The title is about "Discord alternatives", the major core metric is:

> Functionality: can it do everything required of a platform for building, organizing, and sustaining a community?

Feels like these are two different things.

What I expect from a Discord alternative is text messaging, voice and video call with screensharing, both possible on community spaces and with personal contacts in a way that is extremely easy to setup.

Discord can do quite a lot, which results in people using it in different ways.

I'm quite active on multiple discord server and yet never use voice / video. But I get why people use it.

If OP is looking for a platform not to replace Discord 1 to 1, but overall to have a community why not do a broader comparison. Then everyone can for themself see what fits their personal needs.

> I expect from a Discord alternative is text messaging, voice and video call with screensharing, both possible on community spaces and with personal contacts in a way that is extremely easy to setup.

Same. I'm somewhat sad that a lot of the FOSS community got stuck with IRC level of technology and ease of use :( I whish for more projects would subscribe to a low barrier of entry mantra.

Learning reg-ex to ban a member is .. ughh