BbPress is a WordPress plugin that acts as a forum application. Forums allow focused discussions among users. A Forum application can be used to manage forums in blogs and CMS sites. BbPress is an easy to learn WordPress plugin that powers up forums. It was developed by WordPress developers.
BbPress helps you transform a CMS into an effective forum. It gives all the standard features of a forum. It is easy to configure and install. It has many features that make it the most popular forum application. It is also very easy to maintain the forums using bbPress.
Some of the main features of bbPress are explained below.
User permissions
User permissions are important for any forum. BbPress presents a solid permission system. It helps you limit the usage of your sites as per your wish. You can place restrictions on certain users and limit their usage.
BbPress makes use of WordPress’s default permissions system. The five roles predefined by bbPress are:
- Keymaster – The admin role; has all rights.
- Moderator – Moderator has all the rights of admin except the delete forum right.
- Participant – The default user role.
- Spectator- Read only rights
- Blocked-Users who are blocked access to the forum.
Moderation
BbPress also gives advanced options for moderating posts. There are two ways for moderation.
- A control bar : Lets you moderate posts by using the following actions
- Edit/trash/Spam
- Stick (to front)
- Merge
- Split
- WP admin: This feature lists all the topics and replies. The listing is similar to comments display. You can easily view the whole list. The need to look at individual replies or topic is eliminated.
There is also a moderation plugin that makes things even easier. It can be used in large forums. It gives notifications on new topics, replies and suspicious activities.
Widgets
BbPress allows the use of widgets similar to normal WordPress. You can mold the look of the forum using these widgets. Using widgets like the forum stats can give a professional look to your forum.
Shortcodes
Shortcodes allow you to include forum elements into your posts and pages. Eve a single reply can be listed.
Short codes allow you to promote your forum content. It is a unique feature.
This feature can also be integrated with BuddyPress. Integrating with BudyPress helps you in managing advanced user profiles and group forums.
Some more features of bbPress are as follows:
- BbPress is easy to set up and moderate. It is fast and clean. It does not take up many resources.
- BbPress is fully integrated. It has one central account and one unified admin area.
- It can be installed with one click.
- It allows for the creation of multisite forums. It lets you divide your site into sections.
- It has a fast and light weighted coding.
- The UI is easy to use and intuitive,
- It offers customizable templates. You can change the look of the forum easily.
- BbPress is highly extensible.
- It uses Akismet support to provide spam protection.
- BbPress also provides integration with RSS feeds.
This simple to use forum application has many more features that can be effectively used to manage your forums.