Discord is a popular chat and voice platform where users can connect with groups of friends and communities centered around a wide variety of interests and hobbies. The vast majority of Discord servers are private and invitation-only spaces for friends and groups to keep in touch and spend time together online, but there are also open communities that anyone can join. The key to getting the most out of Discord is understanding the roles that define how members are displayed, what they can do, and what channels they can access.
The main way that people communicate on a Discord server is through text channels where they can send each other text-based messages with attachments like images and GIFs, or voice channels where they can talk to one another using a microphone. Server owners create these channels and can also modify them with a lot of different settings, such as the permissions that each role has. While there are some roles that come pre-loaded with default settings, most community managers will set their own roles based on their specific needs.
Typically, you’ll find these channels on the left side of your screen and they’re usually named based on the type of channel. For example, the ‘general text’ channel is used for communicating general information with everyone in the server, while the ‘voice’ channels allow you to talk with others on the server over audio. Some channels may have a host or mod that is responsible for maintaining order in the channel, and enforcing any server-wide guidelines that they have created.
When you click on a channel, you’ll see a list of current users and an icon that represents the type of content in that channel. You can create a new channel at any time by clicking on the + icon near the top of each list. A few things to note about Discord Channels are that text messages can include emoji and reactions, and that most channels will require you to respect each other’s privacy. This includes not spamming in public chats and avoiding inappropriate behavior that can lead to you being muted, kicked out, or banned from the server.
If you want to discover other Discord servers, you can click on the compass icon at the bottom of the app or use the discovery tool that’s built into Discord. It shows you servers that are featured, as well as a search tool that can be used for discovering other communities based on a particular topic, such as gaming or music.
You can even search for a Discord server that matches your personal preferences by typing in a keyword into the search box. There are also third-party tools that do a better job of categorizing and recommending up-and-coming servers in various categories, such as Disboard. If you find a server that you want to join, just click the “join this server” button to be automatically redirected to that server and sign in with your Discord account or accept an invitation if you’re already signed in.