phpBB

phpBB is a mature, open-source bulletin board system written in PHP for running online discussion forums. It provides the core tools needed to organize communities into categories and topics, manage users, and moderate discussions.

Key Features

• Hierarchical forum structure with topics and threaded discussions
• User registration, profiles, roles, and permissions
• Moderation tools for managing posts, users, and forum content
• Extensible architecture with support for add-ons/extensions
• Customizable presentation via templates and themes

Use Cases

• Hosting a community support forum for an open-source or commercial project
• Creating a discussion board for clubs, schools, or interest groups
• Running internal forums for teams that need structured, searchable discussions

phpBB is a well-established choice for self-managed forums where you want strong community features, moderation capabilities, and long-term stability. Its extensibility and theming options make it adaptable to a wide range of community-driven sites.