| @@ -1,153 +1,456 @@ | ||
| 1 | -=== BBP Core - Expand bbPress powered forums with useful features === | |
| 2 | -Contributors: spiderdevs, mdjwel, delweratjk | |
| 3 | -Tags: bbPress, Community, Forum, Private Replies, Attachments | |
| 4 | -Requires at least: 5.0 | |
| 5 | -Tested up to: 6.8 | |
| 6 | -Requires PHP: 7.4 | |
| 7 | -Stable tag: 1.3.3 | |
| 8 | -License: GPLv2 or later | |
| 9 | -License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html | |
| 10 | - | |
| 11 | -BBP Core enhances bbPress forums with unified builder, private replies, voting, solved topics, attachments, and comprehensive Elementor integration. | |
| 12 | - | |
| 13 | -== Description == | |
| 14 | - | |
| 15 | -BBP Core empowers bbPress forum with useful features. For example - Unified Forum Builder UI, Solved topics, Voting, Private replies, Forum statistics etc. | |
| 16 | - | |
| 17 | -### Video Overview (Showcased free and premium features) | |
| 18 | -[youtube https://youtu.be/l2rlT_Qwd60?si=gjBh1VJupitL0Rh8] | |
| 19 | - | |
| 20 | -## 🔗 USEFUL LINKS ## | |
| 21 | -- [Get the Pro Version](https://spider-themes.net/bbp-core/pricing) | |
| 22 | -- [Demo (built with bbPress and BBP Core)](https://wordpress-plugins.spider-themes.net/bbp-core-pro/) | |
| 23 | -- [Documentation](https://helpdesk.spider-themes.net/docs/bbp-core-wordpress-plugin) | |
| 24 | -- [Explore More](https://spider-themes.net/bbp-core) | |
| 25 | - | |
| 26 | -### Reasons to Choose BBP Core ### | |
| 27 | - | |
| 28 | -- **Lightweight:** Loading only necessary css, javascript assets when necessary, it will not load assets unless necessary. | |
| 29 | - | |
| 30 | -- **Unified Forum Builder:** It provides a single, organized view of forums and topics, along with filtering options for various topic statuses, enabling efficient navigation and management. Users can even check trashed topics. | |
| 31 | - | |
| 32 | -- **Effortless Topic Management:** You can create and delete forums and topics directly from the BBP Core Admin UI, eliminating the need to navigate to the classic forum views for these actions. | |
| 33 | - | |
| 34 | -- **Private Reply:** Users can post replies to topics that are visible only to forum owners, ensuring privacy and confidentiality in their discussions. | |
| 35 | - | |
| 36 | -- **Solved Topics:** Allows users to mark forum topics as either solved or unsolved. Solved topics display a 'Resolved' badge at the end of their titles, making it easy to identify resolved issues. | |
| 37 | - | |
| 38 | -- **Voting On Topic & Replies:** Allows users to vote on replies to topics, with the highest-voted reply rising to the top. The voting system is powered by AJAX for a seamless and engaging community interaction. | |
| 39 | - | |
| 40 | -- **Media Attachments:** Enables users to attach files to their replies, which can be downloaded by other users. The attachments are displayed in a separate section below the Topic and Reply content. This enhances the forum's functionality, allowing for the seamless sharing of relevant files and media within discussions. | |
| 41 | - | |
| 42 | -- **Current Forum Info widget:** Displays the current forum's information, including the number of Topics, Replies, Last post by, and Last activity, as well as the Subscribe forum button. This widget provides users with a quick overview of the forum's activity and content, encouraging them to explore further. | |
| 43 | - | |
| 44 | -- **Elementor Integrated:** BBP Core comes with a set of Elementor widgets that can be used to display forums, topics, and replies on any page of your website. The widgets are highly customizable, allowing you to configure their appearance and functionality to suit your needs. | |
| 45 | - | |
| 46 | -### PRO Features ### | |
| 47 | -- **1. Admin Notifications:** Displays real-time updates of the latest forum activity directly on the dashboard area. This offers users a quick and convenient way to stay informed about recent happenings within the forum. | |
| 48 | - | |
| 49 | -- **2. User Notifications:** Keep the logged-in users informed by providing them with real-time updates on the latest activity within their subscribed forums, topics, and replies. This ensures that users stay engaged and informed about discussions that matter most to them without having to actively monitor each one individually. | |
| 50 | - | |
| 51 | -- **3. Mini Profile:** Displays a compact version of the user profile, which can be used to quickly view the user's profile information and activity. This is useful for users who wish to quickly view the profile of another user without navigating to their profile page. | |
| 52 | - | |
| 53 | -- **4. Pre-made Elementor Templates:** BBP Core Pro comes with a set of pre-made Elementor templates that can be imported with a single click. The templates are highly customizable, allowing you to configure their appearance and functionality to suit your needs. | |
