phpBB

Spec sheet

Purpose

phpBB is an open-source bulletin board system for building online forums.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Support

Support resources include documentation, knowledge base articles, community support forums, and limited-support Discord and IRC chats.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

License

phpBB is released under the GNU General Public License v2.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Founded

2000Read 28 Sep 2026 · phpbb.com

Administration

The administration panel lets users customize features without directly editing code.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Customization

Community-built extensions can add features, and styles can customize a board’s appearance.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Database support

The installation guide lists MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite, Microsoft SQL Server, and Oracle as supported database systems.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Extensions

The official support site directs users to separate sections for help with extensions and styles.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Languages

phpBB supports UTF-8 and offers language packs for additional translations.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Origin

phpBB was created by James Atkinson in June 2000.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Password security

phpBB hashes passwords before storing them and says newer platforms use Argon2id and Argon2i hashing.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Responsive design

Its default prosilver style uses HTML5 and CSS3 and is designed for desktop and mobile browsers.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Security setup

The installation guide instructs administrators to remove the install directory after installation because leaving it can create a security issue.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Server requirements

phpBB 3.3 requires a web server with PHP 7.2 or later and a supported SQL database.Read 4 Oct 2026 · phpbb.com

Plans and prices

Every phpBB plan and price →

Where Specifiction places it

• Forum Software#13 of 207.5
• Community Building Platforms#21 of 277.3
• Online Community Platforms#44 of 547.4