This post may contain paid links to my personal recommendations that help to support the site!

Data science can be a really exciting field, but sometimes we just need some community to talk about all things data.

If you’re a data geek like me, you’d love to have discussions on how we handle data differently. This is where I’d introduce you to the communities in Discord Servers.

Here’s a top 10 list to get you started!

Top 10 Data Science Discord Servers (Must-Join!)

  1. The Data Share
  2. CS Dojo
  3. /r/LearnMachineLearning
  4. Data Science
  5. Fundamentals ML
  6. Tensorflow
  7. Learn AI Together
  8. Artificial Intelligence Community
  9. Python
  10. Data Analytics

Now that you’ve seen the list, let me share with you more about what each of them offers (and my favorite out of the 10!) But first, allow me to explain more about what a Discord Server is and what do Discord Servers offer.

What is Discord?

Originally, it’s where gamers gathered online, so if you’re already a big fan of video games, it’s likely that you’ve used Discord or at least heard of it. For those of us who are new to Discord, think of it as a social platform for any online community who wants to have discussions in real-time.

Discord allows conversations to happen more naturally, through hangouts within voice or text channels. Based on my personal experience, Discord has been a great platform to get my problems answered through help form the community or even answer some problems myself!

I’d say that Discord is a mix of Telegram, Skype, Reddit and Slack with a whole load of functionalities and fun stuff packed in a light-weight and fast app.

Here’s an introduction video made by them!

With the recent announcements from Discord in June 2020, they revealed their decision to rebrand away from the gaming roots to focus more on the general audience. This means that you’ll be able to enjoy all the features of Discord even if you don’t use it for gaming.

Recently, I found a whole treasure trove of wonderful data science-related communities hidden within Discord servers. Online communities have blown up over the past few months and they are starting to thrive on Discord servers. What better time than now to jump into one of the Data Science Discord servers below and try it out for yourself! You can download the Discord app on their website here.

1. The Data Share (TDS)

About:

If you’ve involved yourself with some data work, you might have come across Towards Data Science. The Data Share Discord server was a project meant for the Towards Data Science community, where anyone could hangout based on common interests as well to discuss problems.

My Experience:

After interacting with the various channels in the server, I would say that there’s a really large community of at 500 online users at any time. That’s quite impressive. The next most neat thing I found was the clear categories of discussion in all the common areas – machine learning, natural language processing, analytics and so on!

As I explored deeper, I noticed there were special servers built for the community focusing on areas like career, articles and resources. Another aspect that amazed me was the Repositories channel. Data scientists and analysts post up their Github repositories to viewing, which can be useful for beginners when looking for project inspiration.

Why You Should Join:

  • Has a large community
  • Clear categories

Invitation Link:

You can join The Data Share Discord server from this invitation link here.

2. CS Dojo

About:

The CS Dojo Discord server is social community from the Youtuber CS Dojo. Also another popular server, the CS Dojo Discord server is a large community of over 4000 total members. The server typically discusses programming-related topics in Data Science and Machine Learning.

In case you’ve not seen any videos from CS Dojo, I’ve attached a video from the channel below.

My Experience:

The first thing you’ll realize in this server is the again, the large community of server members of at least 500 online members. There were some note-worthy servers that could be good for budding data scientists in terms of programming languages. For example, there were two channels focused on Python, one used for general discussion and the other for tips.

Although the server has more focus on software engineering, I believe the Python channels are great for discussions for data science too.

One other aspect I love about this server is that it is based on a Youtuber called YK from CS Dojo. He’s a dedicated guy and an honest one, as he takes the time to reply to members’ questions as well as take in feedback. If you’re looking for a community and you also watch CS Dojo’s videos, what are you waiting for? Join the server now!

Bonus! There was a meme channel that members use to post programming memes. If you’re looking for more than just work and need a laugh, do check it out.

Why You Should Join:

  • If you love CS Dojo’s YouTube Videos
  • If you’re interested in both Computer Science and Data Science

Invitation Link:

If you’re interested in joining this large community, go ahead and click here for the invitation link.

3. /r/LearnMachineLearning

About:

This server is based on the subreddit page “/r/LearnMachineLearning”. If you’re looking for a MASSIVE community then this is the page you are going to have to join. This server has at least 6000 members inside so you are bound to make some friends here.

My Experience:

This has been one of the largest data science Discord servers I’ve joined. This means that any of your questions can be answered quickly, given the sheer number of members. A great feature in this server is the “ask a question” section, where any member can post questions to the community. I also noted that it was split into both math and programming categories, which is what all data scientists love.

