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Define your Bot's features

Before you write code, take time to plan. This article covers key planning steps tailored for Root Bots. If you’ve built background or automation tools before, you may be able to skim through this.

By the end of this article, you’ll be able to:

  • Define the purpose of your Root Bot
  • Choose three core features for launch
  • Compare existing solutions and identify improvements
  • Outline how your Bot will run and respond

Step 1: Define the purpose​

Start with the core question: What problem does your Bot solve?

Root Bots run in the background and focus on moderation, automation, or other server-side tasks. Ask yourself:

  • What kind of community needs this Bot?
  • What specific pain point or repetitive task can it handle?
  • How will it make things easier for admins, moderators, or members?

If your idea doesn’t automate or simplify part of community management, it might not be the right fit for a Bot.

Step 2: Choose core features​

Once you know what problem you’re solving, define the Bot’s key behaviors. Focus on features that have clear value and minimal complexity.

Think about:

  • Triggers – What events should your Bot listen for?
  • Actions – What should it do in response?
  • Automation – Can it save people time or prevent errors?

Try to keep your first version small and focused. You can always add more later.

Step 3: Look at similar tools​

Check whether other tools or Bots solve the same problem. Ask:

  • What do they do well?
  • Where do they fall short?
  • How can your Bot be simpler, faster, or more tailored to Root?

This helps you refine your design and avoid duplicating something that already exists.

Step 4: Outline how your Bot runs​

Even without a UI, your Bot still needs a clear structure. Sketch out its lifecycle and behavior:

  • What events or schedules trigger the Bot?
  • What data does it need to work with?
  • What responses does it send back—if any?

This kind of flowchart or checklist will guide your code and help others understand what the Bot is doing.

Step 5: Prioritize features​

Take your full list of ideas and sort them into:

  • What’s essential for your minimum viable Bot (MVB)—the smallest version worth deploying
  • What can wait until after launch

Focus first on features that deliver immediate value and are easy to test.

Step 6: Talk to admins and moderators​

Before you build, share your idea with people who might use it. Ask:

  • Would this solve a real problem for you?
  • Is it clear how it would help?
  • What other tasks would you want it to handle?

Early feedback helps you focus on what matters and avoid wasted effort.

Example: RoleBot​

Imagine a Bot called RoleBot that assigns a role to new members once they post a certain number of messages.

For version 1, the Bot needs:

  • A setting for how many messages a member must post to get the role
  • A setting for which role to assign
  • Logic to track message counts and apply the role when the threshold is reached

Later, you could add support for multiple roles or time-based conditions.

Conclusion​

With a clear purpose and focused feature list, you’re ready to build a Root Bot that runs smoothly and solves a real need. You’ve thought through its role, planned its logic, and gathered early feedback.