Understanding user interface elements in Discourse

Documentation Using Discourse
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:bookmark: This resource covers the names for each element of the Discourse user interface.

:person_raising_hand: Required user level: All users

Here’s what Discourse’s interface looks like most of the time. Themes, theme components, and plugins may affect this layout.

Discourse Home Interface
Discourse Home Interface1620×1369 199 KB

Let’s break down the main parts, and then the main parts into smaller parts.

Discourse Home Interface Parts
Discourse Home Interface Parts1620×1380 202 KB

  1. Header
  2. Sidebar
  3. Main content

Header

Header
Header1512×74 9.29 KB

  1. Sidebar button/toggle (or Hamburger)
  2. Logo
  3. Top right icons:
    a. Chat toggle
    b. Quick search
    c. Notifications Menu / Avatar menu

Sidebar

Sidebar
Sidebar489×1317 21.7 KB

  1. Sections
  2. New Section Button
  3. Keyboard Shortcuts

Main Content

Main Content
Main Content1307×685 50.1 KB

  1. Navigation / Nav bar
    a. Category Selector
    b. Tag selector
    c. Navigation buttons
  2. Topics list headers
  3. Topics list

Topic

Topic
Topic1519×1167 78.9 KB

  1. Title
  2. Category
  3. Tags
  4. Avatar
  5. Username and Name
  6. Edit History Button
  7. Post Date
  8. Post Actions
  9. Reply to Post button
  10. Topic Map
  11. Topic Actions Buttons
  12. Reply to Topic Button
  13. Admin Wrench
  14. Timeline
  15. Reply to Topic Button
  16. Notification State Button

User Card

User Card
User Card884×444 44.4 KB

  1. Location
  2. Badge list
  3. Avatar
  4. Username
  5. Name
  6. Bio
  7. Last Activity Stats
  8. Website
  9. Cakeday (Registration Anniversary)
  10. New Personal Message Button
  11. New Personal Chat Button

Notifications menu

Notifications Menu
Notifications Menu756×883 37.9 KB

  1. Notifications
  2. All notifications
  3. Replies and Mentions
  4. Likes
  5. Personal Messages
  6. Bookmarks Reminders
  7. Chat Notifications
  8. Reviewable Items
  9. Other Notifications
  10. User Menu
  11. See All Notifications Button
  12. Dismiss Notifications Button

Composer

Composer
Composer1899×935 221 KB

  1. Post Type Selector
  2. Topic Title
  3. Topic Category Selector
  4. Topic Tags Selector
  5. Formatting Toolbar
  6. Text Area
  7. Post Creation/Edition Button
  8. Cancel Post Button
  9. Resizing Grip
  10. Fullscreen Toogle
  11. Minimize Toggle
  12. Preview Panel
  13. Preview Panel Toggle

Last edited by @hugh 2024-06-28T00:04:48Z

Last checked by @hugh 2024-06-28T00:04:11Z

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64 Likes
14

Has someone created or is someone in the process of creating a similar guide for Discourse 3.x with sidebar navigation?

2 Likes
15

This is such a godsend :raised_hands:

2 Likes
19

I think we need to give this one a little refresh. Bear with us and we’ll see if we can put something together for you. :slight_smile:

4 Likes
21

The guide was very outdated, so I updated it with new screenshots :slight_smile:
It can be improved, so suggestions are welcome!

5 Likes
22

This is really great :hugs: Thanks @Canapin :heart:

Little suggestion: Can it contains the composer and chat too? :slightly_smiling_face:

3 Likes
23

11 and 12 from the notifications menu are missing.

And I noticed that in the header it is called avatar menu, but the separate heading says notifications menu

3 Likes
24

I’m very worried that this type of guide, no matter how well meant, is very much in danger of getting outdated, due to the (painstakingly) made screenshots and annotations. All I know is the same has been attempted for Facebook and YouTube, etc. but after a few months users can’t find certain items mentioned. I don’t have a better solution though.

2 Likes
25

Since it is a wiki, everybody can help when it needs an update. And even if some elements change, it is still helpful to know how the other elements are called.
Ultimately, any documentation can become outdated. If you don’t write documentation for this reason you have no documentation at all.

3 Likes