Perplexity Discord Bot

A simple discord.py bot that integrates Perplexity’s Sonar API to bring AI answers to your Discord server.

A simple discord.py bot that integrates Perplexity’s Sonar API into your Discord server. Ask questions and get AI-powered answers with web access through slash commands or by mentioning the bot.

✨ Features

• 🌐 Web-Connected AI: Uses Perplexity’s Sonar API for up-to-date information
• ⚡ Slash Command: Simple /ask command for questions
• 💬 Mention Support: Ask questions by mentioning the bot
• 🔗 Source Citations: Automatically formats and links to sources
• 🔒 Secure Setup: Environment-based configuration for API keys

🛠️ Prerequisites

1. Python Environment

   Python 3.8+ installed on your system

   python --version  # Should be 3.8 or higher
   

2. Perplexity API Access

   Active Perplexity API Key from Perplexity AI Settings

   You’ll need a paid Perplexity account to access the API. See the pricing page for current rates.
3. Discord Bot Application

   Discord Bot Token from the Discord Developer Portal

🚀 Quick Start

1. Repository Setup

Clone the repository and navigate to the bot directory:

git clone https://github.com/perplexity-ai/api-cookbook.git
cd api-cookbook/docs/examples/discord-py-bot/

2. Install Dependencies

# Create a virtual environment (recommended)
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

# Install required packages
pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Configure API Keys

1. Get Your Perplexity API Key

   1. Visit Perplexity AI Account Settings
   2. Generate a new API key
   3. Copy the key to the .env file

   Keep your API key secure! Never commit it to version control or share it publicly.
2. Create Discord Bot Application

   1. Go to the Discord Developer Portal
   2. Click “New Application” and give it a descriptive name
   3. Navigate to the “Bot” section
   4. Click “Reset Token” (or “Add Bot” if first time)
   5. Copy the bot token
3. Configure Environment Variables

   Copy the example environment file and add your keys:

   cp env.example .env
   

   Edit .env with your credentials:

   .env

   DISCORD_TOKEN="your_discord_bot_token_here"
   PERPLEXITY_API_KEY="your_perplexity_api_key_here"
   

🎯 Usage Guide

Bot Invitation & Setup

1. Generate Invite URL

   In the Discord Developer Portal:

   1. Go to OAuth2 → URL Generator
   2. Select scopes: bot and applications.commands
   3. Select bot permissions: Send Messages, Use Slash Commands
   4. Copy the generated URL
2. Invite to Server

   1. Paste the URL in your browser
   2. Select the Discord server to add the bot to
   3. Confirm the permissions
3. Start the Bot

   python bot.py
   

   You should see output confirming the bot is online and commands are synced.

How to Use

Slash Command:

/ask [your question here]

Mention the Bot:

@YourBot [your question here]

📊 Response Format

The bot provides clean, readable responses with:

• AI Answer: Direct response from Perplexity’s Sonar API
• Source Citations: Clickable links to sources (when available)
• Automatic Truncation: Responses are trimmed to fit Discord’s limits

🔧 Technical Details

This bot uses:

• Model: Perplexity’s sonar-pro model
• Response Limit: 2000 tokens from API, truncated to fit Discord
• Temperature: 0.2 for consistent, factual responses
• No Permissions: Anyone in the server can use the bot