| 54 | - | |
| 55 | -- **5. I've the Same Question Button:** Allows users to quickly indicate that they have a similar question, possibly reducing duplicate threads and encouraging discussions on existing topics. | |
| 56 | - | |
| 57 | -- **6. Post as Anonymous:** Allows users to post replies to topics anonymously, without revealing their identity. This can be useful for users who wish to discuss sensitive topics without revealing their identity. | |
| 58 | - | |
| 59 | -- **7. My Profile Link:** Generates a dynamic URL that links directly to the profile page of the currently logged-in user. This convenient URL simplifies the process of users accessing and viewing their own profiles. | |
| 60 | - | |
| 61 | -- **8. Pending Topic:** Enables admin-controlled approval of forum topics to prevent spam or inappropriate content from being published until a moderator approves them. | |
| 62 | - | |
| 63 | -- **9. Advanced Attachment Features:** Increases the maximum file size and allows multiple files to be uploaded at once. Provides the option to delete attachments along with forum or topic content. | |
| 64 | - | |
| 65 | -- **10. Advanced Voting Features:** Options to restrict voting for non-logged-in users, prevent new votes on closed topics, disallow self-voting, allow unlimited voting for administrators, and sort topics and replies based on their voting scores. | |
| 66 | - | |
| 67 | -- **11. External Image Insert Button:** Easily insert images with a single click or by using a URL. | |
| 68 | - | |
| 69 | -== Frequently Asked Questions == | |
| 70 | - | |
| 71 | -= Does BBP Core work with any theme? = | |
| 72 | -Yes, BBP Core works with any bbPress WordPress theme. | |
| 73 | - | |
| 74 | -= Do I need coding skills to use BBP Core? = | |
| 75 | -Absolutely not! BBP Core is as easy to use, as you can think of. | |
| 76 | - | |
| 77 | -= Where can I report bugs or contribute to the project? = | |
| 78 | -To report bugs or to contribute, head-over to the [GitHub repository](https://github.com/spider-themes/bbp-core/issues) | |
| 79 | - | |
| 80 | -== Installation == | |
| 81 | - | |
| 82 | -= Minimum Requirements = | |
| 83 | - | |
| 84 | -* PHP 7.3 or greater is recommended | |
| 85 | -* MySQL 5.6 or greater is recommended | |
| 86 | - | |
| 87 | -You can install the BBP Core from your WordPress Dashboard or manually upload it through cPanel/FTP. | |
| 88 | - | |
| 89 | -= OPTION 1: Install the BBP Core Plugin from WordPress Dashboard = | |
| 90 | - | |
| 91 | -1. Navigate to Plugins -> Add New. | |
| 92 | -2. Search for 'BBP Core' and click on the Install button to install the plugin. | |
| 93 | -3. Activate the plugin in the Plugins menu. | |
| 94 | -4. Optional step: configure the plugin in the Admin menu, in BBP Core -> Settings. | |
| 95 | - | |
| 96 | -= OPTION 2: Manually Upload Plugin Files = | |
| 97 | - | |
| 98 | -1. Download the plugin file from the plugin page: bbp-core.zip. | |
| 99 | -2. Upload the 'bbp-core.zip' file to your '/wp-content/plugins' directory. | |
| 100 | -2. Unzip the file bbp-core.zip (do not rename the folder). | |
| 101 | - | |
| 102 | -== Screenshots == | |
| 103 | - | |
| 104 | -1. Custom Admin Dashboard | |
| 105 | -2. BBP Core Settings | |
| 106 | - | |
| 107 | -== Changelog == | |
| 108 | - | |
| 109 | -= 1.3.3 (23 August 2025) = | |
| 110 | -FIxed: Forum builder tab content active issue fixed | |
| 111 | -Fixed: Fixed brand_color variable | |
| 112 | -Tweaked: Active reaction design improved | |
| 113 | -Tweaked: Attachment preview design | |
| 114 | - | |
| 115 | -= 1.3.2 (15 August 2025) = | |
| 116 | -Fixed: Resolved attachment field visibility issue | |
| 117 | -Tweaked: Forum Tabs widget design improved | |
| 118 | -Tweaked: Added the function "bbpc_get_opt()" for CSF settings where it was missing | |
| 119 | -Tweaked: Assets folder re-structured (admin CSS and JS files kept in a separate folder "admin") | |
| 120 | -Tweaked: Removed some unnecessary assets (normalize.js, fontawesome.css etc) | |
| 121 | -Tweaked: Made the non translatable strings to translatable | |
| 122 | -Tweaked: Function prefix added which functions don't have prefix to avoid conflict with other plugins and themes | |
| 123 | -Enhanced: Compatibility improved with the Docy theme dark mode | |
| 124 | -Updated: Freemius SDK updated to 2.12.1 | |
| 125 | - | |
| 126 | -= 1.3.1 (16 June 2025) = | |
| 127 | -Fixed: Deprecation warning by wrapping attachment files in hook | |
| 128 | -Fixed: Tab CSS was conflicting with other plugins and themes | |
| 129 | -Tweaked: Improved compatibility with Docy Dark mode | |
| 130 | -Tweaked: Updated sidebar to flexible width | |
