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Have you ever wanted a forum for your WordPress site? A forum that doesn't just look like your site, but uses the same user database? It's something that I've wanted, and so I did some searching and playing around and have found the following forum scripts that have an integration with WordPress.
You may be wondering why this is important at all. Why would someone want that kind of functionality? I'm sure there are many reasons, but simply put, you want people on your forum to have some special access to your blog and you don't want them to have to register for both. You may want to give your registered user the ability to add links, or view special posts (which I'm sure you can do with a plugin or special calls.) Basically you want to begin to fine-tune access control between the two systems.
There's not a lot of scripts that integrate with WordPress. Making two systems talk is like a person who only speaks Korean talk with a person who only speaks German. They may find some points on commonality, but they still wont quite connect. Same with web scripts. It may be like an arrainged marriage. It may work out, it may not. The following are the successful 'marriages.'
I'll be arranging the list into three parts: 1. User Integration, 2. Other Integration, and 3. Third Party Tools.
User Integration
PHPBB has WP-United that handles the user integration, and can also put Wordpress between the phpbb header and footer.
Vanilla has a forum integration that I actually got to work. It takes some time to get it set up, and you need to follow the instructions.
Integration Instructions and the Vanilla support forum.
bbPress is from the same folks that make WordPress. So integration with WordPress should be easy. They just (Oct. 2006) released the first version of bbPress and my testings so far have been bug-ridden. I'm sure the problems will be worked out.
Integration Instructions and the bbPress support forum.
WordPress SMF Bridge is a user-created integration for Simple Machine Forum. Information Here.
Another SMF/WordPress user bridge (which is based on the dmry one) is at earthorbit. I've tested this one and it works really well. Recommended.
Phorum also has an integration script. I haven't tried this out yet. Instructions and download.
PunBB's integrations script and instructions can be found here.
Other Integration
I'll add this section soon. It will have WordPress plugins that bring in recent posts from phpbb and MyBB. Check out wp-Plugins.net for some.
Third Party Tools
LunaByte has a plugin that integrates WordPress with Simple Machines Forum (SMF) through their product Enigma2. Information.
If I've left out any, feel free to drop me a comment or contact me.
