Newt

Appearance

Bot Configuration ​

Every Newt bot starts with configuration settings that tell Discord how your bot should behave. Think of this as setting up your bot's identity and permissions.

What is Bot Configuration? ​

Bot configuration is like filling out a profile for your bot. It tells Discord:

  • What your bot is called
  • How users will interact with it
  • How to securely connect to Discord

Where does it go? At the very top of your .newt file, before any event handlers.

bot name ​

What it does: Sets your bot's display name. This is the name that appears in messages and helps users identify your bot.

Why it matters: A clear name helps users know what your bot does and makes it easier to find.

javascript
bot name "MyAwesomeBot"

Tips for choosing a name:

  • Keep it short and memorable
  • Make it relevant to what your bot does
  • Avoid special characters or emojis
  • Example: "MusicBot", "HelperBot", "GameTracker"

What happens if you don't set it? Your bot will use "NewtBot" as a default name.

bot prefix ​

What it does: Sets the command prefix for your bot. Users type this before commands to tell your bot they're giving it an instruction.

Why it matters: The prefix tells Discord "this message is for the bot, not just regular chat."

javascript
bot prefix "!"

How it works:

  • If your prefix is !, users type !hello to trigger your hello command
  • If your prefix is ., users type .hello instead
  • The prefix is like calling someone's name before talking to them

Common prefixes and when to use them:

  • ! - Standard - Most bots use this, users expect it
  • / - Slash-like - Mimics Discord's slash commands
  • . - Minimal - Subtle, less intrusive
  • > - Distinct - Clearly stands out from regular chat

Choosing the right prefix:

  • Pick something that won't conflict with normal conversation
  • Avoid common words people might type
  • Make it easy to type on any keyboard
  • Consider what other bots in your server use

Example:

javascript
bot prefix "!"

on command "hello":
    reply "Hi there!"

# User types: !hello
# Bot responds: Hi there!

bot token ​

What it does: Sets your Discord bot token, which is like a password that lets your bot log into Discord.

Why it matters: Without a token, your bot can't connect to Discord. The token proves to Discord that your bot is authorized to run.

Important: Always use environment variables for security. Never put your token directly in your code.

javascript
bot token from env "DISCORD_TOKEN"

What is a Bot Token? ​

A bot token is a special string of characters that Discord generates when you create a bot. Think of it like:

  • A password for your bot
  • An API key that lets your bot access Discord
  • A security credential that proves your bot is legitimate

What the code does:

  • bot token - Tells Newt we're setting the token
  • from env - Means "read this from an environment variable"
  • "DISCORD_TOKEN" - The name of the environment variable to read

Setting Up Your Token ​

Step 1: Get your token from Discord

  1. Go to the Discord Developer Portal
  2. Click "New Application" and give it a name
  3. Go to the "Bot" tab and click "Add Bot"
  4. Click "Copy Token" (the button with the copy icon)

Step 2: Store it in a .env file Create a file named .env in your bot folder and add:

DISCORD_TOKEN=your-actual-token-here

Replace your-actual-token-here with the token you copied.

Why use a .env file?

  • Keeps your token separate from your code
  • Makes it easy to change tokens without editing code
  • Prevents accidentally sharing your token in git repositories
  • Standard practice for secure configuration

Security Best Practices ​

Never do this:

javascript
# BAD - Don't put your token directly in code!
bot token "MTUxMDM4OTc5NzYwMzI1MDIxNg.GaEFc_.abc123"

Always do this:

javascript
# GOOD - Read from environment variable
bot token from env "DISCORD_TOKEN"

Why this matters:

  • If you share your code, you don't want to share your token
  • If your code is on GitHub, anyone could see your token
  • A leaked token lets anyone control your bot
  • You can easily rotate (change) a token without editing code

Other security tips:

  • Never commit .env files to git - Add .env to your .gitignore
  • Never share your token publicly - Not in screenshots, not in chat
  • Rotate your token if exposed - If you accidentally share it, generate a new one
  • Use different tokens for dev and production - Keeps your environments separate

Putting It All Together ​

Here's a complete example of bot configuration:

javascript
bot name "HelperBot"
bot prefix "!"
bot token from env "DISCORD_TOKEN"

on command "help":
    reply "Available commands: !hello, !info"

on command "hello":
    reply "Hello, {user.username}!"

What this does:

  1. Names the bot "HelperBot"
  2. Sets the command prefix to !
  3. Reads the token from the DISCORD_TOKEN environment variable
  4. Defines two commands: !help and !hello

How users interact with it:

  • User types: !hello
  • Bot responds: "Hello, [username]!"
  • User types: !help
  • Bot responds: "Available commands: !hello, !info"

Common Questions ​

Can I change the prefix later? ​

Yes! Just change the bot prefix line and rebuild your bot. Users will need to use the new prefix after you restart the bot.

What if I forget my token? ​

Go back to the Discord Developer Portal and click "Reset Token" to generate a new one. Update your .env file with the new token.

Can I have multiple bots with the same name? ​

Technically yes, but it's confusing. Give each bot a unique name so you can tell them apart.

Do I need to set all three configurations? ​

You need bot token for your bot to work. bot name and bot prefix have defaults if you don't set them, but it's better to set them explicitly.

Next Steps ​

Now that your bot is configured, learn about: