betterdiscordctl

Install BetterDiscord on Discord Stable

$ sudo betterdiscordctl install

$ sudo betterdiscordctl [[-f|--d-flavors]] canary install

$ sudo betterdiscordctl [[-f|--d-flavors]] ptb install

$ sudo betterdiscordctl [[-i|--d-install]] flatpak install

$ sudo betterdiscordctl [[-i|--d-install]] snap install

betterdiscordctl command [options]

Common Commands:
install
uninstall
rebuild
info
version

command
    The primary action to be performed by betterdiscordctl.

install
    Patches the Discord client to integrate BetterDiscord. Requires specifying a Discord flavor or path.

uninstall
    Removes all BetterDiscord patches and associated files from the Discord client.

rebuild
    Reapplies BetterDiscord patches to the Discord client. This is often necessary after a Discord client update, which can revert modifications and break BetterDiscord functionality.

info
    Displays information about the detected Discord clients and their BetterDiscord installation status.

version
    Shows the version of the betterdiscordctl utility itself.

--flavor
    Specifies the target Discord client flavor (e.g., stable, canary, or development) for the command to operate on.

--path
    Provides a custom path to the Discord installation directory. Useful if betterdiscordctl cannot automatically locate your Discord client.

BetterDiscord is a popular client modification for Discord that allows users to customize their experience with themes, plugins, and custom CSS. The betterdiscordctl command is a dedicated Linux utility designed to simplify the installation, uninstallation, and management of BetterDiscord on various Discord client flavors (stable, canary, development). It automates the complex process of patching Discord's Electron application files, which would otherwise require manual intervention and specific knowledge of the client's internal structure. By providing a command-line interface, betterdiscordctl ensures a consistent and user-friendly way for Linux users to integrate BetterDiscord, offering functionalities like re-patching after Discord updates (which often break modifications) and providing status information about the BetterDiscord installation.

Using unofficial modifications like BetterDiscord may violate Discord's Terms of Service and could potentially lead to account suspension, though this is rare. Discord client updates frequently break BetterDiscord installations, necessitating the use of betterdiscordctl rebuild. The tool typically requires root privileges for system-wide Discord installations to apply patches. Its functionality relies on the underlying structure of the Discord Electron app, which can change with updates, potentially requiring updates to betterdiscordctl itself.

betterdiscordctl is typically installed as a standalone shell script, often placed in a system's PATH, or through a package manager like the Arch User Repository (AUR) for Arch Linux users (e.g., betterdiscordctl-git). It usually depends on Node.js and npm for its underlying patching mechanisms.

BetterDiscord, as a client modification, has existed for several years, initially with a primary focus on Windows and macOS. As Discord's user base on Linux grew, and given that the Discord client is an Electron application, there arose a need for a streamlined, command-line method to manage BetterDiscord installations on Linux distributions. betterdiscordctl was developed to address this gap, abstracting away the complexities of patching Electron applications and providing a consistent experience for Linux users who wish to customize their Discord client.

discord(1), npm(1)