9 Best CMS for Creating Forums

A forum is a forum for exchanging ideas of a community or association of people who have the same goals or interests. Technological developments encourage forums to transform from offline – asking members to meet each other – to be able to be done online through the internet. All of this cannot be separated from the presence of CMS for the forum.

A Content Management System (CMS) is a system used to manage the content of a website. Before the CMS, people had to arrange lines of code from the start to create an online forum. The CMS summarizes all the processes of creating an online forum so you only need to manage it easily without having to deal with a line of code. Not only the installation process, but CMS forums also simplify the process of managing online forum content.

In this article, we will discuss the best CMS forum for creating online forums. But before discussing it, we will introduce you first about indicators or features that should be present in online forums.

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Features that Must Be in the Best CMS Forum

You can easily find online forums on the internet. This online forum comes in various types and types. Its use is quite simple and easy. In general, users must have an account first to use online forums: write threads and comment.

In addition to the user, there is usually an admin and moderator in charge of overseeing the forum so that it is not out of topic. Admin has the highest authority in the forum so that it can do anything, including suspending users who violate the stipulated provisions. The moderator has the task of selecting the incoming content. Eligible to reject content that does not fit the topic and allow good content.

In addition to basic functionality, there are features that you must know to be taken into consideration when choosing the best CMS forum.

• Profiles that can be tailored to the user’s wishes. 
  Forum members will be more comfortable if they can adjust, manage, and edit profiles according to their wishes. Online forums will be better if you provide a feature that allows users to create profiles according to their wishes.
• An interesting and complete text editor. 
  The text is the main component that is present in online forums. Threads, comments, responses, and feedback are all in the form of text and written through a text editor. Therefore, it is important to provide an attractive text editor and have full features for the convenience of users.
• Feature to send messages privately. 
  The forum is a place to discuss and exchange ideas. But there are times when users have to send messages privately to other users to maintain privacy. Therefore, it is important to provide a message sending feature in person.
• Option to manage comments. 
  No less important than sending private messages. A good online forum is one that lives through discussions that take place in it. Not all users can write the correct comments at the beginning. The best CMS is that provides features for managing user comments.
• Using the ‘achievement’ system. 
  One of the interesting points in online forums is the appreciation for those who are active. The more users give comments, open discussions, and get good feedback from other users, the better the credibility in the forum will get the award.

Those are some of the features that should be in online forums. CMS should provide all the features above. The complete feature will make it easier for users to create online forums that are comfortable and easy to use for their members.

List of the Best CMS Forums of the Year

You already know some indicators or features that must be in the best CMS forum. In this section, we will review the 9 best CMS forums that you are worth trying. Please note that each CMS forum must have strengths and weaknesses. Choose the CMS that is most suitable for you.

1. WordPress

You who have a website must be familiar with WordPress. WordPress is the most popular CMS in the world today. Many websites that use WordPress as their foundation. But did you know that WordPress can be used to build online forums?

WordPress provides complete features with various themes and plugins. This allows you to build simple to complex blogs, including online stores. You can easily create online forums in WordPress with additional plugins such as Asgaros Forum, wpForo forum, or bbPress. These three plugins provide basic features for creating online forums on WordPress.

Advantages:

• You can easily find themes and plugins on the internet.
• WordPress includes a CMS that is easy to use.
• You can add additional plugins to complete the forum plugin that is already installed.

Weakness:

• You have to install a plugin that (maybe) is quite heavy for your web server.

2. Joomla

Joomla is a CMS that is similar to WordPress. You can use this CMS to create a website and add some plugins in it, including creating online forums.

If you want to create an online forum using this CMS, you need to use plugins like Kunena, ChronoForums, and EasyDiscuss. just adjust to the needs of the forum you want.

But there are differences between Joomla and WordPress. If WordPress is easier and simpler, Joomla provides more ‘free’ settings so that this platform is more specifically for web developers or users who already understand the world of information technology.

Advantages:

• Provides admin freedom to customize CMS.
• Has many plugins for creating online forums.
• Offers powerful security features.

Weakness:

• Lay users are likely to experience difficulties because of complicated usage.

3. Drupa

Drupal is a CMS that is specifically for users who are already proficient at managing websites. The Drupal default feature is more complete than WordPress. It’s just that this additional feature makes using Drupal more complex and not as simple as WordPress. This is what makes Drupal not recommended for users who are not too familiar with the website.

