NodeBB is a real-time, self-hosted community forum platform built on Node.js. It is designed to support scalable discussion environments by utilizing a document-oriented database for content storage and an in-memory engine for high-speed data retrieval and session management. The platform provides a comprehensive administrative interface for managing user groups, forum settings, and system health.
What distinguishes the platform is its native support for federated social networking via the ActivityPub protocol, allowing forums to exchange content, synchronize discussions, and interact with decentralized platforms across the fediverse. It features a highly modular architecture that relies on an event-driven plugin system, enabling administrators to inject custom logic, modify data flows, and extend functionality through themes and server-side hooks.
The platform includes a robust suite of operational tools for managing the full application lifecycle, including automated system upgrades, process health monitoring, and multi-process scaling to handle concurrent traffic. It also offers extensive customization options for the user interface, including dynamic template rendering, widget management, and support for multi-language localization.
The software is designed for deployment across diverse environments, supporting containerized setups and various cloud platforms. It includes built-in mechanisms for database backups, asset archiving, and traffic orchestration through reverse proxy integration.