Additionally, there are study rooms here. Yes, you read that right – study rooms. These are specific channels made for discussions about well-known data science courses like Andrew Ng’s Machine Learning Course as well as Fast AI’s Deep Learning Course.

Bonus! There’s a “basement” channel in here. You’d have to join to take a look at what’s featured here. Just kidding, it’s mostly fun hangouts and chill conversations.

Why You Should Join:

Invitation Link:

Curious to join this community? You can join through this invitation link here.

4. Data Science

About:

The name of this server says it all – this community is all about data science. A server made by data scientists, the creators meant to create a community that explores all the areas of the field, by members of all levels of expertise.

My Experience:

When you’re in the server, the first thing you’d notice is the well-structured channels on the left panel, which is rare for a channel of this size (1000 members). Split between 3 main categories, the discussions are really organized, very much similar to that of forums. That’s a plus point for me. These categories are “Share”, “Ask” and “Off-Topic”.

“Share” is great for sharing ML papers, interesting visualizations, and cool project ideas. “Ask” is also a great place for your data science questions, where members can post problems and have them answered by the community.

“Off-Topic” is what makes this a true community. Who doesn’t love a little banter and fun? There’s even a “cat-pictures” channel just for cat-lovers!

Why You Should Join:

  • Well-structured channels
  • Large community
  • Great hangout channels

Invitation Link:

You can have a look at the Discord server for yourself by joining through the invitation link here.

5. Fundamentals ML

About:

The Fundamentals ML server is intended for anyone with interest in the math behind machine learning (ML). Meant to be used as a social platform for sharing knowledge and experiences in ML, the Fundamentals ML server welcomes all members with different experience levels.

My Experience:

The server was really well-organized, with introduction channels and voice channels for work/study or just to talk and hang out. The community here is much smaller than those mentioned above but that does not mean that there is lesser interaction. In fact, I found a whole category just for discussions on anything but math and ML. The other two channels available are ML and math with their many respective sub-channels.

I also found a channel just for discussions on the Stanford University Machine Learning CS229 Course. How neat is that! Although I’ve not completed the course yet, I’m sure some of you would benefit from this discussion channel.

However, one caveat about this server would be its relatively smaller size, which is understandable, since it is an ML-focused server. So that’s why your answers and problems may not be answered immediately.

Why You Should Join:

  • Good discussions in Machine Learning
  • Open voice channels for hangouts
  • Has discussion channel for the Stanford CS229 ML Course

Invitation Link:

Interested in ML, I’d recommend you join the channel through this invitation link here.

6. Tensorflow

About:

If this server name has started to ring a bell in your head, you’re probably already a frequent user of Tensorflow in your ML projects in Python. For those who recognize the name, you wouldn’t need much introduction. For those who are fresh to Tensorflow, it is an open-source ML platform used by many data scientists.

My Experience:

Although relatively large, the Tensorflow Discord server is welcome to beginners who are trying out Tensorflow for themselves for the first time. This server has many discussion channels for support in Tensorflow or ML in general. However, being a server founded from an open-source platform, the community is slightly lacking in terms of responses and you may require a longer time for a response.

The greatest strength of being in this community server is for the highly specific discussions in Ml/AI channels. There are even channels on genetic algorithms, generative adversarial networks, and recurrent neural networks. You might be able to learn something about ML from there.

Bonus! There’s even a channel about topics in AI ethics, which is something you don’t see that commonly among discord servers. AI ethics is a huge area that’s really been quite hot recently, so you might get some interesting insights from here.

Why You Should Join:

  • Tensorflow-related community
  • ML-focused discussions
  • AI ethics channel

Invitation Link:

You can join their Discord server here.

7. Learn AI Together

About:

The “Learn AI Together” Discord server was started as a community for the “What’s AI” AI news Youtube channel. Here’s where discussions on data science and AI are made with weekly announcements of AI news video releases.

My Experience:

This server is actually quite different from the previous ones for the fact that it is based on news within the topic of AI. I found this community to be an active and rapidly-growing one, with several members joining the server per day. Despite being a small community, discussions and questions were responded really quickly and comprehensively.

Additionally, I also saw how more experienced AI enthusiasts give great explanations to the newer ones through the use of specific discussion channels. These include computer vision, natural language processing, and so on. How awesome is that! If you’re a beginner in the field of data science and AI here’s where you want to be at.

Also, did I mention how there are several voice channels just for asking anything AI-related? These are even split into advanced questions, general questions, and dedicated channels just for learning together. If you’re comfortable using your voice, you can use these channels to let your problems be heard by advanced AI enthusiasts.

https://www.youtube.com/c/WhatsAI/featured

Why You Should Join:

  • Small but active community
  • Rapidly-growing
  • Wide range of topics
  • Voice channels for questions

Invitation Link:

You can have a look by joining the Discord server through his invitation link here.

