PunkwebBB is a Django application that provides a complete forum board solution for Django websites. What sets it apart is its focus on simplicity and independence - it doesn't rely on other Django apps, making it incredibly straightforward to install and configure. The goal? To have a fully functional forum up and running in under a minute.
Check out punkweb.net for documentation, support and a live demonstration of the software.
- Python 3.9+
- Django 3.2+
It may work with older versions of Python and Django, but it has not been tested.
- User registration and authentication
- Thread and post management
- Real-time shoutbox
- Discord integration
- BBCode and Markdown parsing
- Responsive design
- Admin controls and moderation tools
pip install punkweb-bbAdd to your Django settings:
INSTALLED_APPS = [
...
"punkweb_bb",
]Optionally: Add the following middleware to your MIDDLEWARE setting, at the end of the list:
MIDDLEWARE = [
...
"punkweb_bb.middleware.ProfileOnlineCacheMiddleware",
]from django.urls import path, include
urlpatterns = [
...
path("forum/", include("punkweb_bb.urls")),
]PunkwebBB comes with a range of configurable settings:
PUNKWEB_BB = {
"SITE_NAME": "Your Site Name",
"SITE_TITLE": "Your Forum Title",
"PARSER": "bbcode", # or "markdown"
"FAVICON": "path/to/favicon.ico",
"OG_IMAGE": None, # Full URL for Open Graph meta tags
"SHOUTBOX_ENABLED": True,
"SHOUTBOX_POLLING_ENABLED": True,
"SHOUTBOX_POLLING_INTERVAL": 30, # seconds
"DISCORD_WIDGET_ENABLED": False,
"DISCORD_WIDGET_THEME": "dark",
"DISCORD_SERVER_ID": None,
}The installation process is straightforward, and the default configuration works out of the box. You don't need to be a Django expert to get started.
Unlike many forum solutions that require multiple dependencies, PunkwebBB is self-contained. This means fewer potential points of failure and easier maintenance.
From real-time shoutbox to Discord integration, PunkwebBB includes features that modern communities expect.
While it's simple to set up, PunkwebBB is also highly customizable. You can extend its functionality to match your specific needs.
Built with efficiency in mind, PunkwebBB handles user interactions smoothly without unnecessary overhead.
PunkwebBB is ideal for:
- Gaming communities
- Business support forums
- Educational platforms
- Technical discussion boards
- Fan communities
- Knowledge-sharing platforms
PunkwebBB represents a perfect balance between simplicity and functionality. Whether you're building a small community forum or a large-scale discussion platform, it provides all the essential features while remaining easy to implement and maintain.
The project's focus on independence and straightforward installation makes it an excellent choice for developers who want to add forum functionality to their Django projects without the complexity of larger forum solutions.
Report:
coverage run && coverage reportHTML:
coverage run && coverage htmlFound 59 test(s).
Creating test database for alias 'default'...
System check identified no issues (0 silenced).
...........................................................
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ran 59 tests in 8.594s
OK
Destroying test database for alias 'default'...
Name Stmts Miss Cover
------------------------------------------------------------------
punkweb_bb/__init__.py 0 0 100%
punkweb_bb/admin.py 42 0 100%
punkweb_bb/admin_forms.py 34 0 100%
punkweb_bb/apps.py 6 0 100%
punkweb_bb/bbcode.py 118 46 61%
punkweb_bb/decorators.py 12 0 100%
punkweb_bb/forms.py 59 0 100%
punkweb_bb/guests.py 13 0 100%
punkweb_bb/middleware.py 27 3 89%
punkweb_bb/mixins.py 11 0 100%
punkweb_bb/models.py 154 1 99%
punkweb_bb/pagination.py 11 4 64%
punkweb_bb/response.py 3 0 100%
punkweb_bb/searching.py 8 5 38%
punkweb_bb/settings.py 13 0 100%
punkweb_bb/signals.py 9 0 100%
punkweb_bb/templatetags/__init__.py 0 0 100%
punkweb_bb/templatetags/can_delete.py 5 0 100%
punkweb_bb/templatetags/can_edit.py 5 0 100%
punkweb_bb/templatetags/can_post.py 5 0 100%
punkweb_bb/templatetags/humanize_int.py 9 5 44%
punkweb_bb/templatetags/punkweb_bb.py 6 0 100%
punkweb_bb/templatetags/render.py 38 16 58%
punkweb_bb/templatetags/styled_group_name.py 7 1 86%
punkweb_bb/templatetags/styled_username.py 6 0 100%
punkweb_bb/tests.py 418 0 100%
punkweb_bb/urls.py 4 0 100%
punkweb_bb/utils.py 44 26 41%
punkweb_bb/views.py 319 123 61%
punkweb_bb/widgets.py 16 2 88%
------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL 1402 232 83%