| 131 | -Tweaked: Featured image size adjusted in the Forum builder | |
| 132 | -Updated: Freemius SDK updated to 2.12.0 | |
| 133 | - | |
| 134 | -= 1.3.0 (22 April 2025) = | |
| 135 | -Fixed: Fixed BBP Core conflict with Dukan and Job Manager plugins | |
| 136 | -Tweaked: The "Forums" page has been renamed to Forum Builder for better clarity and usability | |
| 137 | -Tweaked: Refreshed the topic open icon within the Forum Builder for a more intuitive visual cue | |
| 138 | -Tweaked: Each topic now displays a corresponding status icon, making it easier to identify topic types at a glance | |
| 139 | -Tweaked: The first forum item now opens by default, providing a more user-friendly initial view | |
| 140 | -Tweaked: Delay on search input keypress | |
| 141 | -Tweaked: Current Forum Info widget (show all information by default, moved widgets folder to the plugin root folder) | |
| 142 | -Tweaked: BBPC Forum Information widget title will show on the Forum page only | |
| 143 | -Tweaked: Settings page improved (reorganized the settings options, added icons to the settings tab) | |
| 144 | -Tweaked: Topic details page improved (reply button, favorite button and attachment design improved ) | |
| 145 | -Tweaked: Forum builder UX improved | |
| 146 | -Tweaked: Dashicons used instead of fontawesome icon to optimize performance in the dashboard | |
| 147 | - | |
| 148 | -= 1.2.9 (24 February 2025) = | |
| 149 | -New: Loco.xml configuration file added for multiple text domains mapping in Loco translate plugin | |
| 150 | -New: Offer notice added for our valuable customers (not for fresher) | |
| 151 | -Fixed: Deprecated issue, Increment on non-alphanumeric string is deprecated in /bbp-core/includes/admin/menu/admin_ui/forums.php on line 8 | |
| 152 | - | |
| 153 | -[See changelog for all versions](https://spider-themes.net/bbp-core/changelog). | |
| 1 | +=== Forumax – AI Powered Advanced Community Forum Plugin === | |
| 2 | +Contributors: spiderdevs, mdjwel, delweratjk | |
| 3 | +Tags: forum, community, forum plugin, discussion, voting | |
| 4 | +Requires at least: 5.0 | |
| 5 | +Tested up to: 6.9 | |
| 6 | +Requires PHP: 7.4 | |
| 7 | +Stable tag: 2.2.0 | |
| 8 | +License: GPLv2 or later | |
| 9 | +License URI: http://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-2.0.html | |
| 10 | +Donate link: https://forumax.spider-themes.net/pricing | |
| 11 | + | |
| 12 | +Build powerful communities with Forumax. A fully standalone, feature-rich forum plugin with voting, private replies, and Elementor integration. | |
| 13 | + | |
| 14 | +== Description == | |
| 15 | + | |
| 16 | +**Forumax** is the ultimate standalone community forum solution for WordPress. Designed for forum administrators, content creators, and community managers, Forumax provides a complete suite of powerful features to create professional, engaging forums with minimal effort—no external forum dependencies required. | |
| 17 | + | |
| 18 | +### What is Forumax? | |
| 19 | + | |
| 20 | +Forumax provides a complete, self-contained platform for building support forums, knowledge bases, or discussion communities. It includes everything you need to foster engagement, manage content effectively, and create an exceptional user experience right out of the box. | |
| 21 | + | |
| 22 | +### Key Features of Forumax | |
| 23 | + | |
| 24 | +**🎯 Unified Forum Builder** | |
| 25 | +Take complete control of your forums with our intuitive, built-in builder. View all forums and topics in one organized dashboard, filter by status (open, closed, pending, spam), and manage discussions efficiently without navigating multiple pages. | |
| 26 | + | |
| 27 | +**🔐 Private & Confidential Replies** | |
| 28 | +Enable users to post private responses visible only to forum owners and moderators. Perfect for sensitive discussions, support tickets, and confidential advice while maintaining full transparency where needed. | |
| 29 | + | |
| 30 | +**✅ Solved Topics System** | |
| 31 | +Help community members quickly identify answered questions. Mark topics as solved to display a prominent 'Resolved' badge, reducing duplicate questions and improving user experience. Visitors instantly know which topics have solutions. | |
| 32 | + | |
| 33 | +**⭐ Smart Voting & Reputation System** | |
| 34 | +Empower your community with a built-in AJAX-powered voting system. Users vote on the most helpful replies, automatically elevating quality answers to the top. Build reputation-based authority and encourage quality contributions. | |
| 35 | + | |
| 36 | +**📎 Media Attachments & File Sharing** | |
| 37 | +Allow users to attach files, documents, images, and media directly to replies. Organized attachment sections make it easy for community members to share resources, code snippets, documents, and collaborate effectively. | |
