This is now a Theme Component but has the option to add a complementary plugin.
Repository: get the code here: https://github.com/paviliondev/discourse-tc-topic-list-previews
This can be complemented with the ‘sidecar plugin’: https://github.com/paviliondev/discourse-topic-previews-sidecar
to add the following features:
- ‘actions’ (bookmarking and liking from Topic List)
- Thumbnail Picker in the Topic Meta Editor.
- Optionally suppresses links in excerpts to make them look a lot better
You need at least the Theme Component, the Plugin is optional.
Examples: check out the list further down.
Request a feature
Report a bug
Donate: we are reviewing our donations system. Please check back later :).
Maintainers: @merefield
Overview
Topic List Previews allows you to:
-
Add images, excerpts, and topic stats to topic list items; and
-
Change the layout and style of topic list items
-
Add ‘Featured’ topics above topic lists and topics.
-
Add User Wall to User’s activity page (aka ‘Portfolio’ Feature).
- Adding the sidecar plugin (for those who can) affords you more features:
- ‘actions’ buttons on Topic List (bookmarking and liking)
- Thumbnail Picker in the Topic Meta Editor.
- Suppresses links in excerpts to make them look a lot better (long links in excerpts in Discourse can mess with layout)
These settings can be applied to all or selected topic lists on a site-wide or category-specific basis.
This flexible feature-set allows you create a variety of different topic list styles, including
Basic Style
Relevant settings
- topic list thumbnail
- topic list excerpt
- topic list action
Pinterest (Masonry) Style aka ‘tiles’
Relevant settings
- topic list tiles
- topic list thumbnail
- topic list excerpt
- topic list action
- topic list thumbnail width
- topic list thumbnail height
Featured Images
Relevant settings
- topic list featured images tag
- topic list featured images count
- topic list featured width
- topic list featured height
- topic list featured title
- topic list featured excerpt
- topic list featured order
The main and Discovery settings are in Settings → Plugins. The Category equivalent are in each Category’s Settings.
Examples in the Wild 
-
Real-Time VFX, which uses thumbnails and excerpts.
More info:
Much more info available at: Topic Previews - Pavilion
Contributors 
Many folks have contributed to the development of this component through both feedback, development work and funding. In particular:
-
@angus is the original author
-
@pmusaraj who has contributed various pieces of code
-
And many members of the Discourse community in particular @david, @Johani, @bartv, @davidkingham, @p16 …
How to safely install or update when using our plugins:
Pavilion’s update schedule and support policy
This Theme Component is one of the Pavilion family of open source plugins.
Pavilion will focuses on ensuring compatibility of a core set of its plugins with Discourse Core tests-passed branch during the first 5 days of every month only.
Any bugs which arise because of an incompatibility will be addressed asap during this ‘supported period’, preferably by the 7th day. Low severity or Beta feature bugs may not be addressed by this date, but obvious things which are ‘breaking’ a forum should be resolved.
If you’ve not used the Theme Component before, it is safer to adopt it within the support window, so add it and rebuild your site within the first five days of any month, otherwise it’s possible you may be introducing an incompatibility and we might not be around to help.
More about this policy here: Pavilion's Support Policy and Schedule - Support - Pavilion
