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Overview

The Inter-Server Chat feature allows you to create chat pools that relay messages between channels across different Discord servers. This is perfect for multi-server communities, partnered servers, or coordinated networks.

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How It Works

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Chat Pools

A chat pool is a named group of channels that relay messages to each other:
  1. Admin creates a pool with /interchat create
  2. Channels from different servers join the pool with /interchat join
  3. Messages sent in any pool channel are relayed to all other channels
  4. Messages are sent via webhooks to preserve sender identity

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Message Relaying

When a message is sent in a pool channel (interServerChat.ts:221):
  1. The bot detects it’s in a configured pool
  2. Extracts message content, attachments, and context (replies/forwards)
  3. Creates webhooks in target channels (or uses existing ones)
  4. Relays the message with the sender’s username and avatar
  5. Adds server name to distinguish origin: Username • ServerName
Messages are relayed using webhooks named “Aphonos Relay” to maintain sender identity and improve user experience.

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Pool Management

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Creating a Pool

Create a new chat pool: 
/interchat create name:global-chat
This creates a pool with a unique ID. You’ll receive the pool ID and name, which you can share with other server admins.

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Joining a Pool

Connect the current channel to an existing pool: 
/interchat join pool:global-chat
You can join by:
  • Pool name (e.g., global-chat)
  • Pool ID (UUID format)
The bot checks:
  • Pool exists
  • Channel isn’t already in another pool
  • Channel is a text channel

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Leaving a Pool

Disconnect the current channel from its pool: 
/interchat leave
This removes only the current channel. Other channels in the pool remain connected.

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Viewing Pools

List all available chat pools: 
/interchat list
Shows:
  • Pool name
  • Pool ID
  • Number of connected channels
  • Creation timestamp

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Pool Information

Get detailed information about a specific pool: 
/interchat info pool:global-chat
Displays:
  • Pool ID
  • Channel count
  • Creation date
  • List of connected channels with server names

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Renaming a Pool

Change a pool’s name: 
/interchat rename pool:old-name newname:new-name
Validates that the new name isn’t already in use.

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Deleting a Pool

Permanently delete a chat pool: 
/interchat delete pool:global-chat
Deleting a pool disconnects ALL channels. This action cannot be undone.

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Channel Status

Check if the current channel is connected to a pool: 
/interchat status
Shows:
  • Connected pool name
  • Number of other channels
  • List of connected channels

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Message Features

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Content Relaying

The system relays multiple message types:
  • Text messages: Full content preserved
  • Attachments: Images, videos, files (via URL)
  • Stickers: Shown as [Sticker: Name]
  • Embeds: Shown as [Embed] (preview not relayed)
  • Empty messages: Shown as [Empty message]

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Reply Context

When replying to a message (interServerChat.ts:258): 
> ↩️ **OriginalAuthor:** Original message preview
Your reply text
The bot:
  1. Fetches the referenced message
  2. Extracts the first 360 characters
  3. Removes nested reply/forward prefixes
  4. Adds reply context to the relayed message

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Forwarded Messages

Forwarded messages include context (interServerChat.ts:235): 
> 📨 **Forwarded message:** Preview of forwarded content
Optional additional comment
Handles:
  • Message snapshots from Discord’s forward feature
  • Attachments/embeds in forwarded messages
  • Truncates previews to 360 characters
Reply and forward context is preserved across servers, making conversations easier to follow.

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Webhook System

Aphonos uses webhooks for message relaying (interServerChat.ts:169):

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Webhook Creation

private static async getWebhook(channel: TextChannel): Promise<Webhook> {
  const webhooks = await channel.fetchWebhooks();
  let webhook = webhooks.find(
    wh => wh.name === "Aphonos Relay" && wh.owner?.id === client.user?.id
  );
  
  if (!webhook) {
    webhook = await channel.createWebhook({
      name: "Aphonos Relay",
      avatar: client.user?.displayAvatarURL()
    });
  }
  
  return webhook;
}

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Webhook Messages

Relayed messages use:
  • Username: DisplayName • ServerName
  • Avatar: Original sender’s Discord avatar
  • Content: Full message with context
  • Attachments: Original file URLs
  • Mentions: Disabled (allowedMentions: { parse: [] })
Mentions are disabled in relayed messages to prevent cross-server notification spam.

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Data Storage

Pools are stored in data/interserver_links.json: 
{
  "pools": [
    {
      "id": "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000",
      "name": "global-chat",
      "channels": [
        {
          "channelId": "123456789",
          "guildId": "987654321"
        }
      ],
      "createdAt": "2024-01-15T10:30:00.000Z"
    }
  ]
}

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Data Persistence

The InterServerChat class (interServerChat.ts:30):
  • Loads data on bot startup
  • Saves data after each modification
  • Creates the data directory if missing
  • Handles JSON parse errors gracefully

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Implementation Details

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Key Files

  • src/commands/interchat.ts - Command implementation (interchat.ts:1)
  • src/utils/interServerChat.ts - Core relay logic (interServerChat.ts:1)
  • Main bot file - Message event handling

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Initialization

The system initializes on bot startup: 
InterServerChat.initialize(client);
This loads pool configuration from disk.

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Message Handling

Messages are processed through: 
client.on('messageCreate', async (message: Message) => {
  await InterServerChat.handleMessage(message);
});
The handler:
  1. Ignores bot messages
  2. Checks if channel is in a pool
  3. Processes message content and context
  4. Relays to all other pool channels

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Permissions

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Bot Permissions

Required in all pool channels:
  • View Channel: To see messages
  • Send Messages: To relay messages
  • Manage Webhooks: To create/use relay webhooks
  • Read Message History: To fetch reply context
  • Attach Files: To relay attachments

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Command Permissions

The /interchat command requires Manage Channels permission.
Only users with Manage Channels can create, modify, or delete pools. Regular users can only view their channel’s status.

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Best Practices

  1. Clear pool names: Use descriptive names that indicate purpose
  2. Test in private channels: Verify relay works before going public
  3. Coordinate with partners: Share pool IDs securely with trusted server admins
  4. Monitor activity: Watch for spam or inappropriate use
  5. Set channel topics: Let users know the channel is connected to other servers
  6. Use dedicated channels: Avoid connecting important announcement or moderation channels

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Troubleshooting

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Messages not relaying

  • Check the bot has Manage Webhooks permission in all pool channels
  • Verify all channels are still in the pool with /interchat info
  • Ensure the bot is online in all connected servers
  • Check for webhook creation errors in bot logs

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”Failed to join pool”

  • The channel may already be in another pool (use /interchat leave first)
  • Verify you’re using the correct pool name or ID
  • Ensure the channel is a text channel

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Missing attachments or images

Attachments are relayed by URL. If images don’t load:
  • The original message may have been deleted
  • Discord CDN URLs may have expired
  • The target server may block external images

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Reply context not showing

The bot needs Read Message History permission to fetch replied-to messages.

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