Getting Started with C++ and the Discord Social SDK - Documentation

Overview

This guide will walk you through integrating the Discord Social SDK into a new standalone C++ project. By the end, you’ll have an application that can:

Authenticate users with Discord
Set up logging and status monitoring
Start the SDK and establish a connection
Request the number of Discord friends the player has
Set the player’s rich presence for your game

Prerequisites

We are going to make a simple C++ console application for this guide. Make sure you have the following prerequisites:

Basic understanding of C++ and your platform’s build system
C++ Compiler and Build System that supports C++17 or greater.
A network connection that can access Discord’s API endpoints.

Let’s walk through the steps in detail.

Step 1: Create a Discord Developer Team

Before you start, you’ll need to create a developer team on the Discord Developer Portal. This team will be used to manage your Discord applications and SDK integrations. If you already have a team configured, you can skip this step.

Create a developer team on the Discord Developer Portal.

Later, you can invite your team members to your new team to collaborate on your integration.

Step 2: Create a Discord Application

Create a new application on the Discord Developer Portal and assign it to your team.
Add a redirect URL in the OAuth2 tab:
- For desktop applications: http://127.0.0.1/callback (this can be changed later).
- See discordpp::Client::Authorize for more details on setting up more advanced redirect URIs.
Enable the Public Client toggle in the OAuth2 tab.

This guide requires enabling Public Client to allow you to get started with the SDK quickly. Most games will not want to ship as a public client. This setting should be reviewed by your team prior to releasing your game. Learn more about public clients.

Once you’ve created your Discord application, you’ll need to enable the Discord Social SDK for it.

From the Discord Developer Portal, select your newly created application from Step 2.
In the left sidebar for your app, locate and click the Getting Started link under Discord Social SDK.
Fill out the form to share details about your game.
Click Submit and the Social SDK will be enabled for your application.
Once enabled, you’ll find binaries for the Social SDK under Downloads.

Step 4: Download the Discord SDK for C++

Click on the Downloads link under the Discord Social SDK section of the sidebar.
Select the latest version from the version dropdown and download the SDK for C++.

Runtime Dependencies

When shipping with the Social SDK, ensure you bundle the runtime dependencies:

Windows: Ensure discord_partner_sdk.dll is in your executable directory.
Linux/macOS: Make sure the libdiscord_partner_sdk.so/libdiscord_partner_sdk.dylib files are accessible via LD_LIBRARY_PATH or placed next to your binary.

Step 5: Project Setup

To utilize the Discord Social SDK with C++, the following requirements must be met:

discordpp.h is included in your C++ source code.
The appropriate SDK libraries for your platform are linked in your build system:
- Windows: discord_partner_sdk.dll
- Linux: discord_partner_sdk.so
- macOS: discord_partner_sdk.dylib

All of which can be found in the SDK download archive.

💡 Troubleshooting Tip: If you encounter unresolved external symbols, ensure the SDK library is correctly linked in your build system.

Let’s see this in action by starting with a folder for our project and the Social SDK dependency:

mkdir MyGame
cd MyGame
mkdir lib

Unzip the Social SDK archive into the lib directory. You should end up with a discord_social_sdk folder under lib when complete. Within the MyGame directory, create a CMakeLists.txt file:

touch CMakeLists.txt

Add the following contents to the CMakeLists.txt file to set up the Social SDK dependency appropriately for your operating system:

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10)
project(DiscordSDKExample)

set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED True)

add_executable(DiscordSDKExample main.cpp)

# Define some handy Social SDK variables
set(DISCORD_SDK_ROOT "${CMAKE_SOURCE_DIR}/lib/discord_social_sdk")
set(DISCORD_SDK_LIB_DIR "${DISCORD_SDK_ROOT}/lib/release")
set(DISCORD_SDK_BIN_DIR "${DISCORD_SDK_ROOT}/bin/release")
set(DISCORD_SDK_INCLUDE_DIR "${DISCORD_SDK_ROOT}/include")

