Originally published at: Discourse New User Tips and Tricks
If you’re new to Discourse, here are a few quick tips and tricks to get you started: Reading Selecting a title from the topic list will always take you to your last read post in the topic. To enter at the top or bottom instead, select the reply count or last reply date. Topics above…
AI-generated summary
This thread serves as a comprehensive guide for new Discourse users, originally published by codinghorror and updated in 2025. The guide emphasizes that Discourse functions as a permanent, searchable knowledge base rather than ephemeral chat, encouraging thoughtful, asynchronous participation. Key features highlighted include using the link button to cite specific posts, the flag and bookmark actions, and managing notifications for direct interactions like replies and mentions. The post also explains visual indicators for new topics and automatically tracked discussions.
The discussion expands into community management and etiquette. codinghorror points out that moderator-specific tips are available in a separate guide. A significant portion of the conversation, initiated by ChristopherMcEwan and elaborated by ferdnyc, debates the etiquette of reviving old topics versus creating new ones. While ChristopherMcEwan prefers repurposing existing threads to prevent proliferation, ferdnyc outlines the pros (saving time, consolidating context) and cons (unnecessary notifications, conflating outdated issues) of “thread necromancy,” noting that tech forums often auto-lock old discussions to mitigate these issues.
Additional user contributions include twitch.tv_Grilvhor asking about redirecting users and translating content, which jomaxro confirms is allowed. Heliosurge shares a technical tip on using relative internal links (e.g., /t/54341) to prevent broken links during domain changes and reduce URL clutter. fedorov suggests adding a tip about editing posts to avoid cluttering threads with correction replies. The thread concludes with numerous users expressing gratitude for the helpful resources, with pierrox suggesting an update to reflect the new WYSIWYG input box.
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If there are any other tricks and tips – non-obvious essentials that every new Discourse user should know, please provide suggestions on that here.
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As a newbie to Discourse, and being silly enough to volunteer to be a moderator just as we went live on the new platform I felt a distinct need for a “New Moderator tips and tricks” topic. Meta had most of the information I was looking for, but it appears as mixed in with more technical admin information.
How about a similar theme for new mods?
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I believe that is over at Discourse Moderation Guide
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Loving this post and linking all new members to it from my community. Thank you!
I’d suggest adding a line or two at the bottom along the lines of …
There you go, that should be enough to get you started. Have fun! As you spend time on discourse forums more power features will be revealed to you.
In case you are curious, you can also check out the full Understanding Discourse for new users.
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Any advice/thoughts on creating a new post vs reviving an older discussion? What is the etiquette/preference? (the pop up reminding me that post is old discourages me from reviving but otherwise we get topic proliferation and useful context is lost). My question relates to conduct here on meta. and how I should encourage members on my forum.
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Just make your best guess. Does your issue connect to the old thing or is it different now? If it’s the same, is your issue addressed in the topic already?
For your own forum, it’s up to you and your community to decide.
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Yep. I think my bias is to repurpose existing threads unless topic is distinctly different. Stops post proliferation. Will promote this approach.
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Hi all,
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Can I redirect users from my community to tutorials in this community?
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Can I translate these contents and add them in my discourse?
Source page would be specified of course.
Thanks
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Yes and Yes. Happy to see this being helpful.
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Great, I expected no less from you guys! 
Thanks!
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I would add something about editing a post. I see it quite often that a correction to a post is added as a reply to the post, and it is not obvious that the existing post could have been edited.
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Awesome topic!
So I will share a tip. At times you might be a designer or simply a mod. Someone decides up the chain to change the domain name!
This breaks the links on the site! I am sure there might be a command line option to rebake posts?
I am not sure the procedure off hand.
However there is a way we can alleviate this issue as these are internal links.
This link for example might be used as follows
https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-new-user-tips-and-tricks/54341?u=heliosurge
[First Post Here](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-new-user-tips-and-tricks/54341?u=heliosurge)Same link with https://domain striped.
[First Post Here](/t/discourse-new-user-tips-and-tricks/54341?u=heliosurge)Try it First Post Here
Now maybe you don’t want to be racking up badges for links simply remove in my case ?u=hekiosurge
No more credits for the link. 
You can also use this to credit another user by swapping your name with theres. 
Now we have learned with the Share Link Shortner Theme-component we can strip a lot of extras out of it.
Now see how much shorter the link can become with topic name removed.
[First Post Here](/t/54341)This of course only works for internal links. but can be quite handy.
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Thank you. Very helpful for a new user like me 
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Thank you . Really helpful post !
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Great post with excellent tips. Thanks!
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Well i am new on here as we are setting up a forum for our oldtimer moped club BOLUZ. One of the new members was quite enthusiastic about Discourse sonwe decided to give it a go and move from PHPPB to Discourse. Now we all need to find our way a bit but with all the tutorials you guys provide we have come a long way in our trial period and soon hope to put the new Forum live.
Learned lots in the short time we have been experimenting now. So big thank you for the patience and help so far.
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Great tips there. Topic should be updated for the new input box and its wysiwyg mode though.
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This is so awesome! These are really good tips and tricks for a beginner like myself! 
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Thanks, it is helpful.