Hosting Your Own Discord Server – A Complete Guide for Devs

Hi Devs! Are you tired of relying on third-party services to host your Discord servers? Are you looking for a way to have more control over your community? Then why not host your own Discord server? In this article, we will guide you through the process of setting up your own self-hosted Discord server, step-by-step. Let’s get started!

What is a Self-Hosted Discord Server?

Before we dive into the details, let’s first understand what a self-hosted Discord server is. A self-hosted Discord server is a server that you host on your own hardware or on a virtual private server (VPS). This means that you have complete control over the server, including the ability to customize the server’s settings, manage user roles, and more. By hosting your own server, you can ensure maximum uptime, security, and scalability for your community.

Advantages of Self-Hosting

There are several advantages of self-hosting your Discord server:

Step-by-Step Guide to Self-Hosting a Discord Server

Step 1: Choose Your Hardware and Hosting Provider

The first step in self-hosting a Discord server is to choose your hardware and hosting provider. You can either use your own hardware or use a virtual private server (VPS).

Using Your Own Hardware

If you choose to use your own hardware, you will need to ensure that your hardware meets the minimum requirements for hosting a Discord server. The minimum requirements include:

• Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processor
• 8 GB RAM
• 250 GB disk space
• Windows 7 or higher, or Ubuntu 16.04 or higher

Once you have the hardware, you will also need to ensure that you have a reliable internet connection with a decent upload speed. This is important as your server will be handling a lot of traffic.

Using a VPS

If you choose to use a VPS, you will need to choose a hosting provider that offers VPS hosting. Some popular hosting providers include:

• DigitalOcean
• Vultr
• Linode

Once you have chosen your hosting provider, you will need to choose the VPS plan that meets your requirements.

Step 2: Install Discord and Node.js

Once you have your hardware or VPS set up, the next step is to install Discord and Node.js.

Install Discord

To install Discord, follow these steps:

1. Download the Discord installer from the official Discord website.
2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.

Install Node.js

To install Node.js, follow these steps:

1. Download the Node.js installer from the official Node.js website.
2. Run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.

Step 3: Set Up the Discord Bot

The next step is to set up the Discord bot. The bot will act as an intermediary between the server and the Discord API, allowing you to access and manipulate the server’s settings.

Create a New Discord Application

To create a new Discord application, follow these steps:

1. Go to the Discord Developer Portal and log in with your Discord account.
2. Click on “New Application” and give your application a name.
3. Click on “Create”.

Create a New Bot

To create a new bot, follow these steps:

1. Go to the “Bot” tab of your Discord application.
2. Click on “Add Bot”.
3. Give your bot a name and click on “Create”.

Get the Bot Token

To get the bot token, follow these steps:

1. Go to the “Bot” tab of your Discord application.
2. Click on “Copy” under “Token”.

Invite the Bot to Your Server

To invite the bot to your server, follow these steps:

1. Go to the “OAuth2” tab of your Discord application.
2. Under “Scopes”, select “bot”.
3. Under “Bot Permissions”, select the permissions that you want your bot to have.
4. Copy the generated URL and paste it into your browser.
5. Select the server that you want to invite the bot to and click on “Authorize”.

Step 4: Set Up the Server

The final step is to set up the server. This includes configuring the server settings and adding users to the server.

Configure the Server Settings

To configure the server settings, follow these steps:

1. Open the Discord application and select your server.
2. Click on the server settings icon (cogwheel).
3. Configure the server settings as per your requirements.

Add Users to the Server

To add users to the server, follow these steps:

1. Click on the server settings icon (cogwheel).
2. Click on “Members”.
3. Click on “Add Members”.
4. Enter the usernames of the users that you want to add to the server.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is self-hosting a Discord server difficult?

No, self-hosting a Discord server is not difficult. It requires some technical knowledge and setup, but once you have the server up and running, managing it is relatively easy.

2. What are the advantages of self-hosting a Discord server?

The advantages of self-hosting a Discord server include cost-effectiveness, customizability, scalability, security, and uptime.

3. What are the minimum requirements for hosting a Discord server?

The minimum requirements for hosting a Discord server include an Intel Core i3 or AMD Ryzen 3 processor, 8 GB RAM, 250 GB disk space, and either Windows 7 or higher, or Ubuntu 16.04 or higher.

4. Can I use a VPS for hosting my Discord server?

Yes, you can use a VPS for hosting your Discord server. Make sure to choose a VPS plan that meets your requirements.

5. Do I need to create a bot for my Discord server?

Yes, you need to create a bot for your Discord server. The bot will act as an intermediary between the server and the Discord API, allowing you to access and manipulate the server’s settings.

Thanks for reading! We hope you found this guide useful for setting up your own self-hosted Discord server. Happy hosting!