$(if)

The $(if) variable adds simple conditional logic to your commands: it checks whether a condition is true and outputs one of two values accordingly. Combined with nested variables like $(random.pick), it powers coin flips, chance-based games, and toggleable responses.

Use it

!command add !coinflip $(sender) flips a coin... it lands on $(if $(random.pick 1,0) Heads Tails)!

Example chat

ViewerName:!coinflip

StreamElements:ViewerName flips a coin... it lands on Heads!

$(random.pick 1,0) randomly returns 1 or 0, which $(if) reads as true or false — so the command answers Heads half the time and Tails the other half.

Usage

$(if <condition> <then> [else])

The three parts are separated by spaces. Each part can be a plain word, a quoted string ('...', "...", or backticks), or a nested variable.

• If <condition> is true, the variable outputs <then>.
• If <condition> is false, it outputs [else] — or, when no [else] is given, the bot says nothing at all (see the caution below).

Only the branch that is taken gets evaluated — a nested variable in the branch that isn’t chosen never runs.

How conditions work

The condition is a single value read as a boolean. There are no comparison operators — you can’t write something like $(if $(sender.points) > 100 ...).

Condition value	Counts as
1, t, T, true, TRUE, True	true
0, f, F, false, FALSE, False	false
Anything else, including arbitrary text or an empty value	false

A false condition with no else silences the bot

If the condition is false and you didn’t provide an [else] value, the bot suppresses the entire response — not just the $(if) part. For example, Hello $(if false '4Head') produces no message at all. Add an else branch (or a pipe default, see below) whenever the bot should always reply.

Examples

Variable	Output
$(if true '4Head')	4Head
$(if 1 '4Head' "NaM")	4Head
$(if xd '4Head' 'Keepo')	Keepo — a non-boolean condition counts as false
$(if false '4Head')	Nothing — the whole message is suppressed
$(if false x|fallback)	fallback — a pipe default acts as the else branch

A practical pattern is gating on another variable that produces a boolean-like value, such as $(random.pick) with 1/0 options:

!command add !chest You open the chest and find $(if $(random.pick 1,0) 'a legendary sword' 'absolutely nothing')!

Parameters

• <condition> (required): A single value parsed as a boolean. 1/t/true (any casing) are true; everything else — including 0, false, and any other text — is false.
• <then> (required): The output when the condition is true.
• [else] (optional): The output when the condition is false. If omitted and the condition is false, the bot sends no message. A pipe default on the then-value ($(if cond then|else)) works as an else branch too.

Related variables

• $(random): $(random.pick 1,0) makes a 50/50 condition for $(if).
• $(provider): Returns the channel’s platform slug.
• $(1), $(1:): Argument tokens and pipe defaults, useful inside $(if) branches.

FAQ

Q: Can I compare two values, like checking if a user typed a specific word?

A: No. The condition is a single token read as a boolean — there are no ==, >, or similar operators. Text that isn’t a recognized boolean value simply counts as false.

Q: Why does my command sometimes not respond at all?

A: Most likely an $(if) with a false condition and no else branch — that suppresses the entire message. Add an [else] value or a pipe default.

Q: Can I nest variables inside $(if)?

A: Yes — all three slots accept nested variables, and only the branch that is taken is evaluated.