How do I add a bot to my Discord server, and how do I know it's actually safe?

You add bots from a bot listing site (top.gg is the big one) or the developer's own page, not from inside Discord itself. Find the bot, click 'Add to Server' / 'Invite', log in, pick your server from the dropdown (you need the 'Manage Server' permission), then review the permissions it asks for and authorize. Safety-wise: only add bots with lots of servers and reviews, and actually read the permission list, a music bot has no business asking for Administrator or 'Manage Server'. Give it the least it needs. If a simple bot demands Admin, that's a red flag, back out.

The permission screen is the important bit, read it. A music or utility bot asking for Administrator is a huge red flag. Grant only what the job genuinely needs and nothing more.

Stick to well-known bots with high server counts and reviews on top.gg. The obscure ones with a handful of servers are where the sketchy stuff hides. And never paste your Discord token anywhere a bot tells you to, that's a straight-up account-takeover scam.