# Include for Social SDK headers
target_include_directories(DiscordSDKExample PRIVATE ${DISCORD_SDK_INCLUDE_DIR})

# Platform-specific Social SDK library paths
if(WIN32)
    set(DISCORD_LIB_PATH "${DISCORD_SDK_LIB_DIR}/discord_partner_sdk.lib")
    set(DISCORD_SHARED_LIB "${DISCORD_SDK_BIN_DIR}/discord_partner_sdk.dll")
elseif(APPLE)
    set(DISCORD_LIB_PATH "${DISCORD_SDK_LIB_DIR}/libdiscord_partner_sdk.dylib")
    set(DISCORD_SHARED_LIB "${DISCORD_SDK_LIB_DIR}/libdiscord_partner_sdk.dylib")
else() # Linux
    set(DISCORD_LIB_PATH "${DISCORD_SDK_LIB_DIR}/libdiscord_partner_sdk.so")
    set(DISCORD_SHARED_LIB "${DISCORD_SDK_LIB_DIR}/libdiscord_partner_sdk.so")
endif()

# Link the Social SDK library
target_link_libraries(DiscordSDKExample PRIVATE ${DISCORD_LIB_PATH})

# Set the runtime search path (RPATH) for Linux and macOS
if(UNIX)
    # Use RPATH when building
    set(CMAKE_BUILD_WITH_INSTALL_RPATH TRUE)
    # Set the RPATH to use the lib directory relative to the executable
    set(CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH "$ORIGIN")
    if(APPLE)
        set(CMAKE_INSTALL_RPATH "@executable_path")
    endif()
endif()

# Copy Social SDK shared library to output directory, so it's available at runtime.
add_custom_command(TARGET DiscordSDKExample POST_BUILD
    COMMAND ${CMAKE_COMMAND} -E copy_if_different
    "${DISCORD_SHARED_LIB}"
    $&lt;TARGET_FILE_DIR:DiscordSDKExample&gt;
)

Create a main.cpp file:

touch main.cpp

Let’s add the following code to main.cpp:

#define DISCORDPP_IMPLEMENTATION
#include "discordpp.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <thread>
#include <atomic>
#include <string>
#include <functional>
#include <csignal>

// Replace with your Discord Application ID
const uint64_t APPLICATION_ID = 123456789012345678;

// Create a flag to stop the application
std::atomic<bool> running = true;

// Signal handler to stop the application
void signalHandler(int signum) {
  running.store(false);
}

int main() {
  std::signal(SIGINT, signalHandler);
  std::cout << "🚀 Initializing Discord SDK...\n";

  // Create our Discord Client
  auto client = std::make_shared<discordpp::Client>();

  // Keep application running to allow SDK to receive events and callbacks
  while (running) {
      std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(10));
  }

  return 0;
}

Compile and run the project:

mkdir build && cd build
cmake ..
cmake --build .
./DiscordSDKExample

Although we’ve not done much yet other than create an instance of the client, you should see the following output printed to the console:

🚀 Initializing Discord SDK...

Troubleshooting

Mac libdiscord_partner_sdk.dylib Not Opened

On Mac you may get the error “libdiscord_partner_sdk.dylib” Not Opened because Apple couldn’t verify it. If this happens press Done on the popup.

You’ll need to open your System Settings > Privacy & Security and scroll down to the Security section. It will tell you “libdiscord_partner_sdk.dylib” was blocked to protect your Mac. Press Open Anyway and try running again.

Now when you get the pop up you’ll have the option to select Open Anyway and it will be able to use it successfully.

Step 6: Setting Up SDK Event Handling

Let’s add some event handlers to monitor what’s happening with our Discord connection. We’ll set up two important callbacks:

A logging callback to see what the SDK is doing
A status callback to know when we can start using Discord features

Adding Logging Support

First, let’s add logging so we can see what’s happening:

client->AddLogCallback([](auto message, auto severity) {
  std::cout << "[" << EnumToString(severity) << "] " << message << std::endl;
}, discordpp::LoggingSeverity::Info);

Monitoring Connection Status

Next, let’s add a status callback that tells us when we’re ready to use Discord features:

client->SetStatusChangedCallback([client](discordpp::Client::Status status, discordpp::Client::Error error, int32_t errorDetail) {
  std::cout << "🔄 Status changed: " << discordpp::Client::StatusToString(status) << std::endl;

  if (status == discordpp::Client::Status::Ready) {
    std::cout << "✅ Client is ready! You can now call SDK functions.\n";
  } else if (error != discordpp::Client::Error::None) {
    std::cerr << "❌ Connection Error: " << discordpp::Client::ErrorToString(error) << " - Details: " << errorDetail << std::endl;
  }
});

main.cpp with event handling

#define DISCORDPP_IMPLEMENTATION
#include "discordpp.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <thread>
#include <atomic>
#include <string>
#include <functional>
#include <csignal>

