Discord server template

Community Discord server template

Most new communities fail from too many channels, not too few. This template is deliberately small: a welcome area that tells people what to do first, a few channels that give conversation somewhere to go, events to give people a reason to come back, and a two-level staff team. Add interest channels when a topic keeps coming up in #general, not before.

Build this server in Discord

Free. Adds channels and roles, deletes nothing.

Customise it first

Channels: 18
Roles: 7
Rules: 8

Who this template is for

Hobby, fan and interest groups
Local groups, clubs and meetups
New servers that do not fit another template yet

Servers built around a specific game, a creator or a product get more from the gaming, streamer or business templates, which include the channels those communities need.

Channels and categories

Every channel, its purpose and who can post. Read-only and private channels are set up with the right permission overwrites, so you do not have to configure them by hand.

Welcome

welcomeRead-only (Admin can post)
Start here: what this server is about and what to do first.
rulesRead-only (Admin can post)
Read these before posting.
announcementsRead-only (Admin, Moderator can post)
Server news. Pick the Announcements Ping role to be notified.
introductions300s slowmode
Say hi! Tell us your name, where you’re from and how you found us.

Chat

general
The main chat.
off-topic
Anything that doesn’t fit elsewhere.
media30s slowmode
Photos, videos and links worth sharing.

Interests

share-your-stuff21600s slowmode
Your projects, art, music or socials. One post per day.
recommendations60s slowmode
Books, shows, games, music: recommend something and say why.
suggestions600s slowmode
Ideas for the server. One suggestion per message.

Events

eventsRead-only (Admin, Moderator, Event Host can post)
Upcoming events, game nights and meetups.
event-chat
Talk about events, before and during.

Voice

Hangoutvoice
Chillvoice
Event Stagevoice

Staff

staff-chatPrivate: Admin, Moderator
Private staff discussion.
mod-logPrivate: Admin, Moderator
Moderation actions and AutoMod alerts.
Staff VoicevoicePrivate: Admin, Moderator

Why it is laid out this way

Welcome: A read-only #welcome channel at the very top answers "what is this place and what do I do?" in one message. It is the first thing new members see.
introductions: Introductions turn lurkers into members. A 5-minute slowmode keeps it to one introduction each and stops it becoming a second #general.
Chat: Only three chat channels. Splitting conversation across many channels makes a small server feel empty.
Events: Regular events are the most reliable way to keep a community active. Event Hosts can create Discord events and ping Event Ping without being moderators.
Staff: Two staff levels are enough for most communities. Add Helper when moderators cannot keep up.

Roles and permissions

Roles are listed from highest to lowest. Member and ping roles carry no extra permissions because @everyone already has Discord's defaults. Check any role in the permissions calculator.

Roles from highest to lowest, with what each can do
Role	What it can do
AdminShown separately	Runs the server. Full management without Administrator. Key permissions: Manage Server, Manage Roles, Manage Channels, Manage Webhooks, Manage Expressions, View Audit Log, Ban Members, Kick Members, Timeout Members, Manage Messages, Manage Threads and Posts, Manage Nicknames, Manage Events, Mention @everyone, @here and All Roles, Mute Members, Deafen Members, Move Members
ModeratorShown separately	Enforces the rules: timeouts, kicks, bans and message management. Key permissions: Kick Members, Ban Members, Timeout Members, Manage Messages, Manage Threads and Posts, Manage Nicknames, View Audit Log, Mute Members, Move Members
Event HostShown separately	Plans and runs events. Can create Discord events and mention everyone, nothing else. Key permissions: Manage Events, Mention @everyone, @here and All Roles
Active MemberShown separately	Recognition for regulars. Give it by hand or with a levelling bot.
Member	Everyone who has finished onboarding. Useful later if you want to lock channels to members.
Event Ping	Opt-in ping for events.
Announcements Ping	Opt-in ping for server news.

Server rules

Posted to #rules when you build with Discrofy, or copy them.

Be kind
Treat people the way you would in person. No harassment, bullying or personal attacks.
No hate speech
No slurs or attacks based on race, religion, gender, sexuality, disability or nationality. This is an instant ban.
Keep it safe for work
No NSFW, gore or disturbing content, including in names, avatars and statuses.
No spam or ads
No repeated messages, mass mentions or unsolicited links. Self-promotion only in #share-your-stuff.
Protect privacy
Do not share anyone’s personal information, screenshots of private DMs or photos without consent.
Stay on topic
Use the right channel. If a conversation is drifting, move it to #off-topic.
Listen to moderators
If a moderator asks you to stop, stop. Raise disagreements privately with a moderator.
Follow Discord’s rules
Follow the Discord Community Guidelines and Terms of Service.

Want a different tone or stricter rules? Use the Discord rules generator.

Welcome message and onboarding

**Welcome to the community, {user}!** 🎉

1. Read #rules.
2. Introduce yourself in #introductions.
3. Pick your notification roles in Channels & Roles.
4. Jump into #general and say hi.

Check #events for what’s coming up.

Write a short #welcome message: who the server is for, the three channels to start with and how to get roles.
Enable Onboarding with Event Ping and Announcements Ping as optional roles.
Plan your first event before inviting people so new members have something to join.
Personally welcome the first 50 members. Early members set the tone.

Moderation and AutoMod

Discord AutoMod rules to turn on

Turn on the commonly flagged words filter.
Block invite links outside #share-your-stuff.
Block mention spam at 5 unique mentions with a timeout.
Block common scam phrases such as "free nitro" and "steam gift".

How to moderate it

Warn first for small issues, and explain which rule was broken.
Record every action in #mod-log so moderators are consistent with each other.
Ask for feedback in #suggestions every few months and act on at least one idea.
Remove inactive channels instead of letting them collect dust.

Recommended server settings

Setting	Value	Why
Verification level	Low	Keeps joining easy. Raise it if you get raids.
Default notifications	Only @mentions	Stops members muting the whole server.
Explicit media filter	Filter for members without roles	Catches spam accounts without blocking regulars.
System messages	Send join messages to #general	Visible joins make it easy for members to welcome newcomers.

Suggested bots

Discrofy: Builds this layout and runs AutoMod, moderation and analytics from a dashboard.
Discord Onboarding (built in): Handles roles and the first channels new members see. No bot needed.
A levelling bot (optional): Gives Active Member automatically to people who chat regularly.

Build it in about a minute

Discrofy creates every category, channel, role and permission above in your server, then posts the rules. It only adds, so existing channels are kept, and you can undo the build from your dashboard. Your first build each month is free.

Build this server Describe your own with AI

Frequently asked questions

How many channels should a new community server have?+

Fewer than you think. Around 10 to 15 text channels is plenty for a new server. Add more when a topic keeps coming up in #general.

What is the difference between Member and Active Member?+

Member is everyone who finished onboarding. Active Member is a recognition role for regulars, given by hand or by a levelling bot. Neither has extra permissions.

Is Event Stage a stage channel?+

No, it is a normal voice channel so the template works without Community mode. Turn on Community later if you want a real stage channel.

Can I build this into a server that already has channels?+

Yes. Discrofy only adds channels and roles; it does not delete anything you already have.

Template