Misago

Misago is an open-source, self-hosted forum application designed for community building. It provides a structured environment for users to create categories, start discussions, and interact through threaded messages. The software is deployed as a server-side application and is commonly managed using Docker for deployment and development.

Users can manage their own profiles, set avatars, and authenticate via a wide range of OAuth providers. Site administrators have access to a dedicated control panel to manage user accounts, moderate content, and configure site-wide settings. The platform supports both public discussions and private threads for restricted access, allowing for a mix of open community interaction and private group communication.

Key features

• Support for over 50 OAuth providers including Google, GitHub, and Facebook
• Content creation using GitHub-flavoured markdown or BBCode
• Hierarchical category system with unlimited subcategory depth
• Comprehensive moderation tools to edit, move, hide, or delete content
• Role and rank based permission system for granular access control
• Custom profile fields framework for defining user-specific data
• Polls system with options for private voting and time limits
• Post edit logs with the ability to revert messages to previous versions
• Integration capabilities via a JSON API and OAuth2 client

The application is built with a Python and Django backend, while the frontend primarily utilizes React.js components backed by a Django API. It includes a built-in moderation queue to review content before it becomes public and offers tools for GDPR compliance. The system also includes a read tracker to help users identify new posts and a Q&A feature to mark best answers in specific threads. To prevent spam, administrators can implement email activation, custom Q&A challenges, ReCAPTCHA, or IP blacklists.

Misago is positioned as a feature-complete forum solution for administrators who require detailed moderation controls and flexible user management.