// Replace with your Discord Application ID
const uint64_t APPLICATION_ID = 123456789012345678;

// Create a flag to stop the application
std::atomic<bool> running = true;

// Signal handler to stop the application
void signalHandler(int signum) {
    running.store(false);
}

int main() {
    std::signal(SIGINT, signalHandler);
    std::cout << "🚀 Initializing Discord SDK...\n";

    // Create Discord Client
    auto client = std::make_shared<discordpp::Client>();

    // Set up logging callback
    client->AddLogCallback([](auto message, auto severity) {
      std::cout << "[" << EnumToString(severity) << "] " << message << std::endl;
    }, discordpp::LoggingSeverity::Info);

    // Set up status callback to monitor client connection
    client->SetStatusChangedCallback([client](discordpp::Client::Status status, discordpp::Client::Error error, int32_t errorDetail) {
      std::cout << "🔄 Status changed: " << discordpp::Client::StatusToString(status) << std::endl;

      if (status == discordpp::Client::Status::Ready) {
        std::cout << "✅ Client is ready! You can now call SDK functions.\n";
      } else if (error != discordpp::Client::Error::None) {
        std::cerr << "❌ Connection Error: " << discordpp::Client::ErrorToString(error) << " - Details: " << errorDetail << std::endl;
      }
    });

    // Keep application running to allow SDK to receive events and callbacks
    while (running) {
      std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(10));
    }

    return 0;
}

Most Discord features won’t work until the status is [Client::Status::Ready]. The status callback lets you know exactly when you can start using them.

What These Callbacks Do

The logging callback shows you what’s happening behind the scenes
The status callback tells you when you’re connected and ready to use Discord features

At this point, these callbacks won’t get called since the client setup is not yet complete. However, very soon we will be using them to view debug information and see what our connection status is!

To get to a [Client::Status::Ready] state, we need to authenticate with Discord. We’ll do that shortly.

Step 7: Run Callbacks

Once you’ve registered callbacks with the SDK, you’ll need to execute them in the event loop of your program. Add something like this to your game’s main event loop or tick function. Let’s add RunCallbacks to our main loop:

 // Keep application running to allow SDK to receive events and callbacks
  while (running) {
    discordpp::RunCallbacks();
    std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(10));
  }

Step 8: Account Linking with Discord

In this step, we’ll implement OAuth2 authentication to support account-linking with Discord. This process will:

Open the Discord app or a browser window for Discord login
Get an authorization code
Exchange it for an access token
Connect to Discord

Add the Authentication Code

Add this code to your main.cpp after setting up the status callback:

Choosing your OAuth2 scopes: This guide uses Client::GetDefaultPresenceScopes, which requests the openid and sdk.social_layer_presence scopes. These enable core features like account linking, friends list, and rich presence.If your game also needs lobbies, voice chat, or direct messaging, use Client::GetDefaultCommunicationScopes instead. See the OAuth2 Scopes guide for the full breakdown.

// Generate OAuth2 code verifier for authentication
auto codeVerifier = client->CreateAuthorizationCodeVerifier();

// Set up authentication arguments
discordpp::AuthorizationArgs args{};
args.SetClientId(APPLICATION_ID);
args.SetScopes(discordpp::Client::GetDefaultPresenceScopes());
args.SetCodeChallenge(codeVerifier.Challenge());

// Begin authentication process
client->Authorize(args, [client, codeVerifier](auto result, auto code, auto redirectUri) {
  if (!result.Successful()) {
    std::cerr << "❌ Authentication Error: " << result.Error() << std::endl;
    return;
  } else {
    std::cout << "✅ Authorization successful! Getting access token...\n";

    // Exchange auth code for access token
    client->GetToken(APPLICATION_ID, code, codeVerifier.Verifier(), redirectUri,
      [client](discordpp::ClientResult result,
      std::string accessToken,
      std::string refreshToken,
      discordpp::AuthorizationTokenType tokenType,
      int32_t expiresIn,
      std::string scope) {
        std::cout << "🔓 Access token received! Establishing connection...\n";
        // Next Step: Update the token and connect
    });
  }
});

What’s Happening Here?

