(Originally Posted on September 5th 2023)
Discord started out as a voice chat for gamers but has evolved into a hub for any project to have a channel where they can actively share information at any time with everyone. It can be slightly confusing to understand and navigate if there is no prior experience with instant messenger hubs or Voice over IP (VoIP) services but Discord is (currently) the application where developers and creators can share recent news about projects and a community of interested members can chat with each other and discuss everything revolving around the project.
Almost every project website has a link to its discord channel alongside their social media connections. Once an account is created and the application installed all it takes is clicking the discord logo on the site to join the projects channel.
Discord allows an opportunity for the community and developers to chat and learn recent updates about the project along with feedback from the community at every step of development. Discord should also be considered another tool as its development grows to become more than its original design with in-app downloads that increase the things a server can do for its members.
Because Discord is a free application, there are many unscrupulous folk and straight-up scammers who will direct message(DM) users for personal info and post links that give them access to personal info on computers(Phishing). Many channels feature a verification process for active user participation and to filter bots from spamming the users and channels. Even though there are safety and security measures in place, always be aware of what is posted on the chat, and do not click anything from an untrusted, unverified source or account!
Helpful Links:
https://support.discord.com/hc/en-us/articles/360045138571-Beginner-s-Guide-to-Discord – Straight from Discord. This guide explains every bit of the application.
https://discord.com/blog/how-to-use-discord-apps – Information regarding applications inside Discord. Link to App Directory inside.