How should an open source project structure its Discord?
Updated · SaaS support
Split the server into a user side (announcements, help forum, showcase) and a contributor side (contributing guide, good-first-issues, PR and CI feeds via GitHub webhooks, maintainers chat), and pin your code of conduct in #rules. Move decisions to GitHub issues or discussions so they stay public and linkable.
| Side | Channels | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Users | #announcements, #releases, #help (forum), #showcase | Everyone |
| Contributors | #contributing, #good-first-issues, #dev-chat | Everyone can read; Contributors post |
| Feeds | #github-feed (webhook + /github) | Read-only |
| Maintainers | #maintainers, #security (private) | Maintainer role |
Roles
- Maintainer
- Core contributor
- Contributor (merged a PR)
- Moderator
- Member
Security reports
Never ask for vulnerability reports in public channels. Point to your SECURITY.md and a private channel or email.
Quick answers
- How to structure an open source project Discord?
- Users side, contributors side, feeds and a private maintainers area, with decisions recorded on GitHub.
- How do I post GitHub events to Discord?
- Create a channel webhook and add it to the repo's webhooks with /github appended to the URL.
- Who gets the Contributor role?
- Anyone with a merged PR; assign manually or with a bot.
What to do next
Start from the SaaS Support Desk template and add the contributor side above. $49 one-time.
Related guides
Sources
Checked: . Discord changes features and menus often; if something looks different, the official help center is the source of truth. Discord Template Hub is not affiliated with Discord.