| 38 | + | |
| 39 | +**💡 Advanced Forum Statistics Widget** | |
| 40 | +Display real-time forum information including topic count, reply count, last activity, and most active users. The 'Current Forum Info' widget provides visitors with a quick overview of forum vitality and engagement. | |
| 41 | + | |
| 42 | +**🎨 Elementor Page Builder Integration** | |
| 43 | +Create stunning forum layouts using Elementor's drag-and-drop builder. Use specialized Forumax widgets to display forums, topics, and replies on any page with full customization control. No coding required. | |
| 44 | + | |
| 45 | +**⚡ Lightweight & Performance-Optimized** | |
| 46 | +Forumax is built for speed. It loads assets intelligently—CSS and JavaScript only when needed. Minimal footprint ensures your forum runs fast without bloat. | |
| 47 | + | |
| 48 | +**🔧 Intuitive Admin Interface** | |
| 49 | +Create, edit, and delete forums and topics directly from the Forumax admin dashboard. Streamlined interface eliminates confusion and reduces admin overhead. | |
| 50 | + | |
| 51 | + | |
| 52 | +== Free Features: == | |
| 53 | + | |
| 54 | +* **Live Customizer** – Instantly preview and customize forum styles with real-time visual controls. | |
| 55 | + | |
| 56 | +* **Pre-made Templates** – Start quickly using professionally designed forum templates for common use cases. | |
| 57 | + | |
| 58 | +* **Unified Forum Builder** – Build and manage forums, topics, and layouts from one centralized builder. | |
| 59 | + | |
| 60 | +* **Voting on Topics & Replies** – Allow users to upvote or downvote topics and replies for engagement. | |
| 61 | + | |
| 62 | +* **Solved Topic** – Mark topics as solved to highlight correct answers and improve usability. | |
| 63 | + | |
| 64 | +* **Frontend Brand Color Option** – Customize forum brand colors directly from frontend settings easily. | |
| 65 | + | |
| 66 | +* **Who Can Upload Files** – Control user roles and permissions for uploading files in forums. | |
| 67 | + | |
| 68 | +* **Pagination in Forum Builder** – Manage large forums efficiently with built-in pagination support. | |
| 69 | + | |
| 70 | + | |
| 71 | +### PRO Features - Everything You Need for Advanced Community Management: | |
| 72 | + | |
| 73 | +Upgrade to **Forumax Pro** for enterprise-grade forum management: | |
| 74 | + | |
| 75 | +1. **Real-Time Admin Notifications** - Stay updated with instant dashboard alerts for new posts, moderation requests, and community activity. | |
| 76 | + | |
| 77 | +2. **Smart User Notifications** - Keep members engaged with real-time updates on subscribed forums, topics, and replies they care about. | |
| 78 | + | |
| 79 | +3. **Mini User Profiles** - Display compact user profile cards with activity summaries, follower counts, and quick-view reputation. | |
| 80 | + | |
| 81 | +4. **Pre-Built Elementor Templates** - Import professional forum layouts with one click. Fully customizable templates for forums, knowledge bases, and support centers. | |
| 82 | + | |
| 83 | +5. **"I've the Same Question" Feature** - Reduce duplicate threads by letting users indicate similar questions, improving forum organization. | |
| 84 | + | |
| 85 | +6. **Anonymous Posting** - Allow sensitive discussions without revealing user identity. Ideal for support forums and confidential advice. | |
| 86 | + | |
| 87 | +7. **Dynamic User Profile Links** - Generate personalized profile URLs for logged-in users. Perfect for user bios and contributor pages. | |
| 88 | + | |
| 89 | +8. **Topic Approval Workflow** - Control content quality with admin-approval for new topics. Prevent spam and maintain forum standards. | |
| 90 | + | |
| 91 | +9. **Advanced File Management** - Support multiple file uploads with increased size limits. Delete attachments independently or with content. | |
| 92 | + | |
| 93 | +10. **Powerful Voting Controls** - Guest voting restrictions, prevent closed-topic voting, disable self-voting, admin voting privileges, and vote-based sorting. | |
| 94 | + | |
| 95 | +11. **External Image Insertion** - Insert images via URL or media library picker. Enhance replies with visual content effortlessly. | |
| 96 | + | |
| 97 | +12. **Auto-Approval System** - Automatically publish reply replies instantly. Streamline moderation workflows and maintain conversation flow. | |
| 98 | + | |
| 99 | +13. **Attachment Moderation** - Approve/unapprove replies containing files for enhanced content security and compliance control. | |
| 100 | + | |
| 101 | +## Promax Features: | |
| 102 | + | |
| 103 | +**Reply Timeline Navigation** | |
| 104 | +Automatically loads more replies when users scroll down. A reply timeline is visible beside the replies to help users follow long discussions easily. | |
| 105 | + | |
| 106 | +**Live Chat** | |