8. Artificial Intelligence Community

About:

A Discord server created in 2017 to bring together a community of people with a mutual interest in Artificial Intelligence, the “Artificial Intelligence Community” has been around for a while now and is steadily growing.

My Experience:

The server didn’t seem to be moderated often by any moderators except some bots but the members in this community server have been the greatest value. The discussions here are slightly less active but members still do get good answers for their problems on the #question-answering channel.

I noticed that this server had a wide range of topics for their channels, which is good if you’d like to only see specific content for your data science project. Although some may see fewer discussions, I believe that every problem will get answered if you do post it in the correct channel topics.

Why You Should Join:

  • Wide variety of channel topics
  • Highly-specific topics
  • Useful #question-answering channel

Invitation Link:

You can have a look by joining the Discord server through his invitation link here.

9. Python Discord

About:

The Python Discord is a MASSIVE community. In fact, it’s the largest on this list! This is understandable since we’re looking at a Discord channel just for the Python programming language itself.

The community organizes regular community events like code jams, open-source hackathons, seasonal events, and community challenges. There are even prizes to be won from these challenges!

Here’s a quick video I found made by the Python Discord as an introduction. Enjoy!

My Experience:

If you’re looking for a SUPER active community then this server is for you. With such a large base of Python programmers, you are sure to find someone who is able to help you with your Python data science problem.

Welcome Screen

This community is a dedicated one, with a handful of admins and 7 moderators, and 22 helpers. Based on what I saw, several members were actively discussing a member’s problem through a voice channel. Now that’s what I would consider as a lovely online social community.

Check out the screenshot I took below of myself with others in a voice channel!

Also, did I mention that there was a REALLY huge selection of discussion channels? There were even python events, mailing lists, careers-related, databases and data structures. I’m sure you’d find something that’s of your interest!

Why You Should Join:

  • Large community of Python programmers
  • Active moderators and members
  • Lively, on-going voice conversations on voice channels

Invitation Link:

You can have a look by joining the Discord server through his invitation link here.

10. Data Analytics Discord

About:

This is a small, fun community focused on data analytics. Started by CoderKian, a blogger for his journey of learning data analytics, the main objective of the Discord server is to create a data visualization on a dataset every week.

My Experience:

What I love about this server is how cozy it is. Having about 100 online members at any time, the small community allows for closer interaction within the server. Moreover, the discussions are separated in well-organized channels denoted by appealing emojis. How could you not love this?

Also, there’s even a music corner where anyone can stream music for others to listen to while you code your next data analytics project.

Why You Should Join:

  • For like-minded learners
  • Small but cozy community

Invitation Link:

You can have a look by joining the Discord server through his invitation link here.

If you’re keen on picking up data analytics, I would highly recommend getting certified by Google! Read more about my review of the Google Data Analytics Certificate here.

Final Thoughts

Alright, that’s all of the best data science Discord servers I could round up! From my experience, these 10 Discord servers I listed were great and provide value for different uses and functions within data science so do pick one (or two) to join and be part of a data science community today!

My Favorite Learning Resources:

Here are some of the learning resources I’ve personally found to be useful as a data analyst and I hope you find them useful too!

These may contain affiliate links and I earn a commission from them if you use them.

However, I’d honestly recommend them to my juniors, friends, or even my family!

My Recommended Learning Platforms!

Learning PlatformWhat’s Good About the Platform?
1CourseraCertificates are offered by popular learning institutes and companies like Google & IBM
2DataCampComes with an integrated coding platform, great for beginners!
3PluralsightStrong focus on data skills, taught by industry experts
4StratascratchLearn faster by doing real interview coding practices for data science
5UdacityHigh-quality, comprehensive courses

My Recommended Online Courses + Books!

TopicOnline CoursesBooks
1Data AnalyticsGoogle Data Analytics Professional Certificate
2Data ScienceIBM Data Science Professional Certificate
3ExcelExcel Skills for Business Specialization
4PythonPython for Everybody SpecializationPython for Data Analysis
5SQLIntroduction to SQLSQL: The Ultimate Beginners Guide: Learn SQL Today
6TableauData Visualization with TableauPractical Tableau
7Power BIGetting Started with Power BI DesktopBeginning Microsoft Power BI
8R ProgrammingData Science: Foundations using R SpecializationLearning R
9Data VisualizationBig Book of Dashboards

To see all of my most up-to-date recommendations, check out this resource I’ve put together for you here.

More Articles For You

Featured Image Source: Technology vector created by pch.vector – www.freepik.com