# Topics vs Posts vs Replies
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [April 16, 2024, 3:35pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117 "2024-04-16T15:35:47Z")
**Posts on this page:** 8
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DevTantia](https://meta.discourse.org/u/DevTantia)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2024, 3:35pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117/1 "2024-04-16T15:35:47Z")
I have read a ton of threads regarding this but am still confused
Maybe a comparison with Facebook might help?
Correct me if I am wrong:
A post on Facebook = a post on discourse
A comment on Fb = a reply on discourse
AND both post+reply=topic
Am i correct here?
---
### Author:  [@Arkshine](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Arkshine)
#### Post date: [April 16, 2024, 4:03pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117/2 "2024-04-16T16:03:37Z")
Hello, welcome to Meta! š
I donāt know much about Facebook. Letās see:
- **Topic** : This is the subject of a discussion thread. It contains _posts_.
- **Post** : A _post_ is any contribution made to a discussion. It can be the initial message.
- **Reply** : A _post_ directly addresses an earlier post within the topic or to continue the discussion.
A _post_, _comment_, and _reply_ are essentially the same: messages that contribute to the discussion.
The term _comment_ is not often used here. However, itās used in the [Discourse Post Voting](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-post-voting/227808) plugin, which represents the tiny replies under the vote. (_Thanks to Jammy for letting me know about it_)
Does that clarify?
---
### Author:  [@DevTantia](https://meta.discourse.org/u/DevTantia)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2024, 2:23pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117/3 "2024-04-18T14:23:46Z")
So the initial point, in this case what I wrote, would be the topic?
And then anything that comes after that would be a reply?
And both the topic and reply could be called a post?
---
### Author:  [@Jagster](https://meta.discourse.org/u/Jagster)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2024, 4:15pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117/4 "2024-04-18T16:15:08Z")
This whole chain of posts is a topic. Every each message is a post. I surely make a reply, that is a post, to you, but if I would use reply button it would be connect as an answer to one of posts.
Same thing in Facebook where everything under original post are a topic. When someone is posting direcrtly under original one, like staying at root-level, it is just another post. If one answer to someone and create new thread (what Discourse doesnāt have because thread is basically only a filter showing just part of a topic) that is an answer, and a post too.
So a post is a reply, technically, if someone uses reply-button. This, and if I would mention you, is of course semantically answers, but not technically š
Sure. Coders and devs want everything beeing in logical order and behind exact definition. But at same time they have horrible and and even weak imaginary ā or as a code wizard I know is formulating same: they are slaves of end users and incompetens bosses š
---
### Author:  [@JammyDodger](https://meta.discourse.org/u/JammyDodger)
#### Post date: [April 18, 2024, 4:19pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117/5 "2024-04-18T16:19:35Z")
Thereās a glossary in this topic which may help?
> [@Understanding Discourse for new users](https://meta.discourse.org/t/discourse-new-user-guide/96331):
>
> bookmark This guide covers the fundamental features and basic usage of Discourse for new users, explaining key terms, how to navigate, participate in conversations, and configure notifications. person_raising_hand Required user level: Any Welcome! As a new user of Discourse, we hope you will find this site intuitive and clearly structured. Hereās some guidance to help you get started: Summary This guide will cover: Basic terms used in Discourse Browsing and navigation tips Reading anā¦
---
### Author:  [@DevTantia](https://meta.discourse.org/u/DevTantia)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2024, 3:32am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117/6 "2024-04-20T03:32:15Z")
@Jagster
Thanks a ton for your help. I did understand what you were saying to some extent. But just to confirm, do we not have any name for the original post like the one I did at the top?
Every post and reply here is called a āpostā, right?
---
### Author:  [@simon](https://meta.discourse.org/u/simon)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2024, 4:59am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117/7 "2024-04-20T04:59:20Z")
Yes, every post is a post. A topic is a collection of posts. Informally, the first post in a topic could be called the OP (original post). In the database itās just `post_number: 1`.
I agree the terms are a bit confusing. I think thatās because this forum (Meta) is a mixture of developers and non-developers. Developers might be using terms that only make sense if youāre familiar with the Discourse code.
For some context, if you have a JSON formatting extension installed on your browser (for example [https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/json-viewer/gbmdgpbipfallnflgajpaliibnhdgobh](https://chromewebstore.google.com/detail/json-viewer/gbmdgpbipfallnflgajpaliibnhdgobh)) you can easily see the data that Discourse uses to generate the topicās UI. This topicās JSON can be seen at [https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117.json](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117.json). It shows that the topic has:
```plaintext
...
id: 304117,
title: "Topics vs Posts vs Replies",
fancy_title: "Topics vs Posts vs Replies",
posts_count: 6,
created_at: "2024-04-16T15:35:47.828Z",
views: 141,
reply_count: 2,
like_count: 12,
...
```
You can view the JSON without a browser extension. Itās just harder to read.
---
### Author:  [@denvergeeks](https://meta.discourse.org/u/denvergeeks)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2024, 5:56am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/topics-vs-posts-vs-replies/304117/8 "2024-04-20T05:56:10Z")
@DevTantia ā I think of the first post as āOriginal Postā (āOPā) or āTopic Starterā. There is only one of this type of post per Topic, and it always stays at the top of the Topic page. Only this special āOPā post contains the extra fields in the Composer (as you can see just below) like the Title, the Category, and the Tags - none of the other posts within (below) the OP provide these extra fields.
The OP is also the only post to display the Topic Map (always at the bottom of the OP) which shows helpful statistics regarding the community membersā actions and engagements with that particular Topic, like soā¦
I think of the rest of the posts as āReply Postsā or āTopic Repliesā. (As you can see below here this Reply Post Composer is without the extra fields.)
