NodeBB Forum Software is powered by Node.js and supports either Redis, MongoDB, or a PostgreSQL database. It utilizes web sockets for instant interactions and real-time notifications. NodeBB takes the best of the modern web: real-time streaming discussions, mobile responsiveness, and rich RESTful read/write APIs, while staying true to the original bulletin board/forum format → categorical hierarchies, local user accounts, and asynchronous messaging.
NodeBB by itself contains a "common core" of basic functionality, while additional functionality and integrations are enabled through the use of third-party plugins.
NodeBB's theming engine is highly flexible and does not restrict your design choices. Check out some themed installs in these screenshots below:
Our minimalist "Harmony" theme gets you going right away, no coding experience required.
NodeBB requires the following software to be installed:
Please refer to platform-specific installation documentation. If installing via the cloud (or using Docker), please see cloud-based installation documentation.
It is important to ensure that your NodeBB and database servers are secured. Bear these points in mind:
bind_address
to 127.0.0.1
so as to restrict access to the local machine onlyrequirepass
to secure Redis behind a password (preferably a long one)iptables
to secure your server from unintended open ports. In Ubuntu, ufw
provides a friendlier interface to working with iptables
.
Detailed upgrade instructions are listed in Upgrading NodeBB
NodeBB is licensed under the GNU General Public License v3 (GPL-3) (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html).
Interested in a sublicense agreement for use of NodeBB in a non-free/restrictive environment? Contact us at sales@nodebb.org.
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