Context (Ctx) Object¶

The Context object (Ctx) is the cornerstone of @axrxvm/betterdiscordjs. It provides a unified interface for interacting with Discord, whether you're handling messages, slash commands, or other interactions.

Overview¶

The Ctx object wraps Discord.js objects and provides additional functionality:

Unified API: Same methods work for messages and interactions
Enhanced Utilities: Built-in embed builder, component helpers, and more
Simplified Interactions: Easy-to-use methods for common Discord operations
Type Safety: Consistent behavior across different Discord event types

Constructor¶

const ctx = new Ctx(raw, bot, argsOverride);

Parameters: - raw: Discord.js Message or Interaction object - bot: @axrxvm/betterdiscordjs Bot instance - argsOverride: Optional array to override parsed arguments

Properties¶

Core Properties¶

ctx.raw             // Original Discord.js object (Message/Interaction)
ctx.bot             // @axrxvm/betterdiscordjs Bot instance
ctx.client          // Discord.js Client instance
ctx.user            // User who triggered the command
ctx.guild           // Guild where command was used (null for DMs)
ctx.channel         // Channel where command was used
ctx.member          // Guild member (null for DMs)

Context Information¶

ctx.isInteraction   // true if triggered by slash command
ctx.isDM            // true if used in direct message
ctx.isGuild         // true if used in a guild
ctx.args            // Array of command arguments
ctx.options         // Slash command options (interactions only)

Basic Methods¶

`reply(content, options)`¶

Send a reply to the command:

// Simple text reply
await ctx.reply('Hello, World!');

// Reply with embed
await ctx.reply({ embeds: [embed] });

// Reply with components
await ctx.reply({
  content: 'Choose an option:',
  components: [buttonRow]
});

// Ephemeral reply (slash commands only)
await ctx.reply({
  content: 'Only you can see this!',
  ephemeral: true
});

`defer()`¶

Defer the reply (useful for long-running commands):

await ctx.defer(); // Shows "Bot is thinking..."

// Do some long operation
await someAsyncOperation();

// Send follow-up
await ctx.followUp('Operation completed!');

`followUp(content)`¶

Send a follow-up message (after defer or initial reply):

await ctx.reply('Initial response');
await ctx.followUp('Additional information');

Embed Builder¶

`embed(content)`¶

Create and send embeds easily:

// Quick embed
await ctx.embed('This is a simple embed');

// Advanced embed builder
const embed = ctx.embed()
  .title('🎉 Welcome!')
  .desc('Welcome to our Discord server!')
  .field('Members', guild.memberCount.toString(), true)
  .field('Channels', guild.channels.cache.size.toString(), true)
  .color('green')
  .thumbnail(guild.iconURL())
  .timestamp();

await embed.send();

Embed Builder Methods¶

const embed = ctx.embed()
  .title('Title')                    // Set title
  .desc('Description')               // Set description
  .field('Name', 'Value', true)      // Add field (inline optional)
  .author('Author', 'icon_url')      // Set author
  .footer('Footer', 'icon_url')      // Set footer
  .thumbnail('url')                  // Set thumbnail
  .image('url')                      // Set image
  .color('blue')                     // Set color (named or hex)
  .timestamp()                       // Add timestamp
  .send();                           // Send the embed

Color Options¶

// Named colors
.color('blue')      // Discord blue
.color('green')     // Success green
.color('red')       // Error red
.color('yellow')    // Warning yellow
.color('purple')    // Purple
.color('orange')    // Orange
.color('gold')      // Gold
.color('random')    // Random color

// Hex colors
.color('#FF5733')
.color(0xFF5733)

Quick Response Methods¶

`success(message)`¶

Send a success message:

await ctx.success('Operation completed successfully!');

`error(message)`¶

Send an error message:

await ctx.error('Something went wrong!');

`info(message)`¶

Send an info message:

await ctx.info('Here is some information.');

`warn(message)`¶

Send a warning message:

await ctx.warn('This action cannot be undone!');

Slash Command Helpers¶

`getOption(name)`¶

Get a slash command option value:

// For slash command: /ban user:@someone reason:"spam"
const user = ctx.getOption('user');
const reason = ctx.getOption('reason') || 'No reason provided';

`getUser(name)`, `getMember(name)`, `getChannel(name)`, `getRole(name)`¶

Get specific option types:

const targetUser = ctx.getUser('user');
const targetMember = ctx.getMember('member');
const targetChannel = ctx.getChannel('channel');
const targetRole = ctx.getRole('role');

Interactive Components¶

`button(label, options, handler)`¶

Create a button:

const button = ctx.button('Click Me!', {
  style: 'primary',
  customId: 'my_button'
});

