How to add a forum to my site?

[a_mclean]

I’m interested in adding a forum catagory to my site (straightchuter.com) and was wondering what is involved. Ideally, it would be set up like the WP support forum, where it would be accessed via a “Forum” catagory link at the top of the page. Is the actual forum software a plugin?

Thanks & happy turns,
Andrew

[mikey1]

hi there, why not take a look at bbpress.
the sister product to wordpress.
https://bbpress.org/
Can be used on the same databse as wordpress and will integrate,
to share users and passwords.
Hope this helps.
mike.

[newdirt]

I agree, bbpress is pretty good. I’m testing it myself right now and will be installing it at one of my wp sites soon. There are also a couple of plugins that look really nice too. Check out this one: Simple Forum Plugin.

Good Luck!

[a_mclean]

Thanks mikey1 and newdirt. I like the idea of bbpress as a sister product to WP, but am intimidated by the installation process. For reference, WP’s “Famous Five-Minute Install” took me three tries and five days. For this reason alone, the Simple Forum Plugin looks good.

Any opinions on phpBB with WP?

[mikey1]

Hi again, the two work very well together.
The most important part for me, as I’m currently running a few systems on my site, was the fact that they share a database and also the user info, so if someone registers for your blog they are registerd for your forum.With a wopress plugin you can also have posts go to the forum.
the insta a place to put a secret keyllation of bbpress is no more difficult.
On thing I would draw your attention to is the section in the config files. There is now a place to put a secret key. This should be the same in wordpress and bbpress.
hope this will help and good luck.
mike.