If you wanted to add a user forum to your software site, and make it look and work like your WordPress blog, what forum software would you choose?
Apparently bbPress has the same origins as WordPress, but is it best or are there other choices that are better?
Great question, one that I want constantly asked myself. At this point I am aware of two potential options (if you ignore integrations with vBulletin, phpBB, etc.) If there are others I sure would like to know.
Note the Pros and Cons are from my current understanding perspective only and certainly not a complete list:
1.) bbPress
Pros
- Blessed by Automattic thus the “official” forum for WordPress
- Similar to WordPress in theming architecture (i.e. Template Tags)
- A decent number of plugins
- Open Source
Cons
- Not a WordPress plugin but a separate app (this may be changing)
- Not very feature rich compared to many other forums.
- Clunky user-interface (again IMO)
- Frustration regarding the slow pace of improvement (nice irony here)
2.) Simple:Press
Pros
- Is a WordPress Plugin
- Appears to be actively supported
- Reasonable amount of Features
- Reasonably attractive look and feel
- Appears to also be open source
Cons
- Not being the “official” will always relegate it to 2nd class in the community
- No evidence of 3rd party plugins
- No visible financial support so if the team looses interest…
3.) BuddyPress
There is actually a 3rd option to consider which is BuddyPress. It’s more like a Facebook-in-a-box social network than a forum but might address your or other’s use-cases. It appears that it is currently getting a lot more attention than bbPress so that’s good and it’s Pros are similar to bbPress. Might be something to consider…
Anyway, those are the ones I know of any my impressions. If looking forward to any other options people have to suggest.
UDPATE:
Here’s another potential forum plugin for WordPress from Justin Tadlock. He hasn’t released it yet but I sure hope he does, sooner than later:
- A WordPress forum plugin using custom post types