We create a code verifier for OAuth2 PKCE security
Set up authorization arguments with your app ID and required scopes
Start the auth flow with Client::Authorize, which opens a browser
When authorized, we exchange the code for an access token

Never log or store access tokens insecurely! They should be treated as sensitive credentials.

Testing It Out

Build and run your program
A browser window should open asking you to authorize your app
After authorizing, watch the console for the ”🔓 Access token received!” message

If you run into any issues:

Double check your APPLICATION_ID is correct
Ensure you’ve added the redirect URL in your Discord Developer Portal
Check the console for specific error messages

main.cpp with Account Linking

#define DISCORDPP_IMPLEMENTATION
#include "discordpp.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <thread>
#include <atomic>
#include <string>
#include <functional>
#include <csignal>

// Replace with your Discord Application ID
const uint64_t APPLICATION_ID = 123456789012345678;

// Create a flag to stop the application
std::atomic<bool> running = true;

// Signal handler to stop the application
void signalHandler(int signum) {
    running.store(false);
}

int main() {
    std::signal(SIGINT, signalHandler);
    std::cout << "🚀 Initializing Discord SDK...\n";

    // Create our Discord Client
    auto client = std::make_shared<discordpp::Client>();

    // Set up logging callback
    client->AddLogCallback([](auto message, auto severity) {
      std::cout << "[" << EnumToString(severity) << "] " << message << std::endl;
    }, discordpp::LoggingSeverity::Info);

    // Set up status callback to monitor client connection
    client->SetStatusChangedCallback([client](discordpp::Client::Status status, discordpp::Client::Error error, int32_t errorDetail) {
      std::cout << "🔄 Status changed: " << discordpp::Client::StatusToString(status) << std::endl;

      if (status == discordpp::Client::Status::Ready) {
        std::cout << "✅ Client is ready! You can now call SDK functions.\n";
      } else if (error != discordpp::Client::Error::None) {
        std::cerr << "❌ Connection Error: " << discordpp::Client::ErrorToString(error) << " - Details: " << errorDetail << std::endl;
      }
    });

    // Generate OAuth2 code verifier for authentication
    auto codeVerifier = client->CreateAuthorizationCodeVerifier();

    // Set up authentication arguments
    discordpp::AuthorizationArgs args{};
    args.SetClientId(APPLICATION_ID);
    args.SetScopes(discordpp::Client::GetDefaultPresenceScopes());
    args.SetCodeChallenge(codeVerifier.Challenge());

    // Begin authentication process
    client->Authorize(args, [client, codeVerifier](auto result, auto code, auto redirectUri) {
      if (!result.Successful()) {
        std::cerr << "❌ Authentication Error: " << result.Error() << std::endl;
        return;
      } else {
        std::cout << "✅ Authorization successful! Getting access token...\n";

        // Exchange auth code for access token
        client->GetToken(APPLICATION_ID, code, codeVerifier.Verifier(), redirectUri,
          [client](discordpp::ClientResult result,
          std::string accessToken,
          std::string refreshToken,
          discordpp::AuthorizationTokenType tokenType,
          int32_t expiresIn,
          std::string scope) {
            std::cout << "🔓 Access token received! Establishing connection...\n";
            // Next Step: Update the token and connect
        });
      }
    });

    // Keep application running to allow SDK to receive events and callbacks
    while (running) {
      discordpp::RunCallbacks();
      std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(10));
    }

    return 0;
}

Step 9: Connect the SDK to Discord

Now that we have our access token, let’s connect to Discord! This involves two steps:

Updating the SDK with our access token with Client::UpdateToken.
Establishing the connection with Client::Connect.

