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Linking channels (bridges)

The Channel links module connects text channels so that messages sent in one are relayed automatically to the other. It is the ideal tool for connecting two communities or creating a shared discussion channel across several servers.

How the relay works

Section titled “How the relay works”

When two channels are linked, Kotbo listens for new messages and instantly reposts them in the connected channel. Two relay modes are available:

  • Webhook (mirror) (recommended): the bot uses a Discord webhook to send the message with the original author’s real username and avatar. The result looks clean and natural.
  • Embed: the message is wrapped in a styled embed sent under Kotbo’s name, naming the original server and author.

You can configure the direction of the link:

  • Bidirectional: messages from channel A go to B, and the other way round.
  • Unidirectional: messages only travel from the source channel (A) to the target channel (B).

Case 1: linking two channels on the same server

Section titled “Case 1: linking two channels on the same server”

You can link two separate channels inside your own server (for example to duplicate announcements or relay discussions from a private channel to a public one).

Setup steps

Section titled “Setup steps”
  1. Open your server’s dashboard and go to Cross-server → Channel links.
  2. Click the Create a link button in the top right.
  3. Fill in the form:
    • Channel on this server: choose the first (source) channel.
    • Target server: select your own server from the list.
    • Channel on the target server: select the second channel (the list automatically excludes the source channel you already picked).
    • Direction and Relay mode: adjust to suit your needs (for example Bidirectional and Webhook).
  4. Click Create the link. The connection is instant.

Case 2: linking two channels on different servers

Section titled “Case 2: linking two channels on different servers”

To connect two separate Discord servers, the Kotbo bot must be installed on both. You have two options depending on your rights on the remote server.

Method A: direct linking (if you are an administrator on both servers)

Section titled “Method A: direct linking (if you are an administrator on both servers)”

If you have administrator rights on both servers, you can establish the link straight from your dashboard.

  1. Go to Cross-server → Channel links on the source server.
  2. Click Create a link.
  3. Select the local source channel.
  4. Under Target server, select the remote server (it appears in the list if you are an administrator there and the bot is present).
  5. Select the target channel from the list.
  6. Adjust your options and click Create the link.

Method B: linking by invitation (if the target server belongs to someone else)

Section titled “Method B: linking by invitation (if the target server belongs to someone else)”

If you want to link your channel to one on a server you do not manage, you need to generate an invitation code for the other administrator to accept. In this scenario, Server A is the server where you start the setup and create the invitation, and Server B is the target server that receives it.

Step 1: generate the invitation (Server A — the initiating server)

Section titled “Step 1: generate the invitation (Server A — the initiating server)”
  1. On server A, go to Cross-server → Channel links and click Create a link.
  2. Select your local channel.
  3. Enable the Generate a Discord invite option (this also creates an access invite in case members want to join the other server).
  4. Select the direction and relay mode you want.
  5. Click Create the link.
  6. A green box appears with a link code (for example A1B2C3D4), plus a Discord invite link if you ticked the option. Copy that code and pass it to the administrator of the remote server.

Customising the relayed content

Section titled “Customising the relayed content”

By default, Kotbo synchronises text and images. You can fine-tune this behaviour for each active link.

  1. In your list of links under Cross-server → Channel links, find the link in question and click the gear icon (Configure).
  2. Turn the toggles on or off to suit your preferences:
    • Text: relays ordinary written messages.
    • Images: relays images and attachments.
    • Embeds: relays the embed cards generated by external links or other bots.
    • Reactions: relays emoji added as reactions to messages.
    • Edits: if a user edits their message on one side, the change is mirrored on the other.
    • Deletions: if an original message is deleted, its copy in the other channel is deleted too.
  3. Click Save.
Section titled “Removing a link”

To break a link, go back to Cross-server → Channel links, click the red bin icon (Delete) next to the link and confirm. The relay stops immediately.

If the Update channel descriptions option was enabled, the bot automatically removes the invite links it inserted into the topic of the Discord channels involved.