Deploy a Python Bot

This guide walks you through deploying a Python Discord bot on Daki Hosting — from creating your server to reading your bot token securely and going live.

What you'll learn

• How to create a Python server for your bot
• How to upload your code
• How to configure the install command, startup command, and Python version
• How to set your bot token securely using a .env file
• How to start your bot and verify it works

Prerequisites

• A Daki account (Free Tier or paid) — see Create an Account
• A Discord bot with a bot token, created in the Discord Developer Portal
• Your bot's source code, including a requirements.txt listing all dependencies (e.g., discord.py or py-cord, and python-dotenv)

Deployment

1. 1

   Create a Python server

   1. Log in to the Free Tier Dashboard at dash.daki.cc or the Billing Panel at billing.daki.cc.
   2. Create a new server and select the Python egg.
   3. Give your server a name (e.g., MyPythonBot).

   See Create Your First Server for the full walkthrough.

2. 2

   Access the Portal

   Log in to the Portal via SSO or directly at portal.daki.cc. See Portal Overview.

3. 3

   Upload your bot's code

   Option A — Upload as a ZIP (simplest):

   1. Compress your project folder into a .zip file.
   2. In the Portal, go to the Files tab and click Upload.
   3. Right-click the .zip and click Extract.

   Option B — Use SFTP (no size limits): Use your SFTP credentials from the Settings tab to upload the folder directly. See File Manager.

   Include a requirements.txt in your project root. This is used by the install command to install your dependencies.

4. 4

   Configure the Startup tab

   Open the Startup tab and configure all three fields:

   1. Docker Image — Select the Python version your bot requires (e.g., Python 3.12). Choose the latest available version if unsure.

   2. Install Command — Set this to install your dependencies automatically:

   ShellCopy

   pip install -r requirements.txt

   3. Startup Command — Set this to the command that runs your bot:

   • python main.py — if your entry file is main.py
   • python bot.py — if your entry file is bot.py
   • python -m mypackage — if your project is structured as a package

   You are free to adjust these commands to match your project's structure and requirements.

   See Startup Settings for a full explanation.

5. 5

   Add your bot token via a .env file

   Store your Discord bot token in a .env file on the server so it never appears in your source code.

   1. In the Files tab, click New File and name it .env.
   2. Add your token:
      .envCopy

      BOT_TOKEN=your_discord_bot_token_here

   3. Click Save.

   Make sure python-dotenv is in your requirements.txt, then load the file in your code:

   PythonCopy

   from dotenv import load_dotenv
   import os
   import discord
   
   load_dotenv()
   TOKEN = os.environ.get("BOT_TOKEN")
   
   intents = discord.Intents.default()
   client = discord.Client(intents=intents)
   
   @client.event
   async def on_ready():
       print(f"Logged in as {client.user}")
   
   client.run(TOKEN)

   See Environment Variables for more details on using .env files.

6. 6

   Start your bot

   Click Start in the Console tab. A successful launch will print:

   TextCopy

   Logged in as MyBot#1234

   If you see errors, check the Troubleshooting guide.

Common Issues

Next Steps

• Environment Variables — Full guide on .env files and reading variables in code.
• Keep Your Free Server Active — Watch ads regularly to keep your Free Tier server running.
• File Manager — Update your code after making changes.