I’m working on a Discord bot using Python and want to set up a help command that neatly displays all the available commands. I’ve noticed that many bots organize their commands nicely or use embedded messages when users input something like !help.
But I’m unsure how to implement this feature correctly. Would it be better to create a separate function to gather all commands automatically, or do I have to keep a list manually? I aim for the help section to appear professional and be easy for users to read.
What is the best method for establishing a documentation system for commands in a Discord bot? I’m utilizing the discord.py library, so any specific advice in that context would be appreciated.
discord.py makes this way easier than tracking commands manually. Just use bot.get_command() and bot.commands to grab all your registered commands with their descriptions and parameters. Your help menu will auto-sync with your actual commands - no manual updates needed.
For display, Discord embeds work great for help menus. Got lots of commands? Use paginated embeds and group them by category with cogs. Best part is when you add or change commands, the help system updates itself since it pulls straight from the bot’s command registry instead of hardcoded lists.
definitely use a dict! it makes it easier to add/remove commands without messin up ur code. plus, u can format it however u want. makes ur bot look pro too!
Had the exact same problem with my first bot. After trying a bunch of stuff, I ended up making a custom help command class that extends discord.py’s default HelpCommand. You get complete control over how it looks but still use the framework’s command discovery. I overrode the send_bot_help method to make clean embedded messages with command categories. The cool thing is you can grab command descriptions straight from each command object’s help attribute - so your docs stay right next to your actual commands. Write your help text once in the command decorator and the help system grabs it automatically. Definitely group commands by cogs. Makes everything way more readable. Users can do !help moderation or !help fun to see specific stuff instead of getting hit with a wall of every command at once.
