Switch Discord notifications from webhook to user ID DMs

Uses the existing bot token to send DMs to users by their Discord user ID
instead of posting to a channel webhook.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

api/routes/notifications.py

@@ -89,14 +89,14 @@ def register(app):
         settings = notifications.getNotificationSettings(user_uuid)
         if not settings:
             return flask.jsonify({
-                "discord_webhook": "",
+                "discord_user_id": "",
                 "discord_enabled": False,
                 "ntfy_topic": "",
                 "ntfy_enabled": False,
                 "web_push_enabled": False,
             }), 200
         return flask.jsonify({
-            "discord_webhook": settings.get("discord_webhook") or "",
+            "discord_user_id": settings.get("discord_user_id") or "",
             "discord_enabled": bool(settings.get("discord_enabled")),
             "ntfy_topic": settings.get("ntfy_topic") or "",
             "ntfy_enabled": bool(settings.get("ntfy_enabled")),

config/schema.sql

@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users (
 CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS notifications (
     id UUID PRIMARY KEY,
     user_uuid UUID REFERENCES users(id) ON DELETE CASCADE UNIQUE,
-    discord_webhook VARCHAR(500),
+    discord_user_id VARCHAR(100),
     discord_enabled BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE,
     ntfy_topic VARCHAR(255),
     ntfy_enabled BOOLEAN DEFAULT FALSE,

core/notifications.py

@@ -19,8 +19,8 @@ def _sendToEnabledChannels(notif_settings, message, user_uuid=None):
     """Send message to all enabled channels. Returns True if at least one succeeded."""
     sent = False
 
-    if notif_settings.get("discord_enabled") and notif_settings.get("discord_webhook"):
-        if discord.send(notif_settings["discord_webhook"], message):
+    if notif_settings.get("discord_enabled") and notif_settings.get("discord_user_id"):
+        if discord.send_dm(notif_settings["discord_user_id"], message):
             sent = True
 
     if notif_settings.get("ntfy_enabled") and notif_settings.get("ntfy_topic"):
@@ -44,7 +44,7 @@ def getNotificationSettings(userUUID):
 def setNotificationSettings(userUUID, data_dict):
     existing = postgres.select_one("notifications", {"user_uuid": userUUID})
     allowed = [
-        "discord_webhook",
+        "discord_user_id",
         "discord_enabled",
         "ntfy_topic",
         "ntfy_enabled",
@@ -64,11 +64,33 @@ def setNotificationSettings(userUUID, data_dict):
 
 class discord:
     @staticmethod
-    def send(webhook_url, message):
+    def send_dm(user_id, message):
+        """Send a DM to a Discord user via the bot."""
+        bot_token = os.environ.get("DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN")
+        if not bot_token:
+            logger.warning("DISCORD_BOT_TOKEN not set, skipping Discord DM")
+            return False
+        headers = {"Authorization": f"Bot {bot_token}", "Content-Type": "application/json"}
         try:
-            response = requests.post(webhook_url, json={"content": message})
-            return response.status_code == 204
-        except:
+            # Open/get DM channel with the user
+            dm_resp = requests.post(
+                "https://discord.com/api/v10/users/@me/channels",
+                headers=headers,
+                json={"recipient_id": user_id},
+            )
+            if dm_resp.status_code != 200:
+                logger.error(f"Failed to open DM channel for user {user_id}: {dm_resp.status_code}")
+                return False
+            channel_id = dm_resp.json()["id"]
+            # Send the message
+            msg_resp = requests.post(
+                f"https://discord.com/api/v10/channels/{channel_id}/messages",
+                headers=headers,
+                json={"content": message},
+            )
+            return msg_resp.status_code == 200
+        except Exception as e:
+            logger.error(f"Discord DM error: {e}")
             return False
 
 

synculous-client/src/app/dashboard/settings/page.tsx

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ interface Preferences {
 }
 
 interface NotifSettings {
-  discord_webhook: string;
+  discord_user_id: string;
   discord_enabled: boolean;
   ntfy_topic: string;
   ntfy_enabled: boolean;
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
     celebration_style: 'standard',
   });
   const [notif, setNotif] = useState<NotifSettings>({
-    discord_webhook: '',
+    discord_user_id: '',
     discord_enabled: false,
     ntfy_topic: '',
     ntfy_enabled: false,
@@ -41,7 +41,7 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
     Promise.all([
       api.preferences.get().then((data: Preferences) => setPrefs(data)),
       api.notifications.getSettings().then((data) => setNotif({
-        discord_webhook: data.discord_webhook,
+        discord_user_id: data.discord_user_id,
         discord_enabled: data.discord_enabled,
         ntfy_topic: data.ntfy_topic,
         ntfy_enabled: data.ntfy_enabled,
@@ -214,7 +214,7 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
             <div className="flex items-center justify-between">
               <div>
                 <p className="font-medium text-gray-900">Discord</p>
-                <p className="text-sm text-gray-500">Send notifications to a Discord channel</p>
+                <p className="text-sm text-gray-500">Get DMs from the Synculous bot</p>
               </div>
               <button
                 onClick={() => updateNotif({ discord_enabled: !notif.discord_enabled })}
@@ -229,11 +229,11 @@ export default function SettingsPage() {
             </div>
             {notif.discord_enabled && (
               <input
-                type="url"
-                placeholder="Discord webhook URL"
-                value={notif.discord_webhook}
-                onChange={(e) => setNotif({ ...notif, discord_webhook: e.target.value })}
-                onBlur={() => updateNotif({ discord_webhook: notif.discord_webhook })}
+                type="text"
+                placeholder="Your Discord user ID"
+                value={notif.discord_user_id}
+                onChange={(e) => setNotif({ ...notif, discord_user_id: e.target.value })}
+                onBlur={() => updateNotif({ discord_user_id: notif.discord_user_id })}
                 className="w-full px-3 py-2 text-sm border border-gray-200 rounded-lg focus:outline-none focus:ring-2 focus:ring-indigo-500 focus:border-transparent text-gray-900 placeholder-gray-400"
               />
             )}

synculous-client/src/lib/api.ts

@@ -649,7 +649,7 @@ export const api = {
 
     getSettings: async () => {
       return request<{
-        discord_webhook: string;
+        discord_user_id: string;
         discord_enabled: boolean;
         ntfy_topic: string;
         ntfy_enabled: boolean;
@@ -658,7 +658,7 @@ export const api = {
     },
 
     updateSettings: async (data: {
-      discord_webhook?: string;
+      discord_user_id?: string;
       discord_enabled?: boolean;
       ntfy_topic?: string;
       ntfy_enabled?: boolean;