The bbPress Plugin is a free, open-source forum software built on top of WordPress. Whereby, it can be installed as a WordPress plugin into a WordPress powered website. Unlike older forum software, it is not clunky and doesn’t take up a lot of resources.
Of course, this means it is easier to add a forum panel to your WordPress site. And equally, still, keep the simplicity and extensibility of WordPress. Further, it has the ability to create multisite forums, with its less complex and customizable templates. In addition to built-in support for preventing spam.
Above all, bbPress is focused on ease of integration, ease of use, web standards, and speed.
How is BuddyPress and bbPress Plugin different?
Firstly, BuddyPress is an open-source social networking software package. Whereas, its owned by Automattic since 2008. And part of plugins that are installed on WordPress Multisite. In reality, transforming the sites into social networking platforms.
As mentioned herein, bbPress is forum oriented add-on software, while BuddyPress is a social networking plugin. While this sounds like something you need, bbPress is the plugin for you. However, if your requirement, is to have a platform, then BuddyPress is the plugin you need. For instance, where users can create groups and also exchange messages.
Basically, bbPress started because miniBB was too bloated for the WordPress support forums. As a matter of fact, in 2004, the WordPress team decided to code a completely new forum system from the ground up. It was first published on WordPress.org and since then it has been turned into a plugin.
Important to realize, miniBB® is a standalone, open-source program for building your own Internet forum, it’s free to download and highly customizable. Whereas miniBB is not a clone of any existing forum software, it’s a genuine script, professionally written from scratch with the base of native and original PHP code.
Comparatively, miniBB just brings what it’s created for. Such as;
- an easy, lite,
- and speedy quick forum.
Therefore, if you want a simple and stable community attached to your existing website miniBB and then again bbPress is. For one thing,
- at the deepest integration level, incl.
- the customization of the layout to the look of your website,
- or even synchronizing with the existing membership system.
This means you’ve just come across the best forum software. For sure, both miniBB and bbPress are developed exactly for such purpose. That is if you’ll find one of them to be more useful, resourceful and beneficial compared to the other.
What are the Benefits of using bbPress Plugin?
Because it is a plugin, bbPress offers an easy way to add a forum to a WordPress website. Whereby, it works with most standard compliant WordPress themes. The most popular open-source software platforms are usually resourcing intensive and it is not easy to integrate them into a WordPress website. Furthermore, bbPress solves this problem.
Equally important, bbPress is lightweight and can easily blend into a WordPress theme. It was created by the same people who created WordPress so it follows the same principle. Especially that of keeping things small and lightweight.
Not to mention, it is also very extensible and capable of handling custom forums easily. There are also very active support forums with contributors willing to help fix issues and bugs.
How do you Add website Forums using bbPress Plugin?
By all means, Bulletin boards and forums are good old reliable tools to build online communities. With attention to plenty of open source forum software that you can install on your website.
However, if you are running a WordPress site then integrating a third party forum with WordPress can be a mess. In other words, bbPress is the answer to that problem. For this reason, we will show you how to add a forum in your WordPress site with bbPress.
As an example, you’ll find the video below useful for it has the installation guide you seek or simply follow the step-by-step guides below it.
1. Installing bbPress Plugin In WordPress
In this case, bbPress is available as a WordPress plugin. Whereby, you can install it like you would install any other WordPress plugin. Simply log in to your WordPress admin area and go to Plugins » Add New.
Search for bbPress and then select bbPress from results. Install and activate the plugin. Thereinafter, upon activation, you will see the welcome screen for bbPress as shown below.
2. Your Website Forums Creation
Once installed, bbPress adds Forums, Topics and Replies menu items in your WordPress admin. Click on Forum » New Forum.
This will take you to a screen similar to the WordPress post edit area. Provide a title for your forum and enter a little description of it. Then press the publish button.
Click on Forum » New Forum. This will take you to a screen similar to the WordPress post edit area. Provide a title for your forum and enter a little description of it. Then press the publish button.
How to Display bbPress Forum in WordPress Front End
Now that you have created a few forums, it is time to display those forums on the front end of your WordPress website. Create a new WordPress page. Give this page a title, like Forum, Community, Support Forums, etc. Paste the shortcode on your page and see a page as follows.
[bbp-forum-index]
Turn off comments and trackbacks on this page and then publish it. Go to Appearance » Menus and add this page to your navigation menu. Now when a user clicks on this page, it will show your main forum index. Learn more about Integrating bbPress with your WordPress Theme.
Resourceful References;
I hope the above guide on bbPress Plugin for WordPress Websites Forums creation was useful. But, if you’ll have questions, suggestions and more contributions to the topic, simply Contact Us. Or even, let us know how we can help you by sharing your thoughts and inputs in the comments box.
Finally, in addition, to the above-revised guide, below are more useful and related topic links;
- What may miniBB bring to You?
- Download WordPress Multisite Forum Plugin
- Online Forums & Website Chats Implementation
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