# Discourse vs Slack
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-vs-slack/46065
**Category:** Site feedback
**Created:** [June 20, 2016, 11:35am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-vs-slack/46065 "2016-06-20T11:35:52Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Greg11](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Greg11)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2016, 11:35am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-vs-slack/46065/1 "2016-06-20T11:35:52Z")
We are assessing platforms for team learning online platform.
Basically, we are going to read book(s), share our findings, impressions and will explain to each other what we learned.
Also do code katas and compare our solutions. Now we are learning Clojure programming.
I bootstrapped a version for us to try on [http://188.166.34.124/](http://188.166.34.124/)
So Discourse or Slack or something else? Discourse is geared around a
topic and discussion on it. Slack is more of a free form IRC’ish
communication. The way I see it. Perhaps Discourse is a mix of both? IRC
and forum?
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### Author:  [@Tom\_Newsom](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Tom_Newsom)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2016, 12:01pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-vs-slack/46065/2 "2016-06-20T12:01:46Z")
They are very different animals. Instant messaging is great for making quick decisions or asking simple questions. Forums are best for long-running conversations and complicated topics. It sounds to me like a forum would be much more suitable for your needs.
Also, Slack isn’t cheap.
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### Author:  [@TechnoBear](https://meta.discourse.org/u/TechnoBear)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2016, 12:17pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-vs-slack/46065/3 "2016-06-20T12:17:22Z")
If you are likely to want to refer back to the discussions at a future date, then I would definitely say go with Discourse (or other forum software). Trying to find past conversations in Slack isn’t easy. IMHO.
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### Author:  [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2016, 12:49pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-vs-slack/46065/4 "2016-06-20T12:49:42Z")
Please continue this discussion here:
> [@Discourse and Slack (or other group chat apps like IRC, HipChat, Gitter, etc)](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-and-slack-or-other-group-chat-apps-like-irc-hipchat-gitter-etc/39630):
>
> Discourse vs. Slack Finding the right place for a discussion On Slack, discussions are separated into different channels. This shares many of the same problems as groups in email - it’s not clear which channels exist, which ones are still active, and where a particular discussion should take place. On Discourse, discussions will be visible to everyone so it doesn’t matter as much which category you choose when a topic is created. And if it seems like a topic should later be moved to another cat…
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### Author:  [@erlend\_sh](https://meta.discourse.org/u/erlend_sh)
#### Post date: [June 20, 2016, 12:49pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-vs-slack/46065/5 "2016-06-20T12:49:46Z")