How to set up a discussion forum in Bubble

Go to Data tab → Data types. Create 'ForumCategory' with fields: name (text), description (text), sort_order (number), icon (text). Create 'Topic' with fields: title (text), body (text), author (User), category (ForumCategory), is_pinned (yes/no), is_locked (yes/no), view_count (number), reply_count (number), last_activity (date). Create 'Reply' with fields: body (text), author (User), topic (Topic), created_date (date). The reply_count and last_activity fields on Topic are denormalized counters that you update via workflows for performance.

Create a page called 'forum.' Add a Repeating Group with Type of content 'ForumCategory' and Data source 'Do a search for ForumCategories' sorted by sort_order. In each cell, display: the category name (Text, bold), description (Text, smaller), and a count of topics in that category (Do a search for Topics where category = Current cell's ForumCategory:count). Make each cell clickable: add a workflow 'When Repeating Group ForumCategory's cell is clicked → Go to page forum-category → send data: Current cell's ForumCategory.'

Create a page called 'forum-category' with Type of content set to ForumCategory. Add a heading that displays 'Current Page ForumCategory's name.' Add a Repeating Group with Type 'Topic' and Data source: 'Do a search for Topics where category = Current Page ForumCategory, sorted by is_pinned descending then last_activity descending.' This shows pinned topics first, then recent activity. In each cell, show: title, author name, reply_count, last_activity formatted as relative time, and a pin icon if is_pinned is yes. Add a 'New Topic' button at the top.

Create a page called 'topic' with Type of content 'Topic.' Display the topic title (H1), body (multiline text), author name, and creation date at the top. Below, add a Repeating Group with Type 'Reply' and Data source: 'Do a search for Replies where topic = Current Page Topic, sorted by created_date ascending.' Each reply cell shows: author name, created_date, and body text. At the bottom, add a Multiline Input for composing a reply and a 'Post Reply' button.

For new topics: On the forum-category page, when 'New Topic' is clicked, show a popup with Input fields for title and a Multiline Input for body. When 'Submit' is clicked: Create a new thing Topic (title, body, author = Current User, category = Current Page ForumCategory, last_activity = Current date/time, reply_count = 0). Then Go to page 'topic' with data = Result of step 1. For replies: When 'Post Reply' is clicked on the topic page: Create a new thing Reply (body = Input's value, author = Current User, topic = Current Page Topic, created_date = Current date/time). Then Make changes to Current Page Topic: reply_count = reply_count + 1, last_activity = Current date/time. Reset the input.

Add a 'role' field to the User Data Type if you have not already (text: admin, moderator, member). On the topic page, add conditional buttons visible only to admins: 'Pin Topic' (Make changes to Topic: is_pinned = yes), 'Lock Topic' (Make changes to Topic: is_locked = yes), and 'Delete Topic' (Delete thing: Topic, then Go to page forum-category). When a topic is locked, add a conditional on the reply form: 'When Current Page Topic's is_locked is yes → This element is not visible' and show a message 'This topic is locked.' Add a 'Flag' button on each reply that creates a 'Flag' Data Type record for moderator review.