• Discord icon
  • Node.js icon
  • Visual Studio Code icon
  • GitHub icon
  • Heroku icon
  • +3

Discord Bot Development

JacenBoyJacenBoy8 appsUpdated
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Every coder has a set of programs that they prefer over all others. If you're just getting into Discord bot development, you might be trying to decide what programs you want to use to write your bot. This isn't a list of "the best", but it's the programs that I've found I like better than others.

  1. Discord icon

    Discord

     Like

    A versatile platform for text and voice communication, featuring topic-specific channels, customizable moderation, and smooth low latency interactions.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    • Snapcraft
    • Epic Games Store
    • Flathub
    • Electron
    • Playstation
    • Xbox
    Desktop UI
    Desktop UI Color Customization
    Cross Platform Video Chat and Screensharing
    +8
    Phone UI
    JacenBoyJacenBoy’s note

    Obviously a necessity if you're making a bot for Discord. There are a number of great communities on Discord to help you out if you're having trouble, as well.

  2. Node.js icon

    Node.js

     Like

    Node.js is a platform built on Chrome's JavaScript runtime for easily building fast, scalable network applications.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Chrome OS
    • BSD
    • Self-Hosted
    Node.js screenshot 1
    Node.js screenshot 1
    Node.js screenshot 2
    JacenBoyJacenBoy’s note

    Node has a very easy learning curve, and with NPM there is a package available for whatever you want to do. If you haven't decided what language you want to write your bot in, this is what I'd recommend.

  3. Visual Studio Code icon

    Visual Studio Code

     Like

    Free, extensible code editor with Git integration, AI-driven IntelliCode, and 30,000+ extensions, supporting various languages like Python, Java.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Chrome OS
    • Snapcraft
    • Chocolatey
    Visual Studio Code screenshot 1
    Visual Studio Code screenshot 1
    Visual Studio Code screenshot 2
    +2
    Visual Studio Code screenshot 3
    JacenBoyJacenBoy’s note

    Any IDE will do, but if you haven't decided on your preferred IDE, VS Code is an excellent choice. It has a number of useful features out of the box, has a large library of extensions for anything that's missing, and is open source.

  4. GitHub icon

    GitHub

     Like

    Web-based Git hosting service facilitating collaboration, with features like issue tracking, social networking, and wikis for project management.

    Cost / License

    • Freemium
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Mac
    • Windows
    • Online
    • Android
    • iPhone
    • Android Tablet
    • iPad
    Homepage
    Organization profile view
    Repository Homepage
    +6
    Issues
    JacenBoyJacenBoy’s note

    If you want your bot to be open source, GitHub is something of an industry standard. If you plan to host your bot on Heroku, the two integrate easily, making it simple to push updates to your bot.

  5. Heroku icon

    Heroku

     Like

    Heroku is a platform as a service (PaaS) that enables developers to build, run, and operate applications entirely in the cloud.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Online
    Heroku screenshot 1
    JacenBoyJacenBoy’s note

    For small, simple bots, Heroku is a free option for hosting. If you add a credit card, you get enough free credit to host your bot 24/7, and Heroku integrates with GitHub, making pushing updates simpler. As long as you don't need to write to any files, Heroku is an excellent choice.

  6. OVH icon

    OVH

     Like

    OVH provides all server solutions, whether it be cloud computing, VPS or a dedicated server. OVH under its brand name sells high end servers, mid-range servers by the brand name 'So You Start' and low-end under the brand name 'Kimsufi'.

    Cost / License

    • Paid
    • Proprietary

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • Online
    • Self-Hosted
    OVH screenshot 1
    OVH screenshot 1
    OVH screenshot 2
    JacenBoyJacenBoy’s note

    If you need to be able to write to files, or Heroku doesn't work for some other reason, a VPS may be necessary. OVH is the host I use, but any VPS should be good enough.

  7. PuTTY icon

    PuTTY

     Like

    Free and open-source terminal emulator supporting SSH, Telnet, and SCP. Portable, lightweight, and works offline to connect to remote systems securely.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    • PortableApps.com
    • ReactOS
    • Flathub
    PuTTY screenshot 1
    Tunnels interface
    PuTTY screenshot 2
    JacenBoyJacenBoy’s note

    If you choose to go with a VPS, you'll need some kind of SSH client to access it. PuTTY is a lightweight, free, and easy to use option.

  8. WinSCP icon

    WinSCP

     Like

    A versatile client for SFTP, FTP, and other protocols for file transfer. It offers GUI choice, and supports automation and key authentication.

    Cost / License

    • Free
    • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • PortableApps.com
    • Wine
    WinSCP screenshot 1
    WinSCP screenshot 1
    WinSCP screenshot 2
    +7
    WinSCP screenshot 3
    JacenBoyJacenBoy’s note

    Probably the least-used program on the list, but WinSCP is useful for making quick edits to files or looking at directory structure without having to mess with the command line.

As a bonus, I've found An Idiot's Guide (https://anidiots.guide) to be the best tutorial for learning how to code a Discord bot. If you're going the Node.js route, make sure you're familiar with the Discord.js documentation (https://discord.js.org).

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