`buttonRow(buttons)`¶

Create a row of buttons:

const row = ctx.buttonRow([
  { customId: 'yes', label: '✅ Yes', style: 3 },
  { customId: 'no', label: '❌ No', style: 4 }
]);

const msg = await ctx.reply({
  content: 'Do you agree?',
  components: [row]
});

`awaitButton(message, handlers, options)`¶

Wait for button interactions:

const msg = await ctx.reply({
  content: 'Choose an option:',
  components: [buttonRow]
});

await ctx.awaitButton(msg, {
  yes: async (interaction) => {
    await interaction.reply('You chose yes!');
  },
  no: async (interaction) => {
    await interaction.reply('You chose no!');
  }
}, { time: 30000 });

`menu(options, handler)`¶

Create a select menu:

const menu = ctx.menu(['Option 1', 'Option 2', 'Option 3']);

await ctx.reply({
  content: 'Choose an option:',
  components: [menu]
});

Modals and Forms¶

`modal(fields, options)`¶

Show a modal form:

const result = await ctx.modal([
  {
    customId: 'name',
    label: 'Your Name',
    style: 1, // Short text
    required: true
  },
  {
    customId: 'feedback',
    label: 'Feedback',
    style: 2, // Paragraph
    required: false
  }
], {
  title: 'Feedback Form',
  timeout: 60000
});

if (result) {
  await ctx.reply(`Thank you, ${result.name}! Your feedback: ${result.feedback}`);
}

Pagination¶

`paginate(pages, options)`¶

Create paginated embeds:

const pages = [
  ctx.embed().title('Page 1').desc('First page content'),
  ctx.embed().title('Page 2').desc('Second page content'),
  ctx.embed().title('Page 3').desc('Third page content')
];

await ctx.paginate(pages.map(p => p.embed));

`paginator(pages, options)`¶

Advanced pagination with custom controls:

const pages = [
  ctx.embed().title('Page 1').embed,
  ctx.embed().title('Page 2').embed,
  ctx.embed().title('Page 3').embed
];

await ctx.paginator(pages, {
  time: 60000 // 1 minute timeout
});

Utility Methods¶

`react(emoji)`¶

React to the message:

await ctx.react('👍');
await ctx.react('<:custom:123456789>');

`file(filePath)`¶

Send a file:

await ctx.file('./images/welcome.png');

`delete()`¶

Delete the command message or interaction:

await ctx.delete();

`hasPerms(permissions)`¶

Check user permissions:

if (ctx.hasPerms(['Administrator'])) {
  await ctx.reply('You have admin permissions!');
} else {
  await ctx.error('You need admin permissions!');
}

Text Formatting¶

`bold(text)`, `italic(text)`, `code(text)`¶

Format text:

const message = `
${ctx.bold('Bold text')}
${ctx.italic('Italic text')}
${ctx.code('Code text')}
`;

await ctx.reply(message);

Waiting for User Input¶

`awaitMessage(filter, options)`¶

Wait for a message from the user:

await ctx.reply('What is your favorite color?');

const response = await ctx.awaitMessage(
  m => m.author.id === ctx.user.id,
  { time: 30000 }
);

if (response) {
  await ctx.reply(`Your favorite color is ${response.content}!`);
} else {
  await ctx.reply('You took too long to respond.');
}

`awaitReaction(emojis, options)`¶

Wait for a reaction:

const msg = await ctx.reply('React with 👍 or 👎');
await msg.react('👍');
await msg.react('👎');

const reaction = await ctx.awaitReaction(['👍', '👎'], { time: 30000 });

if (reaction) {
  await ctx.reply(`You reacted with ${reaction.emoji.name}!`);
}

`waitFor(type, filter, timeout)`¶

Generic wait method:

// Wait for message
const message = await ctx.waitFor('message', 
  m => m.author.id === ctx.user.id, 
  15000
);

// Wait for reaction
const reaction = await ctx.waitFor('reaction',
  (r, u) => u.id === ctx.user.id,
  15000
);

Dialog System¶

`dialog(steps, options)`¶

Create multi-step dialogs:

const answers = await ctx.dialog([
  'What is your name?',
  'What is your age?',
  'What is your favorite hobby?'
], { timeout: 60000 });

if (answers.length === 3) {
  await ctx.reply(`Hello ${answers[0]}! You are ${answers[1]} years old and enjoy ${answers[2]}.`);
}

User and Guild Fetching¶

`fetchUser(id)`, `fetchMember(id)`¶

Fetch users or members:

const user = await ctx.fetchUser('123456789');
const member = await ctx.fetchMember('123456789');

`dm(user, content)`¶

Send a direct message:

await ctx.dm(ctx.user, 'This is a private message!');

