TLDR: it's a custom attribute which you define.
self = class instance
bot = attribute that's usually assigned to the bot instance given in an extension's setup function.
Basically:
class MyCog(Cog):
# this function is called when we do MyCog()
# our function takes 2 parameters but self is passed by Python so it has 1 in this case
# it takes one argument called "bot"
# just because it's called "bot" it doesn't mean that it's the actual bot instance
def __init__(self, bot):
# assign the passed value to the "bot" parameter to a matching variable called "bot"
bot = bot
# bot = bot?? That doesn't look right?
# well it indeed doesn't make sense because "bot" is already defined.. -
# - but we want to access it OUTSIDE this function.. that's what we can use "self" for
# since "self" is passed to all functions INSIDE this class, so let's assign it
self.bot = bot
# NOW we can access it OUTSIDE this function and INSIDE the class as "self.bot"
# let's define a function as an example that prints the attribute
# this function doesn't take any arguments
def print_bot(self):
print(self.bot)
# let's define a setup function which is required for an extension
async def setup(bot):
# notice how this function has 1 parameter called "bot"
# that's because the library calls this function with one argument which is our bot instance
# library: await setup(bot)
# now we can do anything we want inside the function like call "bot".add_cog with the class instance
# let's assign the class instance to a variable called "cog" and pass the "bot" as required in the "__init__"
cog = MyCog(bot)
# notice how we passed the bot to the class like (bot)
# let's call our custom print_bot function and see what it prints
cog.print_bot()
# should've printed something like:
# <object at 0x........>
# but what if we pass something else to MyCog like "hello":
cog = MyCog("hello")
# and call the method again:
cog.print_bot()
# definitely printed:
# hello
... # call add_cog like normal
Hope you know what self.bot is and how it works now.
No, of course not.