Discord Bot JavaScript Project Structure

JavaScript Discord bot using discord.js v14. File-based command handler, slash commands, and event modules.

#discord #javascript #bot #discord.js #nodejs #slash-commands

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Project Directory

discord-bot/

src/

Bot source code

index.js

Entry point, client setup

commands/

Slash commands

utility/

ping.js

help.js

moderation/

kick.js

ban.js

fun/

8ball.js

events/

Event handlers

ready.js

interactionCreate.js

guildMemberAdd.js

handlers/

Loaders

commands.js

Load all commands

events.js

Load all events

utils/

logger.js

embeds.js

scripts/

deploy-commands.js

config.json

Bot config (not secrets)

package.json

.env.example

.gitignore

README.md

Why This Structure?

This structure uses file-based command and event handlers. Commands are auto-loaded from folders, making it easy to add new features. The handlers/ folder contains the loader logic that reads command files and registers them with the client.

Key Directories

src/commands/-Slash commands grouped by category
src/events/-One file per Discord event
src/handlers/-Dynamic loaders for commands and events
scripts/deploy-commands.js-Register slash commands with Discord API

Getting Started

npm init -y && npm install discord.js dotenv
cp .env.example .env and add your bot token
node scripts/deploy-commands.js to register commands
node src/index.js

Command Structure

// src/commands/utility/ping.js
module.exports = {
  data: {
    name: "ping",
    description: "Check bot latency"
  },
  async execute(interaction) {
    const latency = interaction.client.ws.ping;
    await interaction.reply(`Pong! ${latency}ms`);
  }
};

Command Deployment

Slash commands must be registered with Discord before use. Run deploy-commands.js once after adding new commands. Use guild-specific deployment for testing (instant), global deployment for production (up to 1 hour to propagate).

When To Use This

Teams familiar with Node.js ecosystem
Bots needing npm package ecosystem
Projects already using JavaScript
Quick prototyping with hot reload (nodemon)

Trade-offs

No built-in cogs-Must implement your own handler pattern
Command registration-Extra step to deploy slash commands
Memory usage-Node.js uses more memory than Python for simple bots