What Is a Discord Community Server
Turning on Community adds features; it does not make your server visible to strangers by default.
Is this your situation?
You are deciding whether to turn on Community and wondering if that makes your server public. You want to know what changes and what stays the same before you opt in.
What it is
A Friend Server is an invite-only space designed to discuss, connect, and share with your friends or smaller groups. A Community Server is an invite-only space designed for people to share, connect, and learn from others who share common interests. A Friend Server can opt in to become a Community Server at any time in server settings. Becoming a Community Server does not mean that anyone can find or join your server. Prospective members still have to be sent an invite link to join.
How Discord handles this
- Moderators in Community Servers get access to tools like Server Insights, Raid Protection, Rules and Onboarding.
- Invite links for Community Servers never expire.
- Eligible servers can choose to become discoverable via Server Discovery if they meet certain criteria.
- Discord displays a distinct server badge for a Community Server, a Discoverable Community, Partnered Server, or Verified Server.
- Hovering over the badge shows the server type, whether anyone can join, and the Boost level.
Side by side
| Server type | What it is | Who can join |
|---|---|---|
| Friend Server | An invite-only space designed to discuss, connect, and share with friends or smaller groups. | Prospective members have to be sent an invite link. |
| Community Server | An invite-only space designed for people to share, connect, and learn from others with common interests. | Becoming a Community Server does not mean that anyone can find or join your server. |
| Discoverable Community | An eligible server can choose to become discoverable via Server Discovery if it meets certain criteria. | Not stated by Discord |
| Partnered or Verified Server | Discord displays a distinct badge for a Partnered Server or Verified Server. | Not stated by Discord |
Common mistakes
- Assuming Community makes the server searchable Becoming a Community Server does not mean anyone can find or join your server.Why it happens: Joining still requires an invite link, sent directly to prospective members.Already happened: Check who can access your server, see owner vs admin.
- Expecting Community features without opting in Moderators get tools like Server Insights, Raid Protection, Rules and Onboarding in Community Servers.Why it happens: You expect these tools before switching your server to Community.
- Missing the never-expiring invite link Invite links for Community Servers never expire.Why it happens: You expect the link to expire, as links sometimes do elsewhere.
Quick reference
| Item | Fact |
|---|---|
| Friend Server | An invite-only space designed to discuss, connect, and share with friends or smaller groups. |
| Community Server | An invite-only space designed for people to share, connect, and learn from others with common interests. |
| Opting in | A Friend Server may opt in to become a Community Server at any time in server settings. |
| Visibility after opting in | Becoming a Community Server does not mean anyone can find or join your server. |
| Joining a server | Prospective members have to be sent an invite link to join a server. |
| Invite links | Invite links for Community Servers never expire. |
| Discovery eligibility | Eligible servers can choose to become discoverable via Server Discovery if they meet certain criteria. |
Frequently asked questions
Does enabling Community make my server public?
Becoming a Community Server does not mean that anyone can find or join your server.
How do people join a Community Server?
Prospective members have to be sent an invite link to join a server.
What extra tools do moderators get?
Moderators in Community Servers have access to tools like Server Insights, Raid Protection, Rules and Onboarding.
Can a Community Server become findable by anyone?
Eligible servers can choose to become discoverable via Server Discovery if they meet certain criteria.
Keeping track of who has access
Confusion about who can see or join a server builds as more roles and settings change over time. Delvia helps you keep a clear record of each server's settings and who holds access to it.
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