How to require users to provide information before their sign up is approved?

[szhorvat (Szabolcs)]

We have a closed Discourse instance where people must sign up before they can read the forum. I am looking to streamline the signup process, and I would like to require people to state who they are and why they want to join before the signup is approved.

Is this possible? Can the signup form include custom instructions, and a free-form text box where people can introduce themselves?

Alternatively, we can provide an email address where people can request sign up, but this is slower to handle and less convenient.

[pfaffman (Jay Pfaffman)]

GitHub - discourse/discourse-authentication-validations might help.

@szhorvat

Can the signup form include custom instructions,

I think you’d do that with customizing text on that page or a theme component to add your stuff.

@szhorvat

and a free-form text box where people can introduce themselves?

You’d create a user custom field for that.