the world of Discord bots. We’ve put together a list of 5 tutorials that we find particularly helpful.
For a detailed overview of the best Discord bot tutorials, PLEASE READ THE FULL ARTICLE.
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Discord Developer Portal: Create Your First Discord Bot
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What is the Discord Developer Portal?
Discord’s Developer Portal is a central platform where developers can manage all aspects of their Discord apps, including managing teams and permissions. It also provides a wide array of stats on the servers you manage.
A lot of people incorrectly assume that the Discord Developer Portal is just where Discord keeps the documentation for the Discord API.
While it’s true that it also hosts an extremely detailed documentation section, it is by far not the only thing it allows you to do.
In fact, the Discord Developer Portal only unleashes its full potential if you’re actually logged into your Discord account.
Once you’ve logged in, you’ll have access to 4 separate areas:
- Applications
- Teams
- Server Insights
- Documentation
The first items on the list are all dynamic sections of the Discord Developer Portal.
Unlike the documentation, which mainly consists of static pages explaining how the Discord API works, these other sections allow you to control your developer account.
So, for example, the “Application” tab will list all of the Discord applications (usually bots) that you’ve created.
The “Teams” section allows you to manage user permissions for your various applications.
And “Server Insights” provides you with a plethora of data regarding servers that you own and manage.
So, as you can see, the Discord Developer Portal is far more than just a collection of API docs.
Go check out the Discord Development Portal and see for yourself.
How to Get Started with the Discord API
The best way to get started with the Discord API is to read through one of the many Discord bot tutorials that are available for various different programming languages.
If you’re completely new to the Discord development environment and experience, we strongly recommend that you initially have a look at the “Getting Started” section of the Discord API documentation.
It covers most of the basics of how to develop a Discord app, including creating your very first bot.
You’ll be building a virtual version of a rock-paper-scissors game.
It’s a great place to get a general feeling for how Discord apps are built, without going into the details of more complex examples.
Make sure you also enable Developer Mode in Discord or else you’re going to have a hard time building apps.
5 Excellent Guides on How to Create a Discord Bot
- JavaScript Discord Bot Tutorial by freeCodeCamp
- How to Build a Free Discord Bot with Node.js by Autocode
- How to Make a Discord Bot in 2022 by WriteBots
- How to Make a Discord Bot in Python by Real Python
- Discord.js Guide
API references are really useful when they are well-documented and provide concrete implementation examples.
Nevertheless, references are not always a good substitute for a genuinely enlightening and hands-on tutorial.
Luckily the web is full of talented developers who are also good at teaching skills.
That’s why we’ve pulled together this list of some of the best tutorials on how to create your first Discord bot.
1. JavaScript Discord Bot Tutorial by freeCodeCamp
Beau Carnes from freeCodeCamp wrote a really neat tutorial in 2021 that shows you how you can build your own Discord bot completely in the cloud.
His example uses the cloud computing platform Repl.it, so you don’t need to install anything on your computer.
He even provides a full 1-hour YouTube video that walks you through the entire process step-by-step.
2. How to Build a Free Discord Bot with Node.js by Autocode
The next tutorial on our list is a very detailed walkthrough on how to build your own Discord bot quickly.
The tutorial was written by the team at Autocode, which provides server hosting and in-browser IDE services.
There’s also a video to guide you through the process.
In this particular case, bear in mind that the tutorial is tailored towards using Autocode’s products.
3. How to Make a Discord Bot in 2022 by WriteBots
Next up is a relatively classic, but independent and incredibly detailed tutorial by WriteBots.
Not only does it show you how to make a Discord bot, it even does it in several different programming languages:
- Python
- Java
- C#
- JavaScript
- And even using no code at all
If you don’t mind spending a lot of time reading, then this just might be the right tutorial for you.
4. How to Make a Discord Bot in Python by Real Python
If you’re a Python developer then you’ll want to check out this dedicated tutorial from guys over at Real Python.
Their tutorial walks you through the entire process, starting from the Discord Dev Portal and all the way to connecting your final bot.
They’ve recently also added a video course that is completely free.
5. Discord.js Guide
This choice might seem a bit odd to you because when you first visit the discord.js Guide website, it’ll seem like you’re just looking at a different version of the Discord API reference.
Discord.js is an extremely popular Node.js package that allows you to interact with the Discord API in a simple way.
Its approach is consistent with object-oriented programming, which makes it a lot easier to understand for most people.
The discord.js Guide website is effectively a code reference in its own right, but it has is very well structured and is still a great entry point for experienced JavaScript developers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Before we close out this article, let’s quickly address some of the most common questions that are asked in relation to Discord’s Developer Portal as well as creating Discord bots.
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What language are Discord bots written in?
Python is by far the most popular programming language for Discord bots. However, there are many Discord libraries for other languages as well, including JavaScript, Java, C#, Ruby, Rust, PHP, Go, and even Lua.
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Where should I host my Discord bot?
Choosing the right hosting solution largely depends on your specific needs and budget. You can host Discord bots on Amazon Web Services, Digital Ocean, Heroku, Repl.it, UptimeRobot, or just about any other cloud hosting service.
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Are Discord bots free?
Creating your own Discord bot is free, however, you may have to pay for hosting services. If you want to use a Discord bot that was created by someone else, the basic features will usually be free of charge as well.
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What are Discord bots used for?
There isn’t really any limit to what you can do with a Discord bot. For example, some servers have a dedicated bot for Discord quotes that allows users to quote a specific message, highlight it, and provide a nicely formatted response. Other Discord bots act as gatekeepers to exclusive channels.
Conclusion
We hope you found this overview of Discord bot tutorials helpful.
The Discord Developer Portal has all of the information you could possibly need, but it’s not also easy to digest.
We wish you the best of luck in creating your very first Discord bot and hope to see you soon.
Here at Tokenized, we want to help you learn as much as possible about social media. We help you navigate the world of tech and the digitalization of our society at large, including the tokenization of assets and services.
