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Build a Discord AI Agent with nanoinfra

This guide connects nanoinfra to Discord so a Discord user or server channel can talk to your self-hosted AI agent through the nanoinfra gateway.

What this guide builds​

  • a Discord bot application
  • Message Content intent enabled
  • the discord channel enabled in nanoinfra
  • one direct message or mention test

Prerequisites​

  • A working local nanoinfra reply:
nanoinfra agent -m "Hello!"
  • Access to the Discord Developer Portal.
  • A Discord server where you can invite a bot.

Install nanoinfra​

Quick Start ranks four install methods easiest first. This is the first of them. Use pip, Docker or a source checkout instead if you prefer, and come back here.

uv tool install nanoinfra
nanoinfra onboard --wizard

Enable the Discord channel​

Install the optional channel dependency:

nanoinfra plugins enable discord

Create a Discord application, add a bot, copy the token, and enable MESSAGE CONTENT INTENT in the bot settings.

Merge this snippet into ~/.nanoinfra/config.json:

{
  "channels": {
    "discord": {
      "enabled": true,
      "token": "YOUR_BOT_TOKEN",
      "allowChannels": [],
      "groupPolicy": "mention",
      "streaming": true
    }
  }
}

Omitting allowFrom enables pairing-only mode. A new user should DM the bot first, get a pairing code, and be approved before using the bot in servers.

Invite the bot with permissions to read history and send messages.

Run nanoinfra gateway​

nanoinfra channels status
nanoinfra gateway

Test a message​

Send the bot a DM first. It should return a pairing code. Approve that code from a trusted local surface, and not the example below:

nanoinfra agent -m "/pairing approve <the code the bot sent you>"

If you missed the code, list the pending requests:

nanoinfra agent -m "/pairing"

After approval, mention it in an allowed server channel:

@your-bot Hello from Discord

Security notes​

  • Keep groupPolicy as mention for first deployment.
  • Use allowChannels for server channels where the bot should operate.
  • Prefer pairing-only mode for user access. Add allowFrom only when you want a static allowlist.
  • Avoid open group behavior in busy channels until session routing is clear.
  • Review tool access before inviting the bot into shared servers.

Troubleshooting​

  • If no messages arrive, confirm Message Content intent is enabled.
  • If a DM returns a pairing code, approve it before testing normal replies.
  • If server messages are ignored, check pairing approval, allowChannels, and whether the bot was mentioned.
  • If the bot cannot reply, confirm the invite permissions and channel overrides.

Next: memory, automations, MCP tools​