| 107 | +Adds a private real-time chat system. A chat icon is visible on the right side of the site to open the chat box. Admins can set default assistants from the settings. Users can chat with the assistant or with forum participants. Messages support likes, replies, emojis, and file or video sharing. Chat can also be started by hovering over forum, topic, or reply users. | |
| 108 | + | |
| 109 | +**Emoji for Topics and Replies** | |
| 110 | +Allows users to add expressive emojis to forum topics and replies, making conversations more engaging, emotional, and easier to understand. | |
| 111 | + | |
| 112 | +**Real-Time Alerts** | |
| 113 | +Displays instant notifications when new topics are published or existing discussions are updated, keeping users informed without refreshing the page. | |
| 114 | + | |
| 115 | +**Social Login** | |
| 116 | +Allow users to sign up and log in instantly using Google, Facebook, or Twitter, reducing friction and increasing overall registration conversion rates. | |
| 117 | + | |
| 118 | +**Analytics** | |
| 119 | +Get powerful insights into forum performance with real-time statistics, activity trends, user engagement metrics, and resolution data—all presented in a clear, actionable dashboard view. | |
| 120 | + | |
| 121 | +## AI Integration (via Our AI Plugin) ## | |
| 122 | + | |
| 123 | +Forumax can be extended with powerful AI capabilities using the **AI Tools**, designed to automate support workflows, improve engagement, and transform forum discussions into valuable long-term content. | |
| 124 | + | |
| 125 | +**Important:** AI features require the [Antimanual AI Plugin](https://wordpress.org/plugins/antimanual) and an active AI provider connection. | |
| 126 | + | |
| 127 | +## AI-Powered Forum Replies ## | |
| 128 | + | |
| 129 | +Instantly generate intelligent, context-aware replies to forum topics. Improve response time, reduce moderator workload, and maintain consistent support quality across your community. | |
| 130 | + | |
| 131 | +**Ideal for:** | |
| 132 | + | |
| 133 | +* Support forums | |
| 134 | +* Product discussions | |
| 135 | +* Knowledge-sharing communities | |
| 136 | + | |
| 137 | +## Convert Solved Topics into Posts ## | |
| 138 | + | |
| 139 | +Automatically convert resolved forum topics into structured WordPress posts. | |
| 140 | + | |
| 141 | +**Each generated post can include:** | |
| 142 | + | |
| 143 | +* Problem summary | |
| 144 | +* Accepted solution | |
| 145 | +* Key insights and takeaways | |
| 146 | + | |
| 147 | +This feature turns your forum into a living knowledge base while improving SEO and long-term content value. | |
| 148 | + | |
| 149 | +## Smarter Community Management ## | |
| 150 | + | |
| 151 | +***By combining Forumax core features with AI automation, moderators can:*** | |
| 152 | + | |
| 153 | +* Reduce repetitive replies | |
| 154 | +* Scale support without increasing team size | |
| 155 | +* Keep forums clean, searchable, and helpful | |
| 156 | + | |
| 157 | +**Forumax + AI transforms discussions into long-term assets.** | |
| 158 | + | |
| 159 | +### Video Overview | |
| 160 | +[youtube https://youtu.be/l2rlT_Qwd60?si=gjBh1VJupitL0Rh8] | |
| 161 | + | |
| 162 | +> **Note:** We have renamed our plugin from **BBP Core** to **Forumax**. All features previously available in BBP Core are still here and fully supported. | |
| 163 | + | |
| 164 | +> **Important:** After updating to version 2.0.0, the plugin will be renamed to `forumax`. This may cause WordPress to deactivate the plugin. **If deactivated, please simply reactivate it.** | |
| 165 | + | |
| 166 | +### Important Links | |
| 167 | +- [ Get Pro Version](https://forumax.spider-themes.net/pricing) | |
| 168 | +- [ Live Demo](https://forumax.spider-themes.net/creative-helpdesk) | |
| 169 | +- [ Full Documentation](https://helpdesk.spider-themes.net/docs/forumax-wordpress-plugin) | |
| 170 | +- [ Learn More](https://forumax.spider-themes.net) | |
| 171 | + | |
| 172 | +== Frequently Asked Questions == | |
| 173 | + | |
| 174 | += 🎯 Who Should Use Forumax? = | |
| 175 | +Forumax is perfect for WordPress site owners, community managers, support teams, and anyone who wants a professional forum solution without custom coding. | |
| 176 | + | |
| 177 | += 🔄 Is Forumax Compatible with My Theme? = | |
| 178 | +Yes! Forumax works seamlessly with any WordPress theme. | |
| 179 | + | |
| 180 | += 💻 Do I Need Coding Skills? = | |
| 181 | +Absolutely not! Forumax is designed for non-technical users. All features are accessible through intuitive admin interfaces and visual builders. No coding required. | |
| 182 | + | |
| 183 | += 🎨 Can I Customize the Forum Layout? = | |
| 184 | +Completely! With Elementor integration, you can drag-and-drop customize forum layouts. Pre-built templates and full styling options give you unlimited design flexibility. | |
