How to use the Discord Channel Setup agent skill (configure)

What is an agent skill, and what does this one do?

An agent skill is a folder containing a SKILL.md file with instructions that an AI agent loads when a request matches the skill's description. This skill is the setup step for the Discord channel plugin.

Its job is narrow: save the Discord bot token to a local settings file, report whether the token is set, and review who can reach the bot. It also tells you when a restart is needed after saving a token.

• Saves the bot token to ~/.claude/channels/discord/.env, preserving other keys in that file.
• Sets restricted permissions on that file with chmod 600, because the token is a credential.
• Reads ~/.claude/channels/discord/access.json and summarises the DM policy, allowed senders and pending pairings.
• Recommends moving to an allowlist of fixed Discord user IDs and offers to make that change.
• Removes the token when you ask it to clear it.

Install the Discord Channel Setup skill

Download the ZIP for this skill from our page. Unzip it so the configure folder, containing SKILL.md, sits in one of these locations:

For a personal install available across projects, unzip into ~/.claude/skills/. For a single project, unzip into that project's .claude/skills/ folder.

If you use the Claude apps, you can instead upload the skill under Settings → Capabilities → Skills.

• Personal: ~/.claude/skills/configure/
• Project only: .claude/skills/configure/ inside your project folder
• Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills, then upload

Get a Discord bot token before you start

The skill cannot finish setup without a bot token. You get it from the Discord Developer Portal: open your application, go to Bot, and choose Reset Token. Discord shows the token only once, so copy it immediately.

The Discord channel server component is also required. The skill refers to it, but the skill itself only reads and writes local files.

Trigger the skill with natural requests

You do not need to remember a command. The skill loads when your request matches its description. Typical triggers are pasting a Discord bot token, asking to configure Discord, asking how to set this up, asking who can reach you, or asking to check channel status.

You can also invoke it directly as /discord:configure. Adding a token after the command saves it, and running the command with no arguments shows status and next steps.

• "Here is my Discord bot token, please save it."
• "How do I set this up?"
• "Who can reach my assistant through the bot?"
• "Check the status of the Discord channel."
• "Remove the Discord bot token."

What happens during setup, step by step

When you give the skill a token, it trims whitespace, creates the channel folder if needed, and writes the DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN line into the .env file without quotes. It then sets the file to owner-only permissions and shows the status view.

The status view covers three things: whether a token is set (only the first six characters are shown), the DM policy and what it means, and the allowed senders and pending pairings. It ends with a concrete next step.

Discord's server reads the .env file once at startup, so after saving a token you need a session restart or /reload-plugins. Changes to access.json take effect on the next inbound message without a restart.

Lock access down to an allowlist

The skill pushes toward one end state: a policy of allowlist with a defined list of Discord user IDs. Pairing is a temporary way to capture IDs you do not know yet. Once everyone who should reach the bot is in the list, the skill offers to switch the policy to allowlist.

To add someone whose ID you can get directly, enable Developer Mode in Discord under User Settings → Advanced, right-click the person, choose Copy User ID, and add it with the access command. Discord's own gating, such as a shared-server requirement and the Public Bot toggle, is not a substitute for locking the allowlist.

• Pairing: the bot replies with a code when someone DMs it; approve with /discord:access pair <code>.
• Direct add: /discord:access allow <id>.
• Lock: /discord:access policy allowlist.

Example sessions

A first-time setup usually goes like this: you paste the token, the skill saves it and reminds you to restart, then you DM the bot yourself so your own ID is captured. The skill then asks whether that is everyone, and if so, offers the lockdown.

If you are auditing an existing bot, ask who can reach it. The skill reads the access file and lists allowed senders and any pending pairings, then asks whether that list is correct.

Safety notes: scripts, network and the token

This skill runs no scripts and makes no network calls. It reads and writes local files, and its tool permissions are limited to Read, Write, and listing or creating directories with ls and mkdir.

The bot token is a credential that grants control of the bot. Do not paste it into a shared or untrusted chat. If it leaks, reset it in the Developer Portal and run the skill again with the new token. You can also run clear to remove it locally.

• Runs scripts: no
• Uses network: no
• Token file permissions: owner-only (chmod 600)