Discord.py

2.7.1 · active · verified Thu Apr 09

Discord.py is a modern, easy to use, feature-rich, and async ready API wrapper for Discord, written in Python. The current version is 2.7.1, and it is actively maintained with regular updates to support Discord API changes and new features.

Warnings

breaking Discord.py v2.0 and later require Python 3.8 or higher. Projects on older Python versions must upgrade to use the latest library features.
Fix: Upgrade your Python installation to version 3.8 or newer.
breaking Gateway Intents are now a mandatory keyword argument for `discord.Client` and `discord.ext.commands.Bot` instances. Failing to provide them will raise an error.
Fix: Pass an `intents` object (e.g., `discord.Intents.default()`) to the client/bot constructor.
breaking The `message_content` intent is now a privileged intent. To access `message.content`, `message.embeds`, or `message.attachments`, this intent must be enabled both in your bot's code (`intents.message_content = True`) and on the Discord Developer Portal.
Fix: Enable `message_content` intent in your code and on the Discord Developer Portal under your bot's 'Privileged Gateway Intents' settings.
breaking User account (self-bot) support has been completely removed in v2.0 due to violations of Discord's Terms of Service.
Fix: Migrate any self-bot functionality to official bot accounts using the standard API.
breaking The `Client.logout()` method has been removed. Use `Client.close()` instead to properly close the connection to Discord.
Fix: Replace `await client.logout()` with `await client.close()`.
gotcha Do not name your bot's Python file `discord.py` as this will cause import conflicts with the library itself.
Fix: Rename your bot's file to something like `my_bot.py` or `main.py`.
gotcha Your bot token is a sensitive secret. Never hardcode it directly in your code or share it publicly. Use environment variables (e.g., `os.environ.get('DISCORD_TOKEN')`) to store and retrieve it securely.
Fix: Store your bot token in an environment variable or a secure configuration file, and access it programmatically.

Install

pip install -U discord.py Stable Release
pip install -U "discord.py[voice]" With Voice Support

Imports

Client
```
import discord
client = discord.Client(intents=...)
```
As of v2.0, `intents` are a required keyword argument for `discord.Client` and its subclasses.

Bot

from discord.ext import commands
bot = commands.Bot(command_prefix='!', intents=...)

As of v2.0, `intents` are a required keyword argument for `commands.Bot`.

Intents
```
intents = discord.Intents.default()
intents.message_content = True
```
`message_content` is a privileged intent and must be explicitly enabled in both code and the Discord Developer Portal if your bot processes message content.

Quickstart

This quickstart demonstrates a minimal Discord bot that responds to a '$hello' message. It highlights the explicit requirement for `discord.Intents` and enabling the `message_content` privileged intent, which is crucial for bots interacting with message content in v2.0 and newer.

import os
import discord

intents = discord.Intents.default()
intents.message_content = True # Required for on_message to access message.content

client = discord.Client(intents=intents)

@client.event
async def on_ready():
    print(f'We have logged in as {client.user}')

@client.event
async def on_message(message):
    if message.author == client.user:
        return

    if message.content.startswith('$hello'):
        await message.channel.send('Hello!')

# Replace 'YOUR_BOT_TOKEN' with your actual bot token, ideally from environment variables.
# Ensure DISCORD_TOKEN is set in your environment for production.
client.run(os.environ.get('DISCORD_TOKEN', 'YOUR_BOT_TOKEN'))

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