Find the comment // Next Step: Update the token and connect within client->UpdateToken(), and add the following code after:

// Next Step: Update the token and connect
client->UpdateToken(discordpp::AuthorizationTokenType::Bearer,  accessToken, [client](discordpp::ClientResult result) {
  if(result.Successful()) {
    std::cout << "🔑 Token updated, connecting to Discord...\n";
    client->Connect();
  }
});

What’s Happening Here?

client->UpdateToken() tells the SDK to use our access token for Discord API calls
Once the token is updated, we call client->Connect() in the callback
The SDK will begin connecting asynchronously
Our status callback (from Step 6) will tell us when we’re ready

Watch your console output! You should see status updates as the connection is established.

Testing the Connection

Run your program
Watch for these status messages in order:
- ”🔑 Token updated, connecting to Discord…”
- ”🔄 Status changed: Connecting” (also “Connected” and “Ready”)
- ”✅ Client is ready! You can now call SDK functions.”

Troubleshooting

If you don’t see “Ready” status:

Check that your access token is valid
Ensure you have internet connectivity
Look for error messages in the status callback
Verify your APPLICATION_ID is correct

Now that your client is in a ready state, we can start implementing Discord social features.

main.cpp with SDK connection

#define DISCORDPP_IMPLEMENTATION
#include "discordpp.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <thread>
#include <atomic>
#include <string>
#include <functional>
#include <csignal>

// Replace with your Discord Application ID
const uint64_t APPLICATION_ID = 1349146942634065960;

// Create a flag to stop the application
std::atomic<bool> running = true;

// Signal handler to stop the application
void signalHandler(int signum) {
    running.store(false);
}

int main() {
    std::signal(SIGINT, signalHandler);
    std::cout << "🚀 Initializing Discord SDK...\n";

    // Create our Discord Client
    auto client = std::make_shared<discordpp::Client>();

    // Set up logging callback
    client->AddLogCallback([](auto message, auto severity) {
      std::cout << "[" << EnumToString(severity) << "] " << message << std::endl;
    }, discordpp::LoggingSeverity::Info);

    // Set up status callback to monitor client connection
    client->SetStatusChangedCallback([client](discordpp::Client::Status status, discordpp::Client::Error error, int32_t errorDetail) {
      std::cout << "🔄 Status changed: " << discordpp::Client::StatusToString(status) << std::endl;

      if (status == discordpp::Client::Status::Ready) {
        std::cout << "✅ Client is ready! You can now call SDK functions.\n";
      } else if (error != discordpp::Client::Error::None) {
        std::cerr << "❌ Connection Error: " << discordpp::Client::ErrorToString(error) << " - Details: " << errorDetail << std::endl;
      }
    });

    // Generate OAuth2 code verifier for authentication
    auto codeVerifier = client->CreateAuthorizationCodeVerifier();

    // Set up authentication arguments
    discordpp::AuthorizationArgs args{};
    args.SetClientId(APPLICATION_ID);
    args.SetScopes(discordpp::Client::GetDefaultPresenceScopes());
    args.SetCodeChallenge(codeVerifier.Challenge());

    // Begin authentication process
    client->Authorize(args, [client, codeVerifier](auto result, auto code, auto redirectUri) {
      if (!result.Successful()) {
        std::cerr << "❌ Authentication Error: " << result.Error() << std::endl;
        return;
      } else {
        std::cout << "✅ Authorization successful! Getting access token...\n";

        // Exchange auth code for access token
        client->GetToken(APPLICATION_ID, code, codeVerifier.Verifier(), redirectUri,
          [client](discordpp::ClientResult result,
          std::string accessToken,
          std::string refreshToken,
          discordpp::AuthorizationTokenType tokenType,
          int32_t expiresIn,
          std::string scope) {
            std::cout << "🔓 Access token received! Establishing connection...\n";
            // Next Step: Update the token and connect
            client->UpdateToken(discordpp::AuthorizationTokenType::Bearer,  accessToken, [client](discordpp::ClientResult result) {
              if(result.Successful()) {
                std::cout << "🔑 Token updated, connecting to Discord...\n";
                client->Connect();
              }
            });
        });
      }
    });

    // Keep application running to allow SDK to receive events and callbacks
    while (running) {
      discordpp::RunCallbacks();
      std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(10));
    }

    return 0;
}

Step 10: Access Discord Relationships

Let’s access the user’s Discord relationships (friends list) and display the count. This will help you understand how to access and use Discord data in your game. Within client->SetStatusChangedCallback(), add the following after status == discordpp::Client::Status::Ready code to view how many friends you have in Discord:

// Access initial relationships data
std::cout << "👥 Friends Count: " << client->GetRelationships().size() << std::endl;

What This Code Does

Client::GetRelationships gives you immediate access to the current friend list

Example Output

👥 Friends Count: 42

Testing It Out

Run your program
Wait for the initial friend count

This relationship data forms the foundation for features like friend lists, activity feeds, and multiplayer invites!