| 185 | + | |
| 186 | += 📦 What Version of WordPress Do I Need? = | |
| 187 | +Forumax requires WordPress 5.0 or higher and PHP 7.4 or greater. | |
| 188 | + | |
| 189 | += ⚙️ Is Forumax Performance Optimized? = | |
| 190 | +Yes. Forumax only loads necessary assets when needed, ensuring minimal impact on site performance and fast loading times. | |
| 191 | + | |
| 192 | += 🐛 How Do I Report Bugs or Get Support? = | |
| 193 | +Found an issue? Report it on our [GitHub repository](https://github.com/spider-themes/forumax/issues). For detailed help, visit our [Documentation](https://helpdesk.spider-themes.net/docs/forumax-wordpress-plugin). | |
| 194 | + | |
| 195 | += 💪 What Features Are in the Pro Version? = | |
| 196 | +Forumax Pro adds advanced features like real-time notifications, pre-built templates, anonymous posting, advanced attachments, topic approval workflow, and more. [Check Pro pricing →](https://forumax.spider-themes.net/pricing) | |
| 197 | + | |
| 198 | += 🤖 Does Forumax include AI features? = | |
| 199 | +Forumax supports AI-powered features through the our AI Plugin. This allows AI-generated replies, Convert Resolved Topics into Posts etc. | |
| 200 | + | |
| 201 | +== Installation == | |
| 202 | + | |
| 203 | +Getting started with Forumax is quick and easy. Follow these simple steps: | |
| 204 | + | |
| 205 | += Prerequisites = | |
| 206 | + | |
| 207 | +Before installing Forumax, ensure you have: | |
| 208 | +* WordPress 5.0 or higher | |
| 209 | +* PHP 7.4 or greater | |
| 210 | +* MySQL 5.6 or greater | |
| 211 | + | |
| 212 | += Installation Method 1: Install from WordPress Admin Dashboard (Recommended) = | |
| 213 | + | |
| 214 | +1. Go to **Plugins → Add New** in your WordPress dashboard | |
| 215 | +2. Search for **"Forumax"** in the plugin search box | |
| 216 | +3. Click the **Install Now** button | |
| 217 | +4. After installation completes, click **Activate Plugin** | |
| 218 | +5. Navigate to **Forumax → Settings** to configure features (optional but recommended) | |
| 219 | +6. Start building your community! | |
| 220 | + | |
| 221 | += Installation Method 2: Manual Upload via FTP/cPanel = | |
| 222 | + | |
| 223 | +1. Download the `forumax.zip` file from the plugin page | |
| 224 | +2. Extract the ZIP file on your computer | |
| 225 | +3. Upload the extracted `forumax` folder to `/wp-content/plugins/` directory via FTP or cPanel File Manager | |
| 226 | +4. Go to **Plugins** in your WordPress admin and locate Forumax | |
| 227 | +5. Click **Activate Plugin** | |
| 228 | +6. Configure settings in **Forumax → Settings** | |
| 229 | + | |
| 230 | += Installation Method 3: Upload ZIP from WordPress Admin = | |
| 231 | + | |
| 232 | +1. Download the `forumax.zip` file | |
| 233 | +2. Go to **Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin** | |
| 234 | +3. Select the downloaded ZIP file and click **Install Now** | |
| 235 | +4. After installation, click **Activate Plugin** | |
| 236 | +5. Configure your forum settings | |
| 237 | + | |
| 238 | += Troubleshooting Installation = | |
| 239 | + | |
| 240 | +**Getting PHP errors?** | |
| 241 | +Verify your PHP version is 7.4 or higher. Contact your hosting provider to upgrade if needed. | |
| 242 | + | |
| 243 | +**Still need help?** | |
| 244 | +Visit our [Documentation](https://helpdesk.spider-themes.net/docs/forumax-wordpress-plugin) or check our [Support Repository](https://github.com/spider-themes/forumax/issues) | |
| 245 | + | |
| 246 | +## WHAT’S NEXT? | |
| 247 | + | |
| 248 | +If you like Forumax, then consider checking out our other WordPress Plugins: | |
| 249 | + | |
| 250 | +[EazyDocs](https://wordpress.org/plugins/eazydocs) – Powerful knowledge base plugin to easily create and manage professional documentation, wikis, and helpdesk sections. | |
| 251 | + | |
| 252 | +[Antimanual](https://wordpress.org/plugins/antimanual) – AI-powered assistant that automates content creation, documentation, and support, transforming static sites into dynamic experiences. | |
| 253 | + | |
| 254 | +[Advanced Accordion Block](https://wordpress.org/plugins/advanced-accordion-block) – Lightweight Gutenberg block for creating visually appealing, organized accordion sections with extensive styling options. | |
| 255 | + | |
| 256 | +[Changeloger](https://wordpress.org/plugins/changeloger) – Transform plain text changelogs into visually stunning, organized representations with pagination and version links. | |
| 257 | + | |
| 258 | +[Jobus](https://wordpress.org/plugins/jobus) – Comprehensive job board solution transforming your site into a recruitment platform with dashboards and ATS. | |
| 259 | + | |
| 260 | +[Spider Elements](https://wordpress.org/plugins/spider-elements) – Versatile library of 20+ creative widgets to enhance Elementor and build professional websites. | |
