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Flarum

flarum.org

WebAPISelf-hostedBrowser extension
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Spec score 7.9 #6 of 20 in Forum Software

What it is

Flarum is free, open-source forum software for running discussions on websites and online communities. It provides group permissions, category access controls, moderation and flagging. Administrators can adjust settings, themes, CSS and extensions, and disable unneeded features. Members can write with lightweight Markdown or WYSIWYG editors. Notifications include in-browser alerts and email digests, while extensions can provide real-time notifications. A REST API lets external scripts interact with the forum and follows JSON:API practices. The extension manager discovers and installs add-ons, most of which are open source and free. Self-hosting requires Apache or Nginx, PHP 8.3 or later, a supported database and SSH access for some maintenance. Flarum is MIT-licensed and directs support questions to its community forum. Its documentation describes version 2.0 as a release candidate, not a final stable release. The project serves communities from small hobby groups to large enterprise forums.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Flarum is a free, open-source discussion platform for websites and online communities.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
Product
Flarum is free, open-source forum software for running a discussion community on a website.Read 7 Oct 2026 · flarum.org
Intended users
Flarum describes itself as suitable for communities ranging from small hobby groups to large enterprise forums.Read 7 Oct 2026 · flarum.org
Free plan
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · flarum.org
Integrations
Flarum's documentation describes a REST API for consuming forum data.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
Security
The installation guide says Flarum's default public directory keeps sensitive source code files inaccessible from the web root.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
Support
Flarum directs users with questions to its community forum, where users can get help with their instances.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
License
Flarum is released under the MIT License.Read 7 Oct 2026 · flarum.org
Founded
2014Read 28 Sep 2026 · flarum.org
Community tools
The homepage lists groups and permissions, moderation and flagging, themes and custom CSS, and in-browser notifications among its features.Read 7 Oct 2026 · flarum.org
Current release status
On the documentation page opened, Flarum 2.0 is described as being in release-candidate phase rather than a final stable release.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
Customization
Flarum's extension-based design lets administrators disable unneeded features and add extensions.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
Editor
Flarum supports lightweight Markdown editors and WYSIWYG editors.Read 7 Oct 2026 · flarum.org
Extension ecosystem
The extension manager can discover and install extensions, and most available extensions are open source and free.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
Governance
The Flarum Foundation is a Dutch non-profit that owns and governs the project; its page says it was established in August 2019.Read 7 Oct 2026 · flarum.org
Groups and moderation
Flarum includes group permissions, category access controls, moderation, and flagging.Read 7 Oct 2026 · flarum.org
Hosting requirements
Self-hosting requires Apache or Nginx, PHP 8.3 or later, a supported database, and SSH access for some maintenance tasks.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
Migration
The installation guide says there are no official importers and lists several unofficial community importers without guaranteeing they work or offering support for them.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
Moderation tools
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · flarum.org
Notifications
Flarum offers in-browser notifications, email digests, and real-time notifications through extensions.Read 7 Oct 2026 · flarum.org
Private spaces
YesRead 21 Sep 2026 · flarum.org
Requirements
The installation guide lists Apache or Nginx, PHP 8.3 or later, a supported database, and SSH access for maintenance commands as server requirements.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
Security limitation
The extension manager can install any Composer package, so Flarum advises enabling it only when all forum admins are trusted.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
Security limits
The documentation warns that the Extension Manager can install any Composer package and should only be enabled when forum administrators are trusted with that permission.Read 7 Oct 2026 · docs.flarum.org
Who it is for
Flarum says it scales from small hobby communities to large enterprise forums.Read 7 Oct 2026 · flarum.org

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free MIT-licensed software
  • Permissions, moderation and flagging
  • Themes, CSS and extensions
  • REST API for external scripts
  • Markdown and WYSIWYG editors

Limits

  • Self-hosting needs PHP 8.3 or later
  • SSH is needed for some maintenance
  • Version 2.0 is not final stable
  • Extension manager can install any Composer package

Who it suits

It suits site operators building self-hosted communities who need permissions, moderation, customization and API access. Flarum describes its range as small hobby communities through large enterprise forums.

Verdict

Flarum offers a customizable, extensible forum with clear self-hosting requirements and community support. Administrators should note the extension-manager permission warning and the release-candidate status of version 2.0.

Where Specifiction places it

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