Platform
XenForo has been developed for developers. A comprehensive add-on and modification framework exists at the very core of the XenForo architecture.
Imagination is the only limit
Some add-ons might do little more than change a word in the XenForo UI, while others dig deep into the core frameworks and come out with an entirely new application.
Whatever tool you want to build for your community, there is no better foundation for your code than the XenForo platform.
API as standard
External integrations are a breeze with the REST API built directly into XenForo.
Through the REST interface, applications can interact with XenForo functionality and data without being directly tied to XenForo code.
Safely does it
The XenForo extensible architecture provides extension points and expected return value formats, shielding the core from any errors and vulnerabilities in third-party code.
The system also defines specific code event listeners, which allow third-party code to interact with core data in an easy and intuitive fashion.
Template syntax
Templates in XenForo are seriously powerful.
Custom template syntax allows code to be executed directly within templates, even fetching necessary information from the database when necessary.
Loops, branches, macros and inclusions are just a small part of the deep functionality at your fingertips.
Template extensions
Extensions add a new dimension of power to XenForo templates.
By defining extension points, it is possible to inherit and override individual components within templates, allowing related systems to inherit from a common source.
Developers get pretty excited about this...
Template modification
Add-ons may define adjustments to standard templates without creating their own custom versions.
Additional or modified functionality provided by add-ons can be applied to even customized and third-party styles, and will (usually) survive upgrades and further customization.
Efficient architecture
The full XenForo software stack is purpose-built from the ground up using best-in-class programming concepts.
Our object-oriented code is clear and easy to follow and uses modern software design patterns such as dependency injection and MVC principles.
It is built with modularity, scalability and therefore efficiency at its core.
Intelligent caching
Where it makes sense to do so, XenForo employs a multitude of caching systems, right down to full HTML page level caching, to minimize the work the server needs to do to serve your customers.
Add-ons library
Thousands of pre-built add-ons and extensions for XenForo are already available.
From the beginning, XenForo has been positioned as a framework upon which developers can build their own applications, and they have done so!
From simple functionality tweaks to complete applications and integrations, there's a lot to explore.