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Asterel

Run Discord

Discord text is the current product-proof surface. Other adapters may compile and load, but Discord is where Asterel first tries to prove the full companion loop: pickup policy, memory-backed continuity, public/private distance, response finalization, and post-turn writeback.

Before you start

Section titled “Before you start”

You need:

  • onboarding completed with cargo run -- onboard --interactive;
  • a configured model provider or local model;
  • the daemon running locally;
  • a Discord bot token;
  • the server or DM context where the bot is allowed to respond.

For durable relationship continuity, PostgreSQL is the recommended memory backend. Markdown fallback is useful for constrained testing, but it is not the full product posture.

1. Add Discord config

Section titled “1. Add Discord config”

Discord settings live under channels_config.discord in ~/.asterel/config.toml. Keep secrets out of copied examples and prefer an environment secret path when possible.

[channels_config.discord]
bot_token = "DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN"
# Optional: restrict to one server.
guild_id = "DISCORD_GUILD_ID"
# Optional: restrict who can talk to the bot.
allowed_users = ["DISCORD_USER_ID"]
thinking_embed = true


[channels_config.discord.pickup_policy]
mode = "direct_only"
max_unsummoned_replies_per_hour = 0
min_gap_seconds = 600

The default pickup posture is intentionally quiet. Start with direct mentions and DMs. Turn on sparse ambient behavior only after the operator is comfortable with public-room behavior.

2. Validate local config

Section titled “2. Validate local config”
Terminal window
cargo run -- config validate
cargo run -- doctor
cargo run -- channel list

These commands catch most setup problems before Discord traffic is involved: missing provider credentials, missing memory configuration, invalid TOML, or a disabled channel.

3. Run the daemon

Section titled “3. Run the daemon”
Terminal window
cargo run -- daemon --host 127.0.0.1 --port 3000

The daemon is the normal product shape. It keeps gateway routes, channels, scheduler, heartbeat, memory, and the shared companion turn runtime around one runtime instance.

4. Test a direct turn

Section titled “4. Test a direct turn”

In Discord, mention the bot or send a DM. If accepted, the message follows the shared companion-turn path:

Discord event -> pickup policy -> turn enrichment -> response assembly
  -> response finalization -> reply delivery -> post-turn update

If there is no reply, do not immediately loosen all settings. Check the decision points in order:

  1. the bot token is valid;
  2. the bot is present in the intended server or DM;
  3. guild_id and allowed_users are not excluding the message;
  4. pickup policy accepts the message;
  5. the provider can complete a turn;
  6. response finalization allows the response to be sent.

Public-room rule

Section titled “Public-room rule”

Asterel should not behave like a noisy room bot. Public-room distance is part of the product promise. A direct mention or clear invitation is safer than ambient chatter, and private memory should not surface in public just because it was useful grounding.