XenForo uses many names for the same things. This can make learning about it confusing at first. You might hear people call your XenForo website different names like your forum, your board, your installation, or your site. These words all mean the same thing - the place on the internet where people come to talk. The word forum comes from ancient Rome, where people gathered to talk about important things. The word board comes from old computer systems before the internet where people posted messages. We try not to say site because that usually means your entire website, including parts XenForo did not create.
Your XenForo website has smaller parts inside it called forums. Yes, the whole thing is a forum, but it also has little forums inside! Each little forum holds threads about one topic. For example, you might have a pets forum where people talk about their animals. Then, inside that pets forum, someone might start a thread asking what food cats like best. XenForo always calls these little areas forums. Other websites might call them categories or sections, but XenForo says forums. This naming can feel tricky because both the big website and its small parts share the same name.
Threads live inside forums. They start when someone asks a question or shares something interesting. Other people reply to grow the conversation. Some websites call these topics or discussions, but XenForo always calls them threads. Think of a thread like a real thread connecting many people talking about the same thing. When someone starts a thread about summer vacation, everyone who replies stays on that topic. The thread holds all those ideas together like beads on a string.
Posts make up threads. Each time someone writes something in a thread, they make a post. The first post usually asks a question or starts a conversation. Then, other people add their posts to continue talking. Some places call these messages or replies, but XenForo calls them posts. You can think of posts like notes passed between friends in class, except everyone can see them. Each post adds something new to the conversation. Learning these four main words - forum, forums, threads, and posts - helps you understand how XenForo organizes everything.
Your XenForo website has smaller parts inside it called forums. Yes, the whole thing is a forum, but it also has little forums inside! Each little forum holds threads about one topic. For example, you might have a pets forum where people talk about their animals. Then, inside that pets forum, someone might start a thread asking what food cats like best. XenForo always calls these little areas forums. Other websites might call them categories or sections, but XenForo says forums. This naming can feel tricky because both the big website and its small parts share the same name.
Threads live inside forums. They start when someone asks a question or shares something interesting. Other people reply to grow the conversation. Some websites call these topics or discussions, but XenForo always calls them threads. Think of a thread like a real thread connecting many people talking about the same thing. When someone starts a thread about summer vacation, everyone who replies stays on that topic. The thread holds all those ideas together like beads on a string.
Posts make up threads. Each time someone writes something in a thread, they make a post. The first post usually asks a question or starts a conversation. Then, other people add their posts to continue talking. Some places call these messages or replies, but XenForo calls them posts. You can think of posts like notes passed between friends in class, except everyone can see them. Each post adds something new to the conversation. Learning these four main words - forum, forums, threads, and posts - helps you understand how XenForo organizes everything.
