Local Instance

[greenwinter67]

I'm looking at Xenforo to replace Invision Power. I have a few questions:

For obvious reasons I don't want to do that testing and development anywhere that's internet accessible, even with password protection. When I purchase my license, I understand that it's tied to a single domain. How do local installations work and how are those licensed?

I see that Xenforo's landing page is separate from the forums. When I first started using Invision Power, this was a difficult task for some reason. Is this functionality built into Xenforo?

Our site uses custom apps. How does Xenforo handle custom tables/databases?

Thanks for your time.

 

[Rene_V]

How do local installations work and how are those licensed?

Someone can correct me if I am wrong, but it's my understanding that you can use XenForo for a local installation (localhost), provided it is for development, testing, or staging purposes and not a second public site.

On how to install XenForo on localhost I found this excellent guide in the Resources manager. It's very detailed and well written.

P

XF on localhost

Jul 24, 2020

Now with added https

• Paul B
• XenForo tips & guides [2.x]

I see that Xenforo's landing page is separate from the forums. When I first started using Invision Power, this was a difficult task for some reason. Is this functionality built into Xenforo?

XenForo doesn't have a pages add-on a.f.a.i.k.

Our site uses custom apps. How does Xenforo handle custom tables/databases?

XenForo doesn't have official Cms/Pages add-ons either. That said, you can check out the Resource manager to see if any such add-ons already exist. If that's not the case you can request them to be custom coded for you.

 

[ENF]

For obvious reasons I don't want to do that testing and development anywhere that's internet accessible, even with password protection. When I purchase my license, I understand that it's tied to a single domain. How do local installations work and how are those licensed?

As a part of the license, you're permitted to have an offline, non-publicly accessible version of your site for testing, development or whatever you want to do without affecting your production site. Your local installation will have a license message in the ACP, but it can be safely ignored. (registered URL won't match to your dev/test install)

I see that Xenforo's landing page is separate from the forums. When I first started using Invision Power, this was a difficult task for some reason. Is this functionality built into Xenforo?

The version as you see it is built on the XF framework as I understand it, but it's not something that comes a part of the software you purchase. You can certainly program or build a home page from the XF core, it's just not plug-n-play for the version you see at xenforo.com. There is a pages functionality built into XF, but it's probably not something that could do what you're looking for there.

Our site uses custom apps. How does Xenforo handle custom tables/databases?

Custom apps, as in addons? Addons use the XF database... see the Resource Manager section for examples of addons available.

 

[greenwinter67]

Thanks everyone. The stuff I want to test actually has less to do with the forums and more with the custom apps so this is all great info. Is there a way to do an offline local demo so I can try it out implementing some of our custom apps, or is that only available after a license purchase?

 

[Rene_V]

Is there a way to do an offline local demo so I can try it out implementing some of our custom apps, or is that only available after a license purchase?

You will need to purchase a license for that.

 

[Suzanne O]

Get yourself a license you can go on the cloud if you wish to so you don't have to worry about all the upgrades.
Here's the link

Get started with XenForo

Choose a solution to suit your needs

xenforo.com

Don't forget to associate your license so you can get the addon's you're after.

 

[greenwinter67]

For anyone who runs across this in the future. All of this was fairly trivial. There is a setting for redirecting the landing page and the addon system is simple to use.