Utility Functions¶

`randomChoice(array)`¶

Pick a random element:

const colors = ['red', 'blue', 'green', 'yellow'];
const randomColor = ctx.randomChoice(colors);
await ctx.reply(`Random color: ${randomColor}`);

Examples¶

Basic Command Handler¶

// commands/general/userinfo.js
module.exports = {
  name: 'userinfo',
  description: 'Get information about a user',

  async run(ctx) {
    const target = ctx.args[0] ? await ctx.fetchUser(ctx.args[0]) : ctx.user;

    const embed = ctx.embed()
      .title(`👤 ${target.username}`)
      .thumbnail(target.displayAvatarURL())
      .field('ID', target.id, true)
      .field('Created', target.createdAt.toDateString(), true)
      .color('blue');

    await embed.send();
  }
};

Interactive Command¶

module.exports = {
  name: 'poll',
  description: 'Create a poll',

  async run(ctx) {
    if (!ctx.args.length) {
      return ctx.error('Please provide a question!');
    }

    const question = ctx.args.join(' ');

    const embed = ctx.embed()
      .title('📊 Poll')
      .desc(question)
      .color('blue');

    const row = ctx.buttonRow([
      { customId: 'yes', label: '✅ Yes', style: 3 },
      { customId: 'no', label: '❌ No', style: 4 }
    ]);

    const msg = await ctx.reply({
      embeds: [embed.embed],
      components: [row]
    });

    const votes = { yes: 0, no: 0 };

    await ctx.awaitButton(msg, {
      yes: async (interaction) => {
        votes.yes++;
        await interaction.reply({ 
          content: 'You voted Yes!', 
          ephemeral: true 
        });
      },
      no: async (interaction) => {
        votes.no++;
        await interaction.reply({ 
          content: 'You voted No!', 
          ephemeral: true 
        });
      }
    }, { time: 60000 });

    // Update with results
    const resultEmbed = ctx.embed()
      .title('📊 Poll Results')
      .desc(question)
      .field('✅ Yes', votes.yes.toString(), true)
      .field('❌ No', votes.no.toString(), true)
      .color('green');

    await msg.edit({
      embeds: [resultEmbed.embed],
      components: []
    });
  }
};

module.exports = {
  name: 'feedback',
  description: 'Submit feedback',
  slash: true,

  async run(ctx) {
    const result = await ctx.modal([
      {
        customId: 'subject',
        label: 'Subject',
        style: 1,
        required: true
      },
      {
        customId: 'message',
        label: 'Your Feedback',
        style: 2,
        required: true
      }
    ], {
      title: 'Feedback Form'
    });

    if (result) {
      // Send to feedback channel
      const feedbackChannel = ctx.client.channels.cache.get('FEEDBACK_CHANNEL_ID');
      if (feedbackChannel) {
        const embed = ctx.embed()
          .title(`📝 Feedback: ${result.subject}`)
          .desc(result.message)
          .author(ctx.user.tag, ctx.user.displayAvatarURL())
          .color('blue');

        await feedbackChannel.send({ embeds: [embed.embed] });
      }

      await ctx.success('Thank you for your feedback!');
    }
  }
};

Best Practices¶

1. Always Handle Errors¶

try {
  await ctx.reply('This might fail');
} catch (error) {
  console.error('Reply failed:', error);
  // Try alternative response method
}

2. Check Permissions¶

if (!ctx.hasPerms(['ManageMessages'])) {
  return ctx.error('You need Manage Messages permission!');
}

3. Validate Input¶

if (!ctx.args.length) {
  return ctx.error('Please provide some arguments!');
}

const userId = ctx.args[0];
if (!/^\d{17,19}$/.test(userId)) {
  return ctx.error('Invalid user ID format!');
}

4. Use Appropriate Response Types¶

// For success operations
await ctx.success('User banned successfully!');

// For errors
await ctx.error('User not found!');

// For information
await ctx.info('This command has a 5-second cooldown.');

// For warnings
await ctx.warn('This action cannot be undone!');

Next Steps¶

🎯 Learn about Commands
📡 Explore Events
🎨 Master the Embed Builder
🔧 Try Interactive Components

The Context object makes Discord bot development intuitive and powerful, providing everything you need in a single, consistent interface.

Context (Ctx) Object¶

Overview¶

Constructor¶

Properties¶

Core Properties¶

Context Information¶

Basic Methods¶

reply(content, options)¶

defer()¶

followUp(content)¶

Embed Builder¶

embed(content)¶

Embed Builder Methods¶

Color Options¶

Quick Response Methods¶

success(message)¶

error(message)¶

info(message)¶

warn(message)¶

Slash Command Helpers¶

getOption(name)¶

getUser(name), getMember(name), getChannel(name), getRole(name)¶