Introduction

NexusHost provides free 24/7 Discord bot hosting with GitHub integration. Deploy your bot in seconds with support for Python, Node.js, Java, and more.

Getting Started

Get your Discord bot online in under 5 minutes. Follow these simple steps.

1. Create an Account

Sign up for free at NexusHost. Every account includes one free server with 0.5GB RAM.

2. Create a Server

From your dashboard, click "Create Server" and choose your programming language:

• Python (discord.py, Pycord, hikari)
• Node.js (discord.js, Eris)
• Java (JDA)
• Go (discordgo)

3. Connect GitHub

Link your GitHub repository containing your bot code. We'll automatically detect your language and dependencies.

4. Add Environment Variables

Add your Discord bot token and any other secrets in the Settings tab:

DISCORD_TOKEN=your_bot_token_here
PREFIX=!
DATABASE_URL=optional_database_url

5. Start Your Bot

Click the Start button in the Console tab. Your bot will install dependencies and come online!

Project Structure

Your bot project should follow these conventions for automatic detection.

Python (discord.py)

my-bot/
├── main.py          # Entry point (or bot.py)
├── requirements.txt # Dependencies
├── cogs/            # Optional: command modules
│   └── music.py
└── .env             # Local development only

Node.js (discord.js)

my-bot/
├── index.js         # Entry point
├── package.json     # Dependencies
├── commands/        # Optional: slash commands
│   └── ping.js
└── events/          # Optional: event handlers
    └── ready.js

GitHub Integration

Connect your GitHub repository for automatic deployments on every push.

Connecting Your Repository

1. Go to Settings > GitHub in your server management panel
2. Click "Connect GitHub Account"
3. Authorize NexusHost to access your repositories
4. Select the repository containing your bot
5. Choose the branch to deploy (default: main)

Auto-Deploy

Once connected, every push to your selected branch triggers an automatic redeploy:

git add .
git commit -m "Update commands"
git push origin main
# Bot automatically restarts with new code!

Environment Variables

Store sensitive data like bot tokens securely using environment variables.

Adding Variables

Add environment variables in Settings > Environment Variables:

# Required
DISCORD_TOKEN=MTIzNDU2Nzg5...

# Optional examples
PREFIX=!
MONGODB_URI=mongodb+srv://...
OPENAI_API_KEY=sk-...

Accessing in Code

# Python
import os
token = os.environ.get('DISCORD_TOKEN')

# or using python-dotenv for local dev
from dotenv import load_dotenv
load_dotenv()
token = os.getenv('DISCORD_TOKEN')

// Node.js
const token = process.env.DISCORD_TOKEN;

// or using dotenv for local dev
require('dotenv').config();
const token = process.env.DISCORD_TOKEN;

Console Commands

Use the console to interact with your server and debug issues.

Server Controls

• Start - Install dependencies and start your bot
• Restart - Restart without reinstalling dependencies
• Stop - Gracefully stop your bot
• Kill - Force stop (use if bot is unresponsive)

Console Input

Type commands directly in the console input to run them on your server:

# Check Python version
python --version

# List files
ls -la

# Check installed packages
pip list   # Python
npm list   # Node.js

File Manager

Browse, edit, and manage your bot files directly from the dashboard.

Features

• Create File/Folder - Add new files and directories
• Upload Files - Upload files up to 50MB
• Edit Files - Built-in code editor with syntax highlighting
• Download - Download individual files or folders
• Delete - Remove files and directories

File Path

Your bot files are located at /home/container/

Startup Configuration

Configure how your bot starts and which file to run.

Entry Point

Specify the main file that starts your bot:

# Python
python main.py
python bot.py
python -m mybot

# Node.js
node index.js
node src/bot.js
npm start

Additional Packages

Add extra packages that aren't in your requirements.txt or package.json:

# Python packages (space-separated)
discord.py pynacl python-dotenv

# Node.js packages (space-separated)
discord.js @discordjs/voice dotenv

Logs

View real-time logs and debug your bot issues.

Log Features

• Real-time streaming - See logs as they happen
• Timestamps - Every log entry includes time
• Copy/Download - Export logs for debugging
• Clear - Clear the log display

Debug Logging

Add logging to your bot for easier debugging:

# Python
import logging
logging.basicConfig(level=logging.INFO)

@bot.event
async def on_ready():
    logging.info(f'Bot is ready: {bot.user}')

// Node.js
client.on('ready', () => {
  console.log(`Bot is ready: ${client.user.tag}`);
});

Troubleshooting

Common issues and how to fix them.

Bot Won't Start

• Check that DISCORD_TOKEN is set in environment variables
• Verify your token is valid in the Discord Developer Portal
• Check logs for error messages
• Ensure your entry point file exists

Dependencies Not Installing

• Verify requirements.txt or package.json exists
• Check for typos in package names
• Try adding packages manually in Startup settings

Bot Goes Offline

• Check for unhandled exceptions in your code
• Add error handling for Discord events
• Review memory usage - you may need to upgrade

Resource Limits

Each tier has different resource allocations.