How to host a Discord bot 24/7

A Discord bot only works while something is running it. A bot plan runs it on a server that stays on, restarts it after a crash, and keeps its files between restarts. This guide takes you from a new plan to a running bot.

Before you start

You need your bot's code (a folder of files, or a git repository) and its token from the Discord Developer Portal. If you only want a ready-made bot, see How to set up a ready-made music bot.

Steps

1. Choose your language. A new bot server starts as a Node.js server. If your bot uses Python, Java or C# (.NET), open your server in the panel, stay on Overview, and click Edit Server Type. Pick Python Bot or Java Bot. Changing the type reinstalls the server, and by default it deletes the files on it, so do this before you upload anything.
2. Add your files. Open Files and upload your bot, or give a git address (see the language guides below). You can also connect over SFTP: How to connect to your server files with SFTP.
3. Open Settings, then Game Settings. Set the main file (the file that starts your bot, for example index.js or bot.py) and paste your token into the Discord bot token field.
4. Start the server from the Console page and read the console. It shows your bot's own messages, including login errors.

What happens next

• If the bot crashes, the server restarts it once automatically. If it crashes again within a minute it stays stopped so a bug cannot loop forever. See Why your Discord bot keeps stopping.
• Packages install every time the server starts, so a new dependency in package.json or requirements.txt is picked up on the next restart.

Language guides

• Host a Node.js Discord bot
• Host a Python Discord bot
• Host a Java Discord bot
• Host a C# (.NET) Discord bot

Next steps: read How to keep your Discord bot token safe before you share any of your files.