Troubleshooting

If you’re not seeing relationship data:

Verify your OAuth2 scopes include relationships access
Ensure you’re connected (Status::Ready)
Check that you have friends on Discord
Look for errors in the logging callback

Next, we’ll learn how to show your game’s activity on Discord with Rich Presence!

main.cpp with friends count

#define DISCORDPP_IMPLEMENTATION
#include "discordpp.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <thread>
#include <atomic>
#include <string>
#include <functional>
#include <csignal>

// Replace with your Discord Application ID
const uint64_t APPLICATION_ID = 1349146942634065960;

// Create a flag to stop the application
std::atomic<bool> running = true;

// Signal handler to stop the application
void signalHandler(int signum) {
    running.store(false);
}

int main() {
    std::signal(SIGINT, signalHandler);
    std::cout << "🚀 Initializing Discord SDK...\n";

    // Create our Discord Client
    auto client = std::make_shared<discordpp::Client>();

    // Set up logging callback
    client->AddLogCallback([](auto message, auto severity) {
      std::cout << "[" << EnumToString(severity) << "] " << message << std::endl;
    }, discordpp::LoggingSeverity::Info);

    // Set up status callback to monitor client connection
    client->SetStatusChangedCallback([client](discordpp::Client::Status status, discordpp::Client::Error error, int32_t errorDetail) {
      std::cout << "🔄 Status changed: " << discordpp::Client::StatusToString(status) << std::endl;

      if (status == discordpp::Client::Status::Ready) {
        std::cout << "✅ Client is ready! You can now call SDK functions.\n";

        // Access initial relationships data
        std::cout << "👥 Friends Count: " << client->GetRelationships().size() << std::endl;

      } else if (error != discordpp::Client::Error::None) {
        std::cerr << "❌ Connection Error: " << discordpp::Client::ErrorToString(error) << " - Details: " << errorDetail << std::endl;
      }
    });

    // Generate OAuth2 code verifier for authentication
    auto codeVerifier = client->CreateAuthorizationCodeVerifier();

    // Set up authentication arguments
    discordpp::AuthorizationArgs args{};
    args.SetClientId(APPLICATION_ID);
    args.SetScopes(discordpp::Client::GetDefaultPresenceScopes());
    args.SetCodeChallenge(codeVerifier.Challenge());

    // Begin authentication process
    client->Authorize(args, [client, codeVerifier](auto result, auto code, auto redirectUri) {
      if (!result.Successful()) {
        std::cerr << "❌ Authentication Error: " << result.Error() << std::endl;
        return;
      } else {
        std::cout << "✅ Authorization successful! Getting access token...\n";

        // Exchange auth code for access token
        client->GetToken(APPLICATION_ID, code, codeVerifier.Verifier(), redirectUri,
          [client](discordpp::ClientResult result,
          std::string accessToken,
          std::string refreshToken,
          discordpp::AuthorizationTokenType tokenType,
          int32_t expiresIn,
          std::string scope) {
            std::cout << "🔓 Access token received! Establishing connection...\n";
            // Next Step: Update the token and connect
            client->UpdateToken(discordpp::AuthorizationTokenType::Bearer,  accessToken, [client](discordpp::ClientResult result) {
              if(result.Successful()) {
                std::cout << "🔑 Token updated, connecting to Discord...\n";
                client->Connect();
              }
            });
        });
      }
    });

    // Keep application running to allow SDK to receive events and callbacks
    while (running) {
      discordpp::RunCallbacks();
      std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(10));
    }

    return 0;
}

Step 11: Set Rich Presence

Let’s show your game’s activity on Discord using Rich Presence. This feature lets players see what others are doing in your game directly in their Discord friends list.

