LeetCode Discord Bot

A Discord bot that helps track LeetCode questions per server. Users can add, list, and delete questions from a shared list.

Features

• Add Questions: !addq <question1> <question2> ... - Add one or more questions to the server's list
• List Questions: !listq - Display all questions for the current server
• Delete Questions: !delq <id> - Delete a question by its ID (requires manage messages permission)

Local Development Setup

1. Clone the repository

   git clone <your-repo-url>
   cd leetcode-bot

2. Install dependencies

   pip install -r requirements.txt

3. Set up environment variables

   • Copy env.example to .env
   • Add your Discord bot token to the .env file

   cp env.example .env
   # Edit .env and add your DISCORD_TOKEN

4. Run the bot

   python leetcode_bot.py

Railway Deployment (Recommended)

Railway makes deployment super easy with automatic containerization and PostgreSQL database.

Prerequisites

• Railway account (free tier available)
• Discord bot token

Deployment Steps

1. Connect your repository to Railway

   • Go to Railway Dashboard
   • Click "New Project" → "Deploy from GitHub repo"
   • Connect your GitHub repository

2. Add PostgreSQL Database

   • In your Railway project, click "New" → "Database" → "PostgreSQL"
   • Railway will automatically provide a DATABASE_URL environment variable

3. Set Environment Variables

   • Go to your project's "Variables" tab
   • Add DISCORD_TOKEN with your Discord bot token
   • The DATABASE_URL will be automatically set by Railway

4. Deploy

   • Railway will automatically detect your Python app
   • It will install dependencies from requirements.txt
   • Your bot will be deployed and running!

Railway-Specific Files

• requirements.txt: Python dependencies
• Procfile: Tells Railway how to run your app
• .env.example: Template for environment variables
• .gitignore: Prevents sensitive files from being committed

Discord Bot Setup

1. Create a Discord Application

   • Go to Discord Developer Portal
   • Click "New Application"
   • Give it a name (e.g., "LeetCode Bot")

2. Create a Bot

   • Go to the "Bot" section
   • Click "Add Bot"
   • Copy the token (this is your DISCORD_TOKEN)

3. Set Bot Permissions

   • Go to "OAuth2" → "URL Generator"
   • Select scopes: bot, applications.commands
   • Select permissions: Send Messages, Read Message History, Manage Messages
   • Use the generated URL to invite the bot to your server

4. Configure Intents

   • In the Bot section, enable "Message Content Intent"
   • This is required for the bot to read command messages

Environment Variables

Variable	Description	Required	Source
DISCORD_TOKEN	Your Discord bot token	Yes	Manual setup
DATABASE_URL	PostgreSQL connection string	Yes	Railway auto-provided

Database

The bot uses SQLite locally and PostgreSQL on Railway:

• Local Development: SQLite (question_tracker.db)
• Production (Railway): PostgreSQL (automatically provided)

Monitoring and Logs

• Railway logs: View in Railway dashboard under your project
• Application logs: Check the console output for INFO/ERROR messages
• Database: Monitor in Railway dashboard under the PostgreSQL service

Security Considerations

1. Never commit your .env file (already in .gitignore)
2. Use environment variables for sensitive data
3. Regularly rotate your Discord bot token
4. Monitor bot permissions - only grant necessary permissions
5. Railway handles database backups automatically

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Bot not responding: Check if the token is correct and bot is online
2. Permission errors: Ensure bot has proper permissions in Discord server
3. Database connection errors: Check Railway's PostgreSQL service status
4. Deployment failures: Check Railway logs for dependency or environment issues

Logs to Check

• Railway logs: Project dashboard → "Deployments" → "View Logs"
• Discord API: Check bot status in Discord Developer Portal
• Database: Railway dashboard → PostgreSQL service → "Connect" tab

Updates and Maintenance

1. Push changes to GitHub: Railway automatically redeploys
2. Monitor Railway dashboard: Check deployment status and logs
3. Scale if needed: Railway allows easy scaling in the dashboard

Alternative Deployments

VPS/Cloud Server

If you prefer traditional server deployment:

1. SSH into your server
2. Clone the repository
3. Install Python dependencies
4. Set up environment variables
5. Create a systemd service for auto-restart
6. Use PostgreSQL or keep SQLite for single instance

Docker Deployment

If you want containerized deployment elsewhere:

1. Create a Dockerfile
2. Use docker-compose.yml
3. Set environment variables
4. Deploy with docker-compose up -d

Support

For issues or questions:

1. Check Railway logs for deployment errors
2. Verify your Discord bot setup
3. Ensure all environment variables are set correctly
4. Check Railway's documentation for platform-specific issues