| 261 | + | |
| 262 | +== Screenshots == | |
| 263 | + | |
| 264 | +1. Advanced Forumax Dashboard – Unified interface for monitoring forum activity and system health | |
| 265 | +2. Advanced Forum Builder Dashboard - Unified interface for managing forums, topics, and discussions | |
| 266 | +3. Intuitive Forumax Settings - Configure all features from one organized dashboard | |
| 267 | +4. Forum Root Page – Clean, modern, and user-friendly forum interface | |
| 268 | +5. Topic Page – Clean, modern, and highly readable topic interface | |
| 269 | +6. Ask Question Form – Clean, modern, and intuitive ask question form | |
| 270 | + | |
| 271 | +## Why Choose Forumax? ## | |
| 272 | + | |
| 273 | +***The Trusted Choice for Communities*** | |
| 274 | + | |
| 275 | +- **1000+ Active Users:** Join thousands of community managers using Forumax | |
| 276 | +- **Actively Maintained:** Regular updates with new features and security patches | |
| 277 | +- **Security First:** Built with WordPress security best practices | |
| 278 | +- **Scalable Solution:** Handles small communities to large enterprise forums | |
| 279 | +- **Beginner-Friendly:** Intuitive UI requires no technical knowledge | |
| 280 | +- **Expert Support:** Responsive team ready to help you succeed | |
| 281 | +- **Open Source:** Community contributions welcome on GitHub | |
| 282 | + | |
| 283 | +== Ready to Transform Your Forum? == | |
| 284 | + | |
| 285 | +**Start with Forumax Free today and upgrade to Pro when you're ready for advanced features.** | |
| 286 | + | |
| 287 | +[Get Started →](https://forumax.spider-themes.net) | [View Pricing →](https://forumax.spider-themes.net/pricing) | [Read Documentation →](https://helpdesk.spider-themes.net/docs/forumax-wordpress-plugin) | |
| 288 | + | |
| 289 | +== Support & Community == | |
| 290 | + | |
| 291 | +- [Complete Documentation](https://helpdesk.spider-themes.net/docs/forumax-wordpress-plugin) | |
| 292 | +- [Report Issues & Suggest Features](https://github.com/spider-themes/forumax/issues) | |
| 293 | +- [Visit Official Website](https://forumax.spider-themes.net) | |
| 294 | +- Contact: spiderthemes247@gmail.com | |
| 295 | + | |
| 296 | +== Upgrade Notice == | |
| 297 | + | |
| 298 | += 2.0.0 = | |
| 299 | +Major Release: Rebranding to Forumax! Now a fully standalone forum plugin. No bbPress dependency required. | |
| 300 | + | |
| 301 | += 1.4.0 = | |
| 302 | +Important update with new Forum Builder features, pagination support, and security enhancements. Recommended for all users. | |
| 303 | + | |
| 304 | += 1.3.2 = | |
| 305 | +Critical security and compatibility fixes. Update recommended for improved stability and theme compatibility. | |
| 306 | + | |
| 307 | +== Changelog == | |
| 308 | + | |
| 309 | += 2.2.0 (21 February 2026) = | |
| 310 | +**New:** | |
| 311 | + | |
| 312 | +* Modern pagination UI with color customization and hover effects in Forum Posts block. | |
| 313 | +* Auto-Close Stale Topics feature with cron scheduling and admin settings support. | |
| 314 | +* Unanswered Topics count and list added to the admin dashboard. | |
| 315 | + | |
| 316 | +**Added:** | |
| 317 | + | |
| 318 | +* Nonce verification in reply sorting AJAX handler for improved security. | |
| 319 | +* Post type selector and dynamic keyword links in Search block. | |
| 320 | +* Comprehensive style controls for search input, button, and results dropdown. | |
| 321 | + | |
| 322 | +**Improved:** | |
| 323 | + | |
| 324 | +* Forum Posts block design flexibility with enhanced typography, colors, and layout controls. | |
| 325 | +* Gutenberg blocks architecture by splitting render logic into dedicated render classes. | |
| 326 | +* Overall Gutenberg blocks structure and performance. | |
| 327 | + | |
| 328 | +**Fixed:** | |
| 329 | + | |
| 330 | +* REST API 403 error for forum and topic post types in Gutenberg editor. | |
| 331 | + | |
| 332 | +**Updated:** | |
| 333 | + | |
| 334 | +* POT file with new translatable strings for search and block controls. | |
| 335 | + | |
| 336 | += 2.1.1 (14 February 2026) = | |
| 337 | +**Added:** | |
| 338 | + | |
| 339 | +* Backup & Restore settings for safer configuration management. | |
| 340 | + | |
| 341 | +**Improved:** | |
| 342 | + | |
| 343 | +* User topics pagination redesigned with proper templates and updated styling. | |
| 344 | +* “Topics Started” list now limited to 10 items per page for better performance. | |
| 345 | +* User profile pagination styling enhanced for topics, subscriptions, favorites, and engagements. | |
| 346 | +* Forum layout refined for small screen devices. | |
| 347 | +* Avatar border radius, reply voting position, and reaction wrapper responsiveness updated. | |