Add Rich Presence Code

Right after the line where we called client->GetRelationships() let’s add the following code to set the your rich presence:

// Configure rich presence details
discordpp::Activity activity;
activity.SetType(discordpp::ActivityTypes::Playing);
activity.SetState("In Competitive Match");
activity.SetDetails("Rank: Diamond II");

// Update rich presence
client->UpdateRichPresence(activity, [](discordpp::ClientResult result) {
  if(result.Successful()) {
    std::cout << "🎮 Rich Presence updated successfully!\n";
  } else {
    std::cerr << "❌ Rich Presence update failed";
  }
});

What This Code Does

Creates an Activity object to represent what the player is doing
Sets basic information like:

The activity type (Playing)
Current state (“In Competitive Match”)
Additional details (“Rank: Diamond II”)

Updates your rich presence on Discord

Testing It Out

Run your program
Watch for the console message ”🎮 Rich Presence updated successfully!”
Check your Discord profile, you should see:

“Playing [Your Game]”
“In Competitive Match”
“Rank: Diamond II”

Troubleshooting

If you don’t see your presence:

Ensure you’re connected ([Client::Status::Ready])
Check the callback for error messages
Verify your activity settings are valid
Make sure you’re not invisible on Discord

main.cpp complete

#define DISCORDPP_IMPLEMENTATION
#include "discordpp.h"
#include <iostream>
#include <thread>
#include <atomic>
#include <string>
#include <functional>
#include <csignal>

// Replace with your Discord Application ID
const uint64_t APPLICATION_ID = 1349146942634065960;

// Create a flag to stop the application
std::atomic<bool> running = true;

// Signal handler to stop the application
void signalHandler(int signum) {
    running.store(false);
}

int main() {
    std::signal(SIGINT, signalHandler);
    std::cout << "🚀 Initializing Discord SDK...\n";

    // Create our Discord Client
    auto client = std::make_shared<discordpp::Client>();

    // Set up logging callback
    client->AddLogCallback([](auto message, auto severity) {
      std::cout << "[" << EnumToString(severity) << "] " << message << std::endl;
    }, discordpp::LoggingSeverity::Info);

    // Set up status callback to monitor client connection
    client->SetStatusChangedCallback([client](discordpp::Client::Status status, discordpp::Client::Error error, int32_t errorDetail) {
      std::cout << "🔄 Status changed: " << discordpp::Client::StatusToString(status) << std::endl;

      if (status == discordpp::Client::Status::Ready) {
        std::cout << "✅ Client is ready! You can now call SDK functions.\n";

        // Access initial relationships data
        std::cout << "👥 Friends Count: " << client->GetRelationships().size() << std::endl;

        // Configure rich presence details
        discordpp::Activity activity;
        activity.SetType(discordpp::ActivityTypes::Playing);
        activity.SetState("In Competitive Match");
        activity.SetDetails("Rank: Diamond II");

        // Update rich presence
        client->UpdateRichPresence(activity, [](discordpp::ClientResult result) {
          if(result.Successful()) {
            std::cout << "🎮 Rich Presence updated successfully!\n";
          } else {
            std::cerr << "❌ Rich Presence update failed";
          }
        });

      } else if (error != discordpp::Client::Error::None) {
        std::cerr << "❌ Connection Error: " << discordpp::Client::ErrorToString(error) << " - Details: " << errorDetail << std::endl;
      }
    });

    // Generate OAuth2 code verifier for authentication
    auto codeVerifier = client->CreateAuthorizationCodeVerifier();

    // Set up authentication arguments
    discordpp::AuthorizationArgs args{};
    args.SetClientId(APPLICATION_ID);
    args.SetScopes(discordpp::Client::GetDefaultPresenceScopes());
    args.SetCodeChallenge(codeVerifier.Challenge());

    // Begin authentication process
    client->Authorize(args, [client, codeVerifier](auto result, auto code, auto redirectUri) {
      if (!result.Successful()) {
        std::cerr << "❌ Authentication Error: " << result.Error() << std::endl;
        return;
      } else {
        std::cout << "✅ Authorization successful! Getting access token...\n";

