From 73d0b083510367adec42746e90c41ace16c0afb2 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Teknium <127238744+teknium1@users.noreply.github.com> Date: Sun, 19 Apr 2026 16:59:27 -0700 Subject: [PATCH] docs(discord): document that free-response channels skip auto-threading (#12728) Follow-up to 93fe4b35. The behavior (free-response channels bypass auto-threading so the channel stays a lightweight inline chat) was intentional but never documented, causing user confusion ("is this a bug?" reports). Adds one line to the behavior table, one paragraph under discord.free_response_channels, and a cross-reference under discord.auto_thread. --- website/docs/user-guide/messaging/discord.md | 6 ++++-- 1 file changed, 4 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-) diff --git a/website/docs/user-guide/messaging/discord.md b/website/docs/user-guide/messaging/discord.md index 0efe909b0..2a38b9798 100644 --- a/website/docs/user-guide/messaging/discord.md +++ b/website/docs/user-guide/messaging/discord.md @@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ Before setup, here's the part most people want to know: how Hermes behaves once |---------|----------| | **DMs** | Hermes responds to every message. No `@mention` needed. Each DM has its own session. | | **Server channels** | By default, Hermes only responds when you `@mention` it. If you post in a channel without mentioning it, Hermes ignores the message. | -| **Free-response channels** | You can make specific channels mention-free with `DISCORD_FREE_RESPONSE_CHANNELS`, or disable mentions globally with `DISCORD_REQUIRE_MENTION=false`. | +| **Free-response channels** | You can make specific channels mention-free with `DISCORD_FREE_RESPONSE_CHANNELS`, or disable mentions globally with `DISCORD_REQUIRE_MENTION=false`. Messages in these channels are answered inline — auto-threading is skipped so the channel stays a lightweight chat. | | **Threads** | Hermes replies in the same thread. Mention rules still apply unless that thread or its parent channel is configured as free-response. Threads stay isolated from the parent channel for session history. | | **Shared channels with multiple users** | By default, Hermes isolates session history per user inside the channel for safety and clarity. Two people talking in the same channel do not share one transcript unless you explicitly disable that. | | **Messages mentioning other users** | When `DISCORD_IGNORE_NO_MENTION` is `true` (the default), Hermes stays silent if a message @mentions other users but does **not** mention the bot. This prevents the bot from jumping into conversations directed at other people. Set to `false` if you want the bot to respond to all messages regardless of who is mentioned. This only applies in server channels, not DMs. | @@ -343,13 +343,15 @@ discord: If a thread's parent channel is in this list, the thread also becomes mention-free. +Free-response channels also **skip auto-threading** — the bot replies inline rather than spinning off a new thread per message. This keeps the channel usable as a lightweight chat surface. If you want threading behavior, don't list the channel as free-response (use normal `@mention` flow instead). + #### `discord.auto_thread` **Type:** boolean — **Default:** `true` When enabled, every `@mention` in a regular text channel automatically creates a new thread for the conversation. This keeps the main channel clean and gives each conversation its own isolated session history. Once a thread is created, subsequent messages in that thread don't require `@mention` — the bot knows it's already participating. -Messages sent in existing threads or DMs are unaffected by this setting. +Messages sent in existing threads or DMs are unaffected by this setting. Channels listed in `discord.free_response_channels` or `discord.no_thread_channels` also bypass auto-threading and get inline replies instead. #### `discord.reactions`