Multiple if/else conditions (discord bot)

Question

I'm trying to create a simple discord bot, currently using nodeJS. I'm creating specific commands that only specific users can use and whenever someone who does not have permission to use such command can get a reply "You don't have permission". (I hope you get the idea. sorry for the bad wording).

This is my current code:

const Discord = require('discord.js');
const client = new Discord.Client();
const prefix = '!';

client.once('ready', () => {
    console.log('Bot is online');
});

client.on('message', message =>{
    if(!message.content.startsWith(prefix) || message.author.bot) return;
    const args = message.content.slice(prefix.length).split(/ +/);
    const command = args.shift().toLowerCase();
    

    if(command === 'ban' && message.author.id === "123456789"){
    message.channel.send('suspended');
    }
    else{message.channel.send('no permission.')
    ;}
    if(command === 'chat' && message.author.id === "123456789"){
    message.channel.send('chat-restricted');
    }
    else{message.channel.send('no permission.')
    ;}
    if(command === 'coins' && message.author.id === "123456789"){
    message.channel.send('balance updated.');
    }
    else{message.channel.send('no permission.')
    ;}
    
    if(command === 'coins 2' && message.author.id === "123456789"){
    message.channel.send('balance updated.');
    }
    else{message.channel.send('no permission.')
    ;}
});

But what happens is, whenever someone uses a command, the yes or no condition will show 4 times, because there are 4 commands.

So if a user tried to use the !ban command the output would be

no permission
no permission
no permission
no permission

I'm pretty sure i messed up something in my if/else conditions but im not sure what it is.. Help is highly appreciated, i'm sorry for the bad wording of things..

Answer 1

As you have all the conditions separately they will execute one by one. You should use else if after the first clause to tie all the clauses. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/if...else

You can also use a switch case statement for the use-case you explained. https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/switch

    if(command === 'ban' && message.author.id === "123456789"){
        message.channel.send('suspended');
    }
    else if(command === 'chat' && message.author.id === "123456789"){
        message.channel.send('chat-restricted');
    }
    else if(command === 'coins' && message.author.id === "123456789"){
        message.channel.send('balance updated.');
    }
    else if(command === 'coins 2' && message.author.id === "123456789"){
        message.channel.send('balance updated.');
    }
    else{message.channel.send('no permission.')
    ;}

You can also simplify your if clause by checking the message.author.id first and then proceed to check which command is executed like the following.

if (message.author.id === "123456789"){
   if(command === "coins 2"){
      ...
   else if(command === "chat"){
      ...(command specific execution)
   }
   ... (rest of the commands)
}else{
   message.channel.send("No permission.")
}

Answer 2

You can change your code into something like this.

const Discord = require('discord.js');
const client = new Discord.Client();
const prefix = '!';

client.once('ready', () => {
    console.log('Bot is online');
});

client.on('message', message =>{
    if(!message.content.startsWith(prefix) || message.author.bot) return;
    const args = message.content.slice(prefix.length).split(/ +/);
    const command = args.shift().toLowerCase();
    
    if (message.author.id === '123456789') {
      switch (command) {
        case 'ban':
          message.channel.send('suspended');
          break;
        case 'chat':
          message.channel.send('chat-restricted');
          break;
        case 'coins':
          message.channel.send('balance updated.');
          break;
        case 'coins 2':
          message.channel.send('balance updated.');
          break;
        default:
          message.channel.send('unknown command!');
          break;
      }
    } else {
      message.channel.send('no permission.');
    }
});

The idea is this.

let command = 'ban';
let message = {
  author: {
    id: -1,
  },
};

if (message.author.id == '123456789') {
  switch (command) {
    case 'ban':
      // send suspended
    break;
    case 'chat':
      // send chat-restricted
    break;
    // ...
  }
} else {
  // send no permission
}

Or if you want to use if else conditions for some reason.

const Discord = require('discord.js');
const client = new Discord.Client();
const prefix = '!';

client.once('ready', () => {
    console.log('Bot is online');
});

client.on('message', message =>{
    if(!message.content.startsWith(prefix) || message.author.bot) return;
    const args = message.content.slice(prefix.length).split(/ +/);
    const command = args.shift().toLowerCase();
    
    if (command === 'ban' && message.author.id === "123456789") {
        message.channel.send('suspended');
    } else if (command === 'chat' && message.author.id === "123456789") {
        message.channel.send('chat-restricted');
    } else if (command === 'coins' && message.author.id === "123456789") {
        message.channel.send('balance updated.');
    } else if (command === 'coins 2' && message.author.id === "123456789") {
        message.channel.send('balance updated.');
    } else if (message.author.id !== "123456789") {
        message.channel.send('no permission.');
    } else {
        message.channel.send('Unknown command!');
    }
});