Still looking for developer communities on forums or social media? Set that aside for a while – there’s a new hot spot on the internet, and its name is Discord.
In case you’re unfamiliar with it, Discord was originally created for gamers. Back in 2015, it was a challenge to communicate with fellow players. Now, it hosts communities for people of all kinds, from designers to crypto-enthusiasts and – you guessed it – developers.
And what are Discord servers, exactly? Think of them as communities – or sets of channels and chatrooms if that makes things clearer. They can be either private or public.
Whether you take your first steps in the world of coding or you already work on your 10th custom software solution, you’re welcome in any programming Discord server. Wondering which communities are worth your while? Keep reading to see the top 10 to kick off your search.
Wait. Why Discord, Exactly?
How come more and more developer communities have moved to Discord? Well, it beats most other chatroom apps in terms of:
- Scale. Discord allows servers to have up to 500,000 – half a million! – members, as well as up to 500 channels;
- Customizability. You’re in charge of how you want your server to function – you can add moderation, user roles, and permissions, sort channels into categories, add bots, and so much more;
- Quality. Even though it’s free to use, you won’t run into necessary-but-locked-behind-a-paywall features or issues with video or voice calls;
- Security. Discord is among the safest apps to use for chatting, thanks to end-to-end encryption enabled by default, two-factor authentication, and single sign-on;
- Platforms. As a cherry on the top, you can use Discord on all most popular platforms: iOS and Android; Windows, Linux, and macOS; web; iPadOS.
Now, Onto the Top 10 Discord Programming Servers!
Behold – these are the top 10 communities revolving around programming Discord has to offer.
1. The Coding Den
Size: 80,000+ members
This coding Discord server was created with one simple aim in mind: to bring together developers with all kinds of experience (or no experience at all) to power knowledge sharing.
There are several dozens of channels dedicated to a variety of languages and frameworks, from .NET and Kotlin to PHP and Go. You can post your question there – or go to #tech-talk for general discussions.
What’s more, there is a #showcase channel. This is where you can post your projects to show off your skills (they have to be approved by senior community members first, though).
2. CodeSupport
Size: 15,000+ members
This is another community that allows developers of any level to exchange experience and ask for guidance. Although it’s smaller than The Coding Den, it’s not the size that matters – you’ll still find plenty of people ready to help you out here.
Besides its main purpose, CodeSupport also has the #hiring-or-looking channel. As you can guess from its name, this is where you can find gigs or job postings. Plus, CodeSupport is a great place to find developers for future collaboration.
3. The Programmer’s Hangout
Size: 101,000+ members
Two or three paragraphs wouldn’t be enough to describe everything you should expect from The Programmer’s Hangout. In a nutshell, it’s akin to a huge forum for programmers, with channels for:
- Various languages, technologies, platforms, and computer science topics;
- Career advice and project listings;
- Off-topic chatting about anime, music, books, and DIY;
- The Programmer’s Hangout’s own podcast;
- Finding a tutor;
- Discussing current events (like Paralympics) and the latest tech news.
4. TryHackMe
Size: 95,000+
First things first: TryHackMe is a community-driven website dedicated to hacking challenges and learning paths for information security beginners and experts alike. For example, you can play King of the Hill, a competitive hacking game, for free.
This server is where the TryHackMe community comes together. You can chat with fellow learners or scroll through the job board. But that’s not all – there’s also #tech-support, #resources, and even a #bookclub channel!
5. Programming Discussions
Size: 34,000+ members
It’s all in the name – this is a Discord programming server for developers of all walks of life to discuss their work and anything beyond that.
There are 10 language-specific channels and even more of them dedicated to specific topics of interest. Apart from help in learning programming available in the #beginners channel, you can also get to know other members in the #off-topic chat and get some career advice.
6. Codecademy Community
Size: 33,000+ members
All in all, this is a perfect place for beginning coders to get help and chat about their learning progress.
Most channels here are dedicated to the Codecademy materials. Of course, you don’t have to be a Codecademy learner to post your question. But if you haven’t visited their website yet, go ahead – you’ll find tons of resources for learning programming for free there.
7. Game Dev League
Size: 50,000+ members
This is a community created by game developers for game developers. It doesn’t matter if you’re an aspiring game dev or you have worked on multiple AAA projects – you’ll find something interesting for yourself here.
You can just chat about game development in general or go into one of the channels dedicated to Unity, Unreal Engine, Gamemaker Studio, open-source tools, and more. You can also show off your work and browse game development jobs.
8. Game Dev Network
Size: 32,000+ members
Another game development community on the list, this coding Discord server is the place where AAA veterans and novices come together thanks to their common passion.
Here, you can get feedback on your designs and code, get some career advice, and stay up-to-date on the news about the Game Dev Network events.
9. Python
Size: 248,000+ members
Whether you’ve mastered Python or have just started learning it, this is the community for you. Plus, it’s also one of the largest servers on Discord!
If you need help with your current Python project – or some guidance to wrap your head around a specific thing – there are multiple help channels available. Plus, there are #career-discussion and #advanced-discussion channels, as well as off-topic chatrooms.
10. C#
Size: 25,000+ members
Last but not least, this is an unofficial server for all things related to the .NET framework and C# itself. Although it’s not affiliated with Microsoft in any way, you can still come across verified Microsoft employees here.
As per usual, there are help chatrooms broken down into three channels. There are also chats for advanced discussions, code review, and career-related conversations.
In Conclusion: Why Join a Coding Discord Server?
Of course, there are many more programming Discord servers where you could feel at home, but these 10 ones above are the cream of the crop.
Still hesitate whether or not to join one? Here are 3 reasons why it’ll be worth your while:
You’ll have someone to ask for help. Are you a novice in software development? If so, these communities are the best place to ask pros for guidance. But even if you’re a middle developer, programming Discord servers can be as handy as Stack Overflow.
You’ll share your experience. If you’re closer to the “pro” end of the spectrum, you can be the person to help beginners. And that is rewarding in and of itself!
Finally, you’ll have fun. These communities aren’t all business, no fun. You can chat about current events, share memes, and just get to know people from all walks of life.