Skip to content

Hikari

Web & HTTPWebPython
Official docs ↗GitHub ↗

What it is

Hikari is a modern, fast, and type-safe Python library for building Discord bots. It is designed for high performance, asynchronous execution, and full support of Discord API features.

Hikari allows you to create bots that handle events, send messages, manage channels, and interact with Discord servers. It supports asynchronous programming, event-driven architecture, and integration with other libraries for commands, interactions, and more.

Installation

pip install hikari

Getting started

The smallest useful thing you can do with it, and what each part means.

Creating a simple bot
import hikari

bot = hikari.GatewayBot(token='YOUR_BOT_TOKEN')

@bot.listen()
async def on_ready(event: hikari.ShardReadyEvent):
    print('Bot is ready!')

bot.run()
Creates a basic Hikari bot that prints a message when the bot is ready.
Sending a message
await bot.rest.create_message(channel=CHANNEL_ID, content='Hello from Hikari!')
Sends a message to a specific channel using the bot's REST client.

Advanced usage

Where the library earns its place over a simpler alternative.

Listening to messages
@bot.listen(hikari.MessageCreateEvent)
async def on_message(event: hikari.MessageCreateEvent):
    if event.content == '!ping':
        await event.message.respond('Pong!')
Listens to new messages and responds to a '!ping' command with 'Pong!'.
Using commands with Lightbulb
import lightbulb

plugin = lightbulb.Plugin('example')

@plugin.command()
@lightbulb.command('hello', 'Say hello')
@lightbulb.implements(lightbulb.SlashCommand)
async def hello(ctx):
    await ctx.respond('Hello!')

bot.add_plugin(plugin)
Demonstrates creating a slash command using the Lightbulb extension for Hikari.
Handling reactions
@bot.listen(hikari.ReactionAddEvent)
async def on_reaction(event: hikari.ReactionAddEvent):
    print(f'{event.user_id} reacted with {event.emoji}')
Logs whenever a user reacts to a message.
Bot presence and status
await bot.update_presence(activity=hikari.Activity(name='with Hikari', type=hikari.ActivityType.PLAYING))
Updates the bot's presence to show a custom activity message.
Working with guild members
member = await bot.rest.fetch_member(guild=GUILD_ID, user=USER_ID)
print(member.username)
Fetches information about a specific guild member.

Errors and fixes

The failures you are most likely to hit, and what actually resolves them.

hikari.errors.UnauthorizedError
Occurs if the bot token is invalid or missing permissions. Check token and bot permissions.
hikari.errors.RateLimitTooLongError
Occurs when hitting Discord rate limits. Implement retry mechanisms or delays.
hikari.errors.NotFoundError
Occurs when a resource (channel, message, user) is not found. Verify IDs and availability.

Best practices

  • Use async/await for all I/O operations to maintain performance.
  • Leverage Lightbulb for command management and modularity.
  • Handle exceptions in events to prevent bot crashes.
  • Use environment variables for bot tokens and sensitive information.
  • Monitor rate limits and respect Discord API constraints.

Background

Why it exists, and what it was reacting to.

Hikari was created to provide a highly performant and robust framework for building Discord bots in Python. It emphasizes type safety, concurrency, and modern Python async features. Developers use Hikari for building scalable, reliable, and feature-rich Discord bots.

Related libraries

Others in Web & HTTP for Python.

← All Python librariesPython guide