discord.js
Library for Discord bot development
The Lens
Discord.js is the most popular way to do it in JavaScript. It wraps Discord's API into a clean, event-driven library so you're writing bot logic instead of wrestling with WebSocket connections and rate limits.
Fully free. Apache 2.0 license, no paid tier, no hosted service. You write your bot, host it wherever you want, and connect it to Discord. The library handles caching, sharding (splitting your bot across processes for large servers), slash commands, buttons, modals, and all the Discord interaction types.
The catch: Discord's API changes frequently, and discord.js tracks it closely, which means major version upgrades can break your bot. The jump from v13 to v14 was painful for a lot of people. You also need somewhere to host the bot 24/7 (a $5/mo VPS works), and Discord's rate limits will bite you if you're not careful with how often your bot makes API calls. For Python devs, discord.py is the equivalent library.
Free vs Self-Hosted vs Paid
fully freeThe library is fully free under Apache 2.0. Your costs are hosting and Discord's own limits:
- **Hosting:** A basic VPS ($5-6/mo on Hetzner or DigitalOcean) runs most bots fine. For hobby projects, free tiers on Railway or Fly.io can work. - **Discord API:** Free, but rate-limited. Large bots (100+ servers) need sharding, which means more memory and potentially a bigger server. - **Verified bot status:** Required once your bot hits 100 servers. Free from Discord but requires an application.
The hidden cost is maintenance. Discord pushes API changes regularly, and staying on a supported discord.js version matters.
Library is free. Budget $5-6/mo for hosting if you need 24/7 uptime.
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