Currently, the tech world is flooded with ideas or aspirations to develop an app like Discord. Discord is a popular VoIP app with chat, voice, and video calls. This VoIP app became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic as that time taught us the need and utility of virtual tools like Discord in the business world.
The developers of the Discord app designed it mainly as a communication and collaboration platform for gamers; however, now it has become a popular tool used across various areas of business.
And now, many tech experts are trying to develop Discord similar apps that have all in one voice and text chat features like the Discord app. So, if you are a tech enthusiast or a developer who wants to develop an app like Discord, we bring you a complete guide and information about the Discord app that can help you.
But before exploring, let’s first know and understand the Discord app.
Learn More About Discord App?
Many developers are looking for solutions for developing Discord like apps to gain popularity in the business world as Discord. People might have misconceptions about Discord being a hybrid app of Zoom-Slack-Reddit. However, it is a high-tech messaging app, that gives users the features to work together using text, video, and voice clips. This app is compatible with PC as well as mobile devices.
Discord is a responsive and free-to-use app with an attractive, minimal interface. However, it is available with a premium feature with a subscription. It provides people with servers (topic-based chat rooms) where people with similar interests discuss their favorite topics or subjects. Read more on cost of building a clubhouse app.
The Discord app was intentionally designed and marketed toward gamers. This app was initially used by gamers only. Gaming enthusiasts primarily use its real-time chat feature to interconnect with other gamers or friends while playing big multi-player games.
The developer company of the Discord app was valued at $3.5 billion in July 2021 after raising $100 million in funding. Its popularity has instigated many developers to develop apps similar to Discord to give it a competition.
In technical terms, Discord is a Voice over Internet Protocol app that seems like a combination of Slack and Reddit. The app comes with text, voice, and video calling features. The Discord platform is compatible with macOS, Linux, and Windows operating systems, and web browsers. Additionally, Discord is available as an app is for Android and iOS devices.
Various Features That Made the Discord App Popular:
The practical and innovative features of the Discord app have made it a rising star in the business world and the communications industry. However, if you are a developer and planning or thinking to developing the best app like Discord that compete with the Discord app, in that case, you must get to know the exclusive features making the Discord app stand out from other chatting or conferencing apps.
Here are some features of Discord that every developer must know before planning to develop an app like Discord.
- User Profile: Discord provides each user with a customisable account. Once a user signs up, he can create servers, add friends, and connect games.
- Servers: Discord offers numerous private or public servers (chat rooms) to users reserved for discussing exact topics. Some of the main chat rooms on the Discord app are focused on video games but are also servers fixed for things from sports to gardening.
- Channels: To provide structure to the server, Discord also has the feature of channels which can be taken as tiny threads that join up to make a server. Each server of Discord can have up to 500 channels. For example, a business or enterprise with a Discord server can form channels around different projects or departments.
- Roles: People who join or make a specific server can get different roles, such as admin, who help run and enforce rules on the server. Other roles that server members can get are ‘Leader’, ‘Facilitator’ and ‘Timekeeper’.
- Notifications: A Discord alternative or a similar app can have a notification feature, but only Discord provides users with an extensive feature to customise their notification settings, like muting specific servers or channels.
- Video Call: Discord also has a video calling feature like other chatting apps. The feature that makes it stand out is that it allows users to private video calls from 10 to 40 members updated in May 2021.
- Screen Share: Along with video calls, Discord users can share their screens, making it an excellent feature for businesses that regularly meet online to present and share information.
- Live Stream: Live streaming feature of Discord is a popular perk as gamers favour it. Gamers and stream their gameplay to up to 50 friends by tapping on the ‘Go live’ button.
- Bot Integration: Discord supports Bot programs that run automated tasks. An admin can add bots to and have a wide range of special functions. One example of such bots on Discord is Medalbot which allows users to record live gameplay clips.
- App Integration: Discord allows users to connect popular apps like Twitter, YouTube, Slack, Twitch, and Soundcloud to their profile.
All these features attract many professionals, and these features are also reasons why developers fail to make an app like Discord for mobile or other devices.
Numerous Tech Stacks are Required to Develop an App like Discord:
To develop a feature-rich app like Discord, developers need an intelligent approach and must be familiar with its tech stacks. So, here are some of the crucial technologies essentially required to develop a similar app like Discord.
☛ Programming Stacks:
- React
- JavaScript
- React Native
- ES6
- Stylus
- CSS Modules
☛ DevOps:
☛ Business Tools:
☛ Audio and Video Calls:
- Media Streams
- PeerConnection
- DataChannel
☛ Communication Protocols:
- Extensible Messaging Presence Protocol (XMPP)
- Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT)
- WebSockets
A Step by Step Process to Develop an App Like Discord:
It is not enough to be familiar with the technical requirements if one doesn’t know the right approach to development, an approach that mobile application development services use to develop applications.
Discord is counted as an example of a success story due to its remarkable success in little time. So that is why many businesses want to know how to make an app like Discord?
Here is a step by step guide that can help developers make apps similar to the Discord app.
1. Market Research
To develop apps similar to Discord, try to understand the users or audiences deeply. With this, you can provide them with what they want. To get a well-defined picture solution, you will need to understand the market trends, users’ demands, challenges while developing an app, etc.
Market research can be divided into demographics, including users’ location, age group, and devices, and behavioral trends, including users’ likes and dislikes.
2. App Development Professionals
The next step for developing Discord similar apps are hiring professionals for every specific app development phase. As an entrepreneur, you must hire a development team with expertise in cutting-edge technologies and offer efficient app development services with a proficient Project Manager, UI/UX Designers, Developers, and QA Experts.
3. App Designing Phase
For developing the best app like Discord, app designing is one of the most vital aspects. Developers or service providers must have expertise and experience in app designing, including app diagrams, wireframe creation, and a complete design model. In addition, the app’s design must be attractive, intuitive, and responsive according to the interest of the target users.
4. App Development Phase
For developing feature-packed Discord like apps, it would be best to implement the latest development tools & tech stack, probably the one used in developing the Discord app. Using updated and latest technologies will help you run and manage the app for a long time.
- Client-side Programming: Java, Kotlin, Objective C, Swift, Flux, React
- Server-side Programming: Golang, Ruby, Python, C++
- Encryption: DTLS and TLS
- Business Tools: Zendesk, G Suite
- Communication Protocols: MQTT, XMPP, WebSockets
5. App Testing
After a similar app like Discord is developed, it must be tested with different testing technologies to check its performance and functionalities. If the developed app qualifies all the testing phases, set it to launch in the market, but if it doesn’t, continue the process until you get the perfect app in every aspect.
Cost Estimation to Develop an App Discord Like:
Now that you know the roadmap to develop a Discord alternative, you might be interested in knowing the development cost of an app like Discord. It would help if you took the scale of your app and a suitable platform into consideration cost; despite these, other factors like
- App’s Complexity
- The Chosen Mobile App Platform
- App’s Features & Functionalities
- Region & Charges of Developers
- Team Structure & Tech Stack
The overall cost of developing apps similar to Discord can be estimated at approximately $20,000 to $30,000, counting the above aspects and holding the core features only.
Conclusion
So, it is all about how to make an app like Discord. One must know that only a unique idea can make all the difference in app development. Also, with the help of the right technologies and approaches, one can develop an app like Discord or even better than Discord.
