Integrating a Forum with WordPress

September 18th, 2006

Integrating a Forum with WordPress

One of the most popular questions I’m e-mailed with is usually along the lines of: How do I integrate a forum with my WordPress (WP) blog?. Often, this is with reference to using WP as a more web site-ish CMS, e.g. a community site. So, I thought I’d kill three birds with this post. One: Write a (hopefully) brief guide answering the abovementioned question. Two: Before writing a how-to on using WP for a community site, prepare for it by tackling the forum integration issue first. Three: Participate in ProBlogger’s latest group writing project (which will be my first ever participation BTW).

Now, let’s get to work. I’ll list each option I know of, along with instructions or more likely, links to those elsewhere on how to integrate it with WordPress – both backend, e.g. user accounts, and layout/design-wise. But if you prefer to jump to my preferred choice right away, then read the conclusion of this post first.

Integrating External Forum Software:
Want a full featured open source forum software to accompany your WordPress blog? Here’s how you integrate some of the more popular ones I know of with WP:
1. Simple Machines Forum (SMF)
  As one of the more popular forum software available today, SMF would be a good choice if you have no particular preference towards any forum solution. It’s still pretty bloated/bulky and can be difficult at times to customise (though less than many alternatives really), so I can’t say it’s my first choice solution at the moment. And while its backend integration with WordPress just requires the installation of a single WP plugin, I can’t seem to find a proper guide on layout integration yet.
  
  Here’s how you do it:
  1. Install either one of two “bridge” plugins, i.e. WP SMF Bridge Plugin 1.0 or the CMS & SMF Plugin. While both provide user account integration (log into/register via WP = log into SMF/register into SMF), listing recent forum topics/messages on your blog, and etc., the latter plugin hooks WP to SMF via a portal CMS known as Enigma. This results in a more powerful setup, but also a more complicated one. So, for those who just want a forum to use with WP, I suggest using the former plugin.
  2. Now that we have our backends integrated, layout is next. It’s a pity, however, that there doesn’t seem to be a step-by-step guide on how to do this. So, for now, you’re on your own on this. SMF does have documentation on how to create/edit its themes though.
2. Vanilla
  I dislike hyping things up too much, but Vanilla is one slim (no bloatedness here, file size or speed-wise) and sexy (clean and refreshing CSS-based layout) piece of software. It’s basic install is filled with only what most of us need, but if you need to, it’s as extensible as any other forum software (and easier to extend too). Just one note before we proceed: Vanilla takes getting used to and may not be for everyone. It’s unique in its sheer simplicity, and thus, I do suggest you at the very least check out this thread comparing Vanilla with SMF (and others) before deciding to go with it.
  
  Anyway, here’s how to integrate it with WordPress:
  1. Backend-wise, detailed documentation has been written on integrating WP and Vanilla’s files, databases, users, and authentication. A great step-by-step guide by the Vanilla team there. And if you want to list recent forum topics on your WP blog, refer to this forum thread.
  2. But the guides above doesn’t cover how to use WP’s functions in Vanilla. So, you’ll have to refer to one at Il Filosofo for that.
  3. Now for layout integration, refer to this detailed guide by Devlounge.
3. bbPress
  A lightweight forum software (more so than Vanilla I think) by the creators of WordPress themselves. But it’s still in development, so there doesn’t seem to be any plugins or add-ons for it yet (correct me if I’m wrong here since I don’t follow the bbPress mailing list!). As such, I cannot recommend using it unless you’re damn sure you’re just looking for a super-skinny forum software (e.g. one exactly like the WP Support Forum).
  
  Anyway, here’s how to get it integrated with WP:
  1. To get the backend integrated, follow these instructions over at the WP Codex. It also has instructions on using WP functions in bbPress.
  2. Want to show the latest forum topics on your WP blog, check out this brief guide from the mailing list.
  3. There aren’t any detailed guides on integrating its layout with WP (or creating a bbPress theme!) yet, so again, I’m afraid you’re on your own. However, there is some commented code available to help you with theming bbPress.
4. phpBB
  Still a popular forum software, though quite a number of people have had bad experiences with it.
  
  And while there’s an easy-to-use and comprehensive plugin to integrate phpBB as WordPress’ comment system, there doesn’t seem to be any guides on integrating phpBB as a conventional forum solution for WP (e.g. just combining user accounts, authentication, etc.) nor one on layout integration. There is, however, a plugin to list recent phpBB topics on your WP blog.
5. PunBB
  Last but not least, let me introduce PunBB. In my opinion, it’s lighter than phpBB and perhaps even SMF – though heavier than Vanilla and bbPress.
  
  I can’t find any information on integrating the backend of PunBB with WP in general (i.e. just user accounts and authentication), though guides on other aspects of integration are available:
  1. Like for phpBB above, there is a plugin to use PunBB to replace WP’s comment system.
  2. If you just want to show your latest forum topics on your blog, follow these instructions.
  3. And if all you want is for your forum to look like your blog, then rest assured that there are a couple of detailed guides on that subject lying around.
One-Stop WordPress Forum Plugins:
Don’t want the hassle of integrating an external forum software? Then use one of these forum plugins designed just for WordPress:
1. RS Discuss
  While only in Alpha stage, it already boasts a strong feature set, including multiple forums, search, theming, admin moderation, rss feeds, and etc. No backend integration instructions required since its a WP plugin. Documentation on full layout/design integration is not available yet (some nuggets of info are available), though I’d think much can be done by modifying the packaged template.css file. You can also achieve partial integration via the “dynamic theming” option at Forum > Configuration.
2. XDForum
  This is a more established forum plugin for WP compared to RS Discuss and has all the forum features most will need. Like above, backend integration isn’t required. Also, there isn’t a guide available for layout integration, though (again) I feel that you can already do most things by modifiying the packaged xdforum.css file.

Conclusion

Your ideal approach will first depend on whether you’re looking for a full-featured external forum software (e.g. SMF, Vanilla) to integrate, or just a WordPress forum plugin (RS Discuss or XDForum). Obviously, the latter will be easier to setup, though there are several other factors you will want to consider. Mainly, an external forum software will have an entire community working on it – meaning that they’ll have a whole host of add-ons/plugins which a WP forum plugin won’t have, and your questions will generally be answered faster. External forum software is usually more stable and extendable as well.

Personally, I prefer integrating external forum software. And if you are going down this path as well (like most people I’d wager), I suggest going with either SMF or Vanilla. On the one hand, backend integration on SMF is a breeze since there’s are two “bridge” plugins available, but guides on layout integration aren’t available. On the other hand, backend integration on Vanilla is more tedious, but documentation on integrating every aspect are available.

But then, all this is based on only what I know though. So, feel free to chip in any tidbits that might make this post more useful.

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