Link Discord servers: a cross-server chat and a synced staff server

What Discord already does on its own

On a Community server, an announcement channel can be followed from another server: each announcement gets copied there. It’s the only native bridge, and it only goes one way

• No two-way chat between two servers
• No shared roles: a mod promoted on your server isn’t promoted anywhere else
• No shared sanctions and no shared log

Linking channels across two servers

The Channel links module creates a bridge: a message posted in one channel shows up in the others. One server needs Kotbo activated, the others need no key

1. 1

   Invite Kotbo to the other server

   Without an activation code, that server runs in link-only mode: the bot only copies the linked channel and stores no activity data there

2. 2

   Create a code on your server

   Run /link invite on the channel to link. The code lasts 30 minutes, for 1 server by default and up to 25

3. 3

   Accept on the other server

   An admin there runs /link accept with the code and their channel. The bridge is up

4. 4

   Check it

   /link list shows bridges and any permissions the bot is missing, /link status tells a guest server what the bot does there

Choosing what the bridge carries

Everything is set with /link config or from the dashboard’s Channel links page

• As the author or as an embed

  In webhook mode, the message keeps its author’s name and avatar. In embed mode, it arrives as a signed rich message

• Direction

  Each channel sends and receives, only sends, or only receives. Useful for one announcement channel shared across several servers

• Content

  By default, text, images, edits, deletions and pins go through. Reactions, embeds, threads and polls can be turned on

• Mass mentions

  An @everyone or @here crossing the bridge arrives defused: people can read it, but nobody on the other side gets notified

Setting up a Discord staff server

A separate staff server keeps team talk out of the main server. The catch is keeping roles right on both sides. /staffserver setup links the two servers, with the bot present on each, and picks which side is the source

• Main to staff

  The hierarchy is managed on your server, and the staff server gets a simple staff role

• Staff to main

  The hierarchy is managed on the staff server, and your server gets the simple role

• Both ways

  The hierarchy is synced on both servers

• Roles matched or created

  When linking, Kotbo looks on the other server for a role with the same name as each rank, creates it if missing, then syncs everyone

The /link and /staffserver commands

Both commands are for admins. Their subcommands are the same whatever language your Discord is in

/link invite salon:<channel>

Creates a bridge code. Options: participation, utilisations, mode, and invitation-serveur to attach an invite to your server

/link accept code:<code> salon:<channel>

Joins a bridge from the other server, with or without an activation key

/link direct

Opens a bridge without a code to a channel on another server where the bot already is, using the server and channel IDs

/link config id:<bridge>

Chooses what the bridge relays, renames it or pauses it

/staffserver setup serveur-staff:<id> mode:<mode>

Links a staff server. Options: hierarchie, role-staff-simple, log-principal and log-staff

/staffserver sync link-id:<link>

Forces a full role sync, after a big change in the hierarchy

What the staff server adds

Once linked, the staff server needs no key of its own: it follows the main server’s activation. The dashboard’s Staff server page wires notifications into it

• A DM invite sent to a member who gets their first staff role, valid 7 days for one use
• An alert when a member loses all their staff roles, with a button to kick them from the staff server. Kotbo never kicks on its own
• The modlog mirror, sanction reports and recruitment alerts, posted in the channels you choose
• Recruitment interviews opened on the staff server instead of the main one