Discourse
A platform for community discussion. Free, open, simple.
Discourse – GitHub Repository Overview
📌 General Description
- Discourse is a modern, 100% open-source platform for community discussion and forums.
- Built for simplicity, flexibility, and scalability with over a decade of development.
- Offers self-hosting and managed hosting options.
👉 GitHub: discourse/discourse
⚙️ Technology Stack
- Backend: Ruby on Rails
- Frontend: Ember.js
- Database: PostgreSQL (primary), Redis (cache/transient data)
- Other: Numerous Ruby gems, Ember tooling, Docker support, BrowserStack integration
🚀 Setup & Requirements
- Languages / Frameworks:
- Ruby ≥ 3.3
- PostgreSQL ≥ 13
- Redis ≥ 7
- Supported Environments:
- Docker
- Dev Containers
- macOS
- Ubuntu / Debian
- Windows (via WSL)
📂 Repository Contents
README.md→ project introduction & setupLICENSE.txt→ GPL v2 (or later)CONTRIBUTING.md→ contribution guidelinesSECURITY.md→ reporting security issues
🔒 Security Highlights
- Password hashing: PBKDF2 + SHA-256 (600k iterations)
- XSS protection: Sanitized previews & markdown rendering
- Responsible disclosure: HackerOne program or via email
- Peer-reviewed open-source code for transparency
🌍 Broader Platform Context
📖 History & Licensing
- First released: August 26, 2014
- Developed by Civilized Discourse Construction Kit, Inc. (founded by Jeff Atwood, Robin Ward, Sam Saffron)
- Licensed under GNU GPL v2 (or later)
- Raised $20M funding in 2021
- Leadership update (2023): Sam Saffron & Sarah Hawk as co-CEOs
🛠 Core Features
- Discussion structure: Topics, categories, tags, trust levels
- UI/UX: Infinite scrolling, live preview composer, @mentions, emojis
- Community tools: Groups, chat, private messaging, notifications, badges
- Integrations: REST API, SSO, social login, plugins, themes
- Mobile apps: DiscourseHub for iOS & Android
🌐 Adoption
- Powers 22,000+ communities worldwide
- Flexible self-hosting or managed hosting (from ~$20/month)
- Supported by an active ecosystem of plugins and themes
📊 Summary Table
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Repository | discourse/discourse |
| Tech Stack | Ruby on Rails, Ember.js, PostgreSQL, Redis |
| License | GPL-2.0 or later |
| Core Features | Threads, categories, tags, rich composer, chat, API, plugins/themes |
| Security | PBKDF2 hashing, XSS protection, HackerOne disclosure program |
| Community & Hosting | 22k+ communities, paid hosting available |
| History | Launched 2014, GPL, $20M funding (2021), leadership change in 2023 |
| Unique Value | Modern UX, mobile-first, extensible, SEO-friendly, strong moderation tools |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Discourse?
Discourse is an open source discussion platform designed for long-form community conversations. It combines the feel of a forum with the real-time features of modern chat apps like Discord — including live updates, mentions, and emoji reactions — making it a popular home for support communities, project forums, and user groups.
How does Discourse compare to Discord?
Discord is built for real-time chat with ephemeral conversations, while Discourse is built for lasting, searchable discussions organized by topic. Discourse threads stay organized and indexed by search engines, which makes it great for support and knowledge sharing. It's best for communities that want an archive of meaningful conversations rather than a fast-scrolling chat feed.
Can I self-host Discourse?
Yes. Discourse is designed to be self-hosted and ships with an official one-command Docker-based installer. It runs on a single server with its own database, caching layer, and email delivery, and it's used by thousands of organizations on their own infrastructure.
What are Discourse's key features?
Discourse includes hierarchical categories and tags, trusted-user moderation, real-time notifications, integrated email (users can reply by email), polls, a full post editor with markdown and LaTeX, user badges and trust levels, and a plugin system with hundreds of community extensions. It also has built-in tools for spam and bot defense.
Is Discourse free to use?
Discourse is free and open source software (GPL v2). The code is free to self-host with no licensing fees. Discourse also offers paid hosting, setup, and support services as an optional convenience, but these are not required to use the software.
Repository details
Updated 8/20/2026, 5:00:41 PM
View RepositoryRepository activity
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