        // Exchange auth code for access token
        client->GetToken(APPLICATION_ID, code, codeVerifier.Verifier(), redirectUri,
          [client](discordpp::ClientResult result,
          std::string accessToken,
          std::string refreshToken,
          discordpp::AuthorizationTokenType tokenType,
          int32_t expiresIn,
          std::string scope) {
            std::cout << "🔓 Access token received! Establishing connection...\n";
            // Next Step: Update the token and connect
            client->UpdateToken(discordpp::AuthorizationTokenType::Bearer,  accessToken, [client](discordpp::ClientResult result) {
              if(result.Successful()) {
                std::cout << "🔑 Token updated, connecting to Discord...\n";
                client->Connect();
              }
            });
        });
      }
    });

    // Keep application running to allow SDK to receive events and callbacks
    while (running) {
      discordpp::RunCallbacks();
      std::this_thread::sleep_for(std::chrono::milliseconds(10));
    }

    return 0;
}

Conclusion

Congratulations! You’ve successfully integrated the Discord Social SDK into your C++ application. Let’s review what you’ve accomplished:

What You’ve Built

✅ Created a Discord application and configured OAuth2
✅ Set up SDK logging and status monitoring
✅ Implemented user authentication flow
✅ Retrieved Discord relationships data
✅ Added Rich Presence support

Key Concepts Learned

How to initialize and configure the Discord SDK
Managing authentication and connections
Working with Discord’s social features
Handling asynchronous callbacks
Monitoring SDK status and events

Next Steps

You have successfully set up the Discord Social SDK with C++ and authenticated with Discord! You can now use the SDK to add more social features in your project.

Creating a Unified Friends List

Create a unified friends list combining Discord and game-specific friendships

Setting Rich Presence

Customize your game’s rich presence to show more advanced information and game invites

Managing Game Invites

Allow players to invite friends to join their game session or party.

Need help? Join the Discord Developers Server and share questions in the #social-sdk-dev-help channel for support from the community. If you encounter a bug while working with the Social SDK, please report it here: https://dis.gd/social-sdk-bug-report

Change Log

Date	Changes
March 17, 2025	initial release

Discord Social SDK

Core Concepts

Getting Started

Design Foundations

Account Linking

Friends & Relationships

Rich Presence & User Status

Game Invites

Direct Messages

Lobbies & Voice

How To

​Overview

​Prerequisites

​Step 1: Create a Discord Developer Team

​Step 2: Create a Discord Application

​Step 3: Enable Discord Social SDK for Your App

​Step 4: Download the Discord SDK for C++

​Runtime Dependencies

​Step 5: Project Setup

​Troubleshooting

​Step 6: Setting Up SDK Event Handling

​Adding Logging Support

​Monitoring Connection Status

​What These Callbacks Do

​Step 7: Run Callbacks

​Step 8: Account Linking with Discord

​Add the Authentication Code

​What’s Happening Here?

​Testing It Out

​Step 9: Connect the SDK to Discord

​What’s Happening Here?

​Testing the Connection

​Troubleshooting

​Step 10: Access Discord Relationships

​What This Code Does

​Example Output

​Testing It Out

​Troubleshooting

​Step 11: Set Rich Presence

​Add Rich Presence Code

​What This Code Does

​Testing It Out

​Troubleshooting

​Conclusion

​What You’ve Built

​Key Concepts Learned

​Next Steps

Creating a Unified Friends List

Setting Rich Presence

Managing Game Invites

​Change Log

Overview

Prerequisites

Step 1: Create a Discord Developer Team

Step 2: Create a Discord Application

Step 3: Enable Discord Social SDK for Your App

Step 4: Download the Discord SDK for C++

Runtime Dependencies

Step 5: Project Setup

Troubleshooting

Step 6: Setting Up SDK Event Handling

Adding Logging Support

Monitoring Connection Status

What These Callbacks Do

Step 7: Run Callbacks

Step 8: Account Linking with Discord

Add the Authentication Code

What’s Happening Here?

Testing It Out

Step 9: Connect the SDK to Discord

What’s Happening Here?

Testing the Connection

Troubleshooting

Step 10: Access Discord Relationships

What This Code Does

Example Output

Testing It Out

Troubleshooting

Step 11: Set Rich Presence

Add Rich Presence Code

What This Code Does

Testing It Out

Troubleshooting

Conclusion

What You’ve Built

Key Concepts Learned

Next Steps

Change Log