Drupal has a wide selection of modules and themes that can be changed as desired. To create an online forum on Drupal, you don’t need an extension because this platform is already equipped with built-in functionality. If you want to modify the default options, use Advance Forum to do this.

Advantages:

• Drupal offers the default functionality that online forums have available in it.
• There are many customization options.
• Provides a variety of modules and themes for creating and editing forums.

Weakness:

• Drupal management and operation is more difficult compared to other CMS.

4. phpBB

phpBB is the best CMS forum that you can use to create online forums. You can connect users with similar interests into a unique forum.

phpBB provides features that contain thousands of style packages and images to customize your board. Registered users can write and comment on the board that has been created.

By using quality hosting services, you can use phpBB to handle thousands of users. Apart from offering basic functionality, you can also add various features by adding extensions for free.

Advantages:

• Users can customize posts and profiles.
• CMS is powerful and is equipped with various hierarchical options.
• Provides a fairly complete extension and theme.
• Very responsive.

Weakness:

• Sometimes updates are not done regularly or slowly.

5. MyBB

MyBB has many features similar to phpBB. Similar to phpBB, this platform also provides powerful plugins and themes. Another advantage is the existence of a community that is still active.

Unfortunately, the collection of extensions that MyBB has is not as much as phpBB. Even so, the display options available in MyBB are more complete than phpBB.
MyBB provides a more modern display option so users will be more comfortable and easy to use.

Advantages:

• MyBB is an open source platform that can be used for free and you can modify it.
• Has a variety of basic features to build an online community.
• There is a calendar feature and a user reputation.

Weakness:

• Still inferior to the CMS that is similar to it, namely phpBB.

6. Vanilla

Vanilla is a CMS for the best forum that provides a paid version and is also free. The free version of Vanilla is quite complete with a variety of advanced features offered.

Vanilla provides various features to create a message board with an attractive and attractive appearance. You also get access to the themes and plugins that they have. It’s just that there are not many plugins offered so you have to be satisfied using limited available themes and plugins.

Advantages:

• There are various basic themes and plugins that are used to create online forums.
• There is an option to create a private group.
• There is an advanced feature of the user editor that is equipped with various options.

Weakness:

• Free plugins and themes are not many and limited.

7. Simple Machines Forum

Previously we discussed phpBB at the top. Simple Machines This forum is similar to phpBB, it’s just that Simple Machines Forum is more flexible than phpBB.

You can use the package manager to install the update module.

Simple Machines Forum also provides various themes and plugins. In addition, this platform also provides paid versions for members in the forum.

Advantages:

• Has a large selection of modules and themes for creating forum sites.
• You can choose the desired language.
• Installation and settings can be done easily.

Weakness:

• Many themes have not been updated.
• The free version limits customization options.

8. FluxBB

If you want a simpler CMS, FluxBB is the best CMS forum for you. You just need to adjust the settings a little and have your own online forum.

FluxBB focuses on the speed and performance of the website so that it only provides limited and simple features. But that does not mean the CMS is minimal with features. You can find plugins and themes here even though there are not many.

Advantages:

• Have a fast performance.
• There is advance customization on user profiles.
• Plugins and themes are available although limited.

Weakness:

• There are many limitations: plugins, themes, and customizations.

9. Codoforum

Codoforum focuses on user experience. Based on PHP and MySQL, Codoforum offers convenience and attractive appearance with various other excellent features.

Codoforum supports SSO & Integration. Users can log into the forum using a website account they already have or use popular social media accounts such as Facebook, Google or Twitter.

The Codoforum installation process uses a script that you can get through the website page. You can install on any server that supports PHP and MySQL for free.

Advantages:

• Free version available.
• There are articles and guides.
• The installation process can be done easily.
• Display neat and simple.

Weakness:

• The paid version of Codoforum is quite expensive.

Cover

You don’t need to worry if you want to create an online forum on the internet. The best forum CMS above can help you to create online forum services easily. You only need to choose a reliable and trusted forum. WordPress is the best CMS forum in our opinion. However, you can adjust choices according to your own needs.

The best forum CMS cannot find the best performance if the web hosting used is mediocre. Make sure the CMS for the forum uses the best hosting so the website can operate smoothly.