| 348 | +* Expensive forum and topic count queries cached for faster performance. | |
| 349 | + | |
| 350 | +**Updated:** | |
| 351 | + | |
| 352 | +* Theme compatibility notice expanded to include child themes. | |
| 353 | +* Keymaster badge and voting styles refreshed. | |
| 354 | + | |
| 355 | +**Fixed:** | |
| 356 | + | |
| 357 | +* Empty pagination template issue in user topics list. | |
| 358 | +* Duplicate pagination removed from single forum topic page. | |
| 359 | +* Reply author role detection issue. | |
| 360 | +* CSRF vulnerability in solved topic actions. | |
| 361 | +* Forumax admin panel filter pagination issue. | |
| 362 | + | |
| 363 | += 2.1.0 (28 January 2026) = | |
| 364 | +**New:** | |
| 365 | + | |
| 366 | +* Dashboard page with a comprehensive forum statistics overview | |
| 367 | +* Quick Actions for fast access to Forum Builder, New Forum, New Topic, and Settings | |
| 368 | +* Recent Topics and Recent Replies activity sections on the Dashboard | |
| 369 | +* Engagement statistics showing average replies per topic and total discussions | |
| 370 | +* System Info panel displaying Forumax, bbPress, WordPress, and PHP version details | |
| 371 | +* Helpful Links section with quick access to Documentation, Support, and Live Demo | |
| 372 | +* Demo data import option for quick setup | |
| 373 | +* Emoji reactions for topics and replies | |
| 374 | +* Social sharing options for topics | |
| 375 | +* Reply timeline option and sticky topic injection | |
| 376 | +* Real-time alert options in topic settings | |
| 377 | +* Social login options with hook support for the login form | |
| 378 | +* Chat settings options | |
| 379 | +* Forumax sidebar registration | |
| 380 | +* Topic view tracking functionality | |
| 381 | + | |
| 382 | +**Improved:** | |
| 383 | + | |
| 384 | +* Modern dashboard with a premium card-based layout and gradient header | |
| 385 | +* Dashboard sidebar with Upgrade to Pro section and system information display | |
| 386 | +* Forum single page UI | |
| 387 | +* Forum, widget, avatar, support info, and voting button styles for better consistency | |
| 388 | +* Forum CSS for improved responsiveness and theme compatibility | |
| 389 | +* Admin review notice UI | |
| 390 | + | |
| 391 | +**Tweaked:** | |
| 392 | + | |
| 393 | +* Bootstrap removal and related responsive fixes | |
| 394 | +* Cleanup of unused CSS files and legacy assets | |
| 395 | +* Removal of admin notices from Forumax admin pages | |
| 396 | +* Restriction of topic and reply revision logs visibility to authors only | |
| 397 | + | |
| 398 | +**Fixed:** | |
| 399 | + | |
| 400 | +* Duplicate theme sidebar display on forum pages | |
| 401 | +* Incorrect topic count after demo data import | |
| 402 | +* Trash filter label visibility issue on small screens | |
| 403 | +* AJAX actions with proper nonce verification and input sanitization | |
| 404 | + | |
| 405 | += 2.0.0 (01 January 2026) = | |
| 406 | +**New:** | |
| 407 | + | |
| 408 | +* Complete rebranding to Forumax | |
| 409 | +* Removed bbPress dependency - now a standalone plugin: | |
| 410 | + | |
| 411 | += 1.4.1 (23 September 2025) = | |
| 412 | +**Fixes:** | |
| 413 | + | |
| 414 | +* Resolved issue with installer | |
| 415 | +* is_attachment_icon error to prevent display inconsistencies | |
| 416 | + | |
| 417 | +**Enhanced:** | |
| 418 | + | |
| 419 | +* Compatibility with Docy Dark Mode for seamless appearance across themes | |
| 420 | + | |
| 421 | +**Improved:** | |
| 422 | + | |
| 423 | +* Made previously untranslatable strings fully translatable, ensuring better localization support | |
| 424 | + | |
| 425 | +**Updates:** | |
| 426 | + | |
| 427 | +* Freemius SDK updated to version 2.13.0 | |
| 428 | + | |
| 429 | += 1.4.0 (23 September 2025) = | |
| 430 | +**New Features:** | |
| 431 | + | |
| 432 | +* Author and Topic Refresh functionality added to Forum Builder | |
| 433 | +* Pagination support added for improved forum navigation | |
| 434 | +* Enhanced forum visibility and management | |
| 435 | + | |
| 436 | +**Improvements:** | |
| 437 | + | |
| 438 | +* Forum Builder UI design refined for better usability | |
| 439 | +* Security enhancements and vulnerability fixes | |
| 440 | + | |
| 441 | +**Updates:** | |
| 442 | + | |
| 443 | +* Freemius SDK updated to version 2.12.2 | |
| 444 | + | |
| 445 | += 1.3.3 (23 August 2025) = | |
| 446 | +**Fixes:** | |
| 447 | + | |
| 448 | +* Resolved Forum Builder tab content active state issue | |
| 449 | +* Fixed brand color variable functionality | |
| 450 | + | |
| 451 | +**Improvements:** | |
| 452 | + | |
| 453 | +* Active reaction design enhanced for better user feedback | |
| 454 | +* Attachment preview design improved | |
| 455 | + | |
| 456 | +[See full changelog and version history →](https://forumax.spider-themes.net/changelog) | |
