The Discord developer portal is where every bot and app begins. If you want to build or host a bot, you need to know your way around it. This guide walks through the portal step by step.
What the Developer Portal Is
The developer portal is the Discord website where you register applications. An application is the container for your bot. Inside it you set the bot user, permissions, intents, and generate the token your code uses to log in.
Creating an Application
- Open the developer portal and sign in with your Discord account
- Click the option to create a new application
- Give it a name, which becomes your bot name by default
- Open the application settings
The application page holds general information like the app icon, description, and the keys other features rely on.
Adding a Bot User
Inside your application, open the bot section. Here you add a bot user to the application. Once added, you can set the bot username and avatar, and you will see the token controls.
The bot user is the account that actually appears in servers. Your code logs in as this bot using the token.
Understanding Intents
Intents control what events your bot can receive. There are standard intents and privileged intents. The privileged ones, such as message content and server members, must be enabled manually in the bot settings if your bot needs them.
Enable only the intents your bot actually uses. Requesting privileged intents you do not need is unnecessary and, past a certain server count, requires verification.
The Bot Token
The token is the secret credential your code uses to authenticate as the bot. Treat it like a password. Never share it, never paste it in screenshots, and never commit it to a public repository.
If your token leaks, regenerate it immediately in the bot settings. A leaked token lets anyone control your bot.
Inviting Your Bot with OAuth2
To add your bot to a server, build an invite link in the OAuth2 section:
- Open the OAuth2 URL generator
- Select the bot scope, and applications.commands if you use slash commands
- Choose the permissions your bot needs
- Copy the generated URL and open it to invite the bot
Give the bot only the permissions it requires, following the principle of least privilege.
Where Hosting Comes In
The portal sets up your bot identity, but your bot code has to run somewhere online to stay active. That is where a small server or bot host comes in, keeping your bot online around the clock.
FAQ
What is the Discord developer portal used for? Registering applications, adding bot users, configuring intents and permissions, and generating tokens.
Where do I find my bot token? In the bot section of your application. Keep it secret and regenerate it if it leaks.
How do I invite my bot to a server? Build an OAuth2 invite link with the bot scope and the permissions you need.
Related: How to make a Discord bot, Discord server setup, How to find Discord servers