Overview
Threads are the individual discussions that happen inside a space. Members create threads to ask questions, share ideas, make announcements, or start conversations. Other members can reply to threads, and replies can be nested to create focused sub-conversations. Reactions let members express quick feedback without writing a full reply.
Creating a Thread
- Navigate to a space within Community > Spaces in the admin dashboard, or from the public community page.
- Click New Thread.
- Enter a title and write your content using the rich text editor.
- Select the thread type and save.
Thread Fields
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Title | A clear, descriptive title for the discussion. |
| Content | The body of the thread, written with the rich text editor. Supports formatting, links, and images. |
| Type | The kind of thread: discussion, question, or announcement. |
| Author | The contact who created the thread. Set automatically based on the logged-in user. |
Thread Types
- Discussion -- A general conversation thread. This is the default type and is suitable for most topics.
- Question -- Marks the thread as a question, signaling that the author is looking for an answer. Useful for Q&A-style communities.
- Announcement -- A one-way communication from admins or moderators. Use announcements for important updates, news, or rule changes.
Thread Statuses
Threads have a status that controls their behavior in the space:
| Status | Description |
|---|---|
| Open | The default status. The thread is active and accepting new replies. |
| Pinned | The thread is locked to the top of the thread list, regardless of sort order. Pinned threads are always shown first. |
| Closed | The thread is no longer accepting new replies. Existing content remains visible, but members cannot add to the discussion. |
Browsing Threads
The thread list within a space shows all threads sorted with pinned threads at the top. You can sort the remaining threads by:
- Recent -- Threads with the most recent activity (new replies) appear first. This is the default sort order.
- Popular -- Threads with the most likes appear first.
- Newest -- Threads sorted by creation date, newest first.
You can also filter threads by type to see only discussions, questions, or announcements.
Replies
Replies are how members respond to a thread. Each reply is tied to a specific thread and has its own author, content, and like count.
Posting a Reply
- Open a thread.
- Write your reply in the reply editor at the bottom of the thread.
- Click Reply to post.
The thread's reply count and last activity timestamp are updated automatically whenever a new reply is posted.
Nested Replies
Replies support nesting, allowing members to respond directly to another reply rather than to the thread as a whole. This creates focused sub-conversations within a thread.
To reply to a specific reply, click the Reply button on that reply rather than using the main reply editor. Nested replies are displayed as children of the parent reply they were responding to.
Reactions
Reactions let members express feedback on threads and replies with a single click, without writing a full response. GritCMS supports the following reaction types:
- Like -- A general positive reaction (the default).
- Heart -- Express love or strong appreciation.
- Celebrate -- Congratulate or cheer.
Toggling a Reaction
Reactions work as a toggle. Clicking a reaction type on a thread or reply adds it. Clicking the same reaction type again removes it. Each member can only have one reaction of each type per thread or reply.
The like count displayed on threads and replies is updated in real time as reactions are added and removed.
Pinning and Moderating Threads
Admins and moderators have additional controls to keep the community organized and on topic.
Pinning a Thread
Pinning a thread locks it to the top of the space's thread list so all members see it first. This is useful for important announcements, rules, or frequently asked questions.
- Open the thread you want to pin.
- Click the Pin button.
- The thread status changes to Pinned and it moves to the top of the list.
To unpin a thread, click the Pin button again. The status reverts to Open and the thread returns to its normal position in the sort order.
Closing a Thread
Closing a thread prevents any new replies from being posted. The existing content remains visible for reading.
- Open the thread you want to close.
- Click the Close button.
- The thread status changes to Closed.
To reopen a closed thread, click the Close button again to toggle it back to Open.
Deleting Content
- Delete a thread -- Removes the thread and all its replies permanently.
- Delete a reply -- Removes the individual reply. The thread's reply count is decremented automatically.
Editing Threads and Replies
Both thread authors and moderators can edit thread content and replies after they have been posted. Edits update the content in place. The updated_at timestamp is refreshed to reflect when the most recent edit occurred.
Tips for Healthy Community Discussions
- Encourage members to use descriptive thread titles so others can find relevant discussions easily.
- Pin a "Welcome" or "Community Guidelines" thread in each space so new members know what is expected.
- Use the Question thread type for support spaces to make it clear when someone needs help.
- Close threads that have been resolved or are no longer relevant to keep the space tidy.
- Respond to threads promptly to build engagement and show members that the community is active.