Discord | Sociamonials Blog

Discord

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Initially developed by Jason Citron and Stanislav Vishnevskiy for gamers, Discord is a versatile communication platform. Since its inception in 2015, it provides a plethora of features such as instant messaging^[1], voice and video calls, text messaging, and the ability to share media. Discord users can interact in private conversations or on servers that include chat rooms and voice channels. Compatible with various operating systems and web browsers, Discord has experienced consistent growth, boasting 150 million active users^[2] monthly by 2024. Beyond gaming, Discord has evolved into a wide-ranging chat client for various subjects. The platform has received funding from organizations like YouWeb’s 9+ incubator, Benchmark Capital, and Tencent. Additionally, Discord has formed partnerships with WarnerMedia for investment and Microsoft to cater to Xbox Live users.

Terms definitions

1. ↑ instant messaging. Instant Messaging (IM) represents a mode of digital communication that facilitates the instantaneous exchange of textual messages across internet or computer networks. Unlike its email counterpart, IM encourages prompt, engaging dialogues, often enriched with emojis, file sharing capabilities, voice-over IP, and video conferencing. IM systems can operate autonomously or as a component of a broader social media framework. They have undergone substantial evolution since the inception of early platforms like Talkomatic and CompuServe CB Simulator, maturing into graphical user interfaces with an array of functionalities. Contemporary popular services such as Signal, Telegram, WhatsApp, and Snapchat provide private and group messaging, advanced security protocols like end-to-end encryption, and social network integration. They serve a crucial function in personal and business communication arenas, enabling efficient real-time dialogue with conversation archives for subsequent reference.

2. ↑ active users. Active Users denotes individuals who interact with an online platform or application within a given timeframe. This concept is fundamental in diverse sectors such as business, academia, and research. In the business domain, active user metrics help forecast growth trajectories, customer involvement, and prospective revenue sources. Within academia and research, analyzing active user behavior aids in comprehending online behavioral trends. Ethical aspects surrounding active users highlight the significance of informed consent, data protection, and confidentiality in the digital sphere. Defining and precisely quantifying active users present technical hurdles due to diverse practices among various firms. Furthermore, data regarding active users is vital in predictive analytics and policy deliberations about technology usage and online security.

Discord (Wikipedia)

Discord is an instant messaging and VoIP social platform which allows communication through voice calls, video calls, text messaging, and media and files. Communication can be private or take place in virtual communities called "servers". A server is a collection of persistent chat rooms and voice channels which can be accessed via invite links. Discord runs on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS, Linux, and in web browsers. As of 2024^[update], the service has about 150 million monthly active users and 19 million weekly active servers. It is primarily used by gamers, although the share of users interested in other topics is growing. As of March 2024, Discord is the 30th most visited website in the world with 22.98% of its traffic coming from the United States.

Discord
Logo used since May 2021
Screenshot Screenshot depicting Discord's home screen in 2023
Developer(s)	Discord Inc.
Initial release	May 13, 2015; 8 years ago (2015-05-13)
Written in	Client: TypeScript (with React) Server: Elixir, Python, Rust, C++
Engine	Web client: Electron Mobile client: React Native Server: Bespoke, purpose-built
Operating system	Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, iPadOS, Linux, web browsers
Available in	30 languages
List of languages English (UK/US), Bulgarian, Chinese (Simplified/Traditional), Croatian, Czech, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Greek, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Lithuanian, Norwegian (Bokmål), Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Romanian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese
Type	VoIP communications, instant messaging, videoconferences, content delivery, and social media
License	Proprietary
Website	discord.com

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