XenForo as subdomain or as a directory?

Lost

Well-known member
Just out of curiosity... I'm playing around with XenForo for a future project and was wondering how you guys usually install your forum software.

Do you use forums, forum or community as the directory name to install the forum software in?

Do you prefer to use a sub-domain or a directory for your forum?

Do you prefer to remove the unique forum identifier from the URL?

What is the reason you configured it this way?

My current forum is configured as follows:
http://forum.domain.com and displays the unique forum identifier in the URL.

Initially I used http://www.domain.com/forum but I had some issues with the CMS (running on http://www.domain.com) interfering with the forum.

Now that I've decided to use XenForo for a future project I can't seem to make up my mind on how to set it up exactly.
 
When I installed my test forum, I installed it as www.domain.com/forums. When I was moving around the forum, I clicked on one of the forums and got the following URL: www.domain.com/forums/forums/announcements.2. I don't like the two /forums/forums in the URL and that's what got me thinking. :)


I agree with you Lost.
This is the only thing I am not to keen on with the superb xenForo, either we put xenForo in a folder and have www.domain.com/forum/forums or it goes in the root directory (which I would prefer) but then we get the "Home" and "Forum" tabs both linking to the same url.
I would prefer xenForo in the root without the forum tab, so that when a user clicks on the home tab we just go to the forum index.

Any suggestions?
 
The URL is structured in such a way as to identify the content; e.g. /forums, /threads, /pages. etc.

I agree it does look a bit odd having forum/forums, which is why I'm probably going to go with the /community/forums setup as it is here.
In my opinion calling it a community is far more apt then just calling it a forum anyway.

I won't be putting it in the root as that may impact any future development of the site, for example adding a CMS, etc.
 
For my new site I'm using /community since I expect the root directory to eventually have a portal or CMS.

For another one of my sites I use subdomains so there is less of a chance of me overwriting files by accident.
www.nccbmwcca.org for the CMS
forum.nccbmwcca.org
gallery.nccbmwcca.org
classifieds.nccbmwcca.org

For another it's just always been that way.
www.318ti.org portal
www.318ti.org/forum
www.318ti.org/gallery

I think it's 6 of one and 1/2 dozen of another.
 
The URL is structured in such a way as to identify the content; e.g. /forums, /threads, /pages. etc.

I agree it does look a bit odd having forum/forums, which is why I'm probably going to go with the /community/forums setup as it is here.
In my opinion calling it a community is far more apt then just calling it a forum anyway.

I won't be putting it in the root as that may impact any future development of the site, for example adding a CMS, etc.


I see now.
I have changed my xen folder to community, that's much better.
 
I usually put mine in the main domain but that's because the forum is part of a larger integrated site.

So the homepage is e.g. www.domain.com, the forum is www.domain.com/forum, gallery is www.domain.com/gallery, etc.

I have yet to see a compelling argument why using sub-domains is better but I suppose it's personal preference.
It's a little shorter, that's all. But it's a much bigger PITA to do... much... and then there is the potential SEO loss for content in each subdomain.
 
I have set up sites both ways, and it appears that a well integrated site is better than one with subdomains. If your site is not well integrated then IMO subdomains is a better route.
 
The URL is structured in such a way as to identify the content; e.g. /forums, /threads, /pages. etc.
I agree it does look a bit odd having forum/forums, which is why I'm probably going to go with the /community/forums setup as it is here.
In my opinion calling it a community is far more apt then just calling it a forum anyway.
I won't be putting it in the root as that may impact any future development of the site, for example adding a CMS, etc.

Why would I want my site to have /forums /threads /pages ?
Is there a security benefit ?

It's a little shorter, that's all. But it's a much bigger PITA to do... much... and then there is the potential SEO loss for content in each subdomain.
That's interesting.
Anyone have more information on this ?
 
This depends on you start a new site or converting from another software. If you have an established site with /forum/ directory before, it makes little sense to change.

I don't like the /forum/forums/ part either but then I ask myself, how often my members and I go there and look at the url?
People either visit the forum home first, then click on threads so it's just a minor annoyance.
 
I don't like the /forum/forums/ part either but then I ask myself, how often my members and I go there and look at the url?
People either visit the forum home first, then click on threads so it's just a minor annoyance.
Agreed.

Link to this thread
http://xenforo.com/community/threads/xenforo-as-subdomain-or-as-a-directory.5713/
Here is a link to the main list of forums
http://xenforo.com/community/
Here is a link to this General Support and Questions forum - this is the only time that /forums/forums link would be shown, if xf was installed in a subdirectory called forums.
http://xenforo.com/community/forums/general-support-and-questions.25/

I'm not sure how often anyone looks at the url, or even posts a link, to a specific forum. They certainly don't on our forum. They post links to threads or specific posts within threads, and occasionally to mysite.com/forums, but I have never had a link to a specific forum on my site.
 
...

Do you prefer to use a sub-domain or a directory for your forum?

....

Does it impact SEO/ Google ranking of the forum and/or the main domain with a CMS in it, if I have my forum in a subdomain instead of a directory like "community"?

I think this question really important.
 
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