Dear #LazyWeb, BuddyPress is not just a forum.

I cannot tell you how many times I’ve seen people ask on Twitter if BuddyPress is just a forum. Where do they get this notion? Is it because BuddyPress sounds so similar to bbPress? Let me just clear this up right now: BuddyPress is more than a forum!

One quick glance at the BuddyPress.org website will show you all of its core features on the front page:

So I’m posting this blog for anyone who googles:

Is BuddyPress just a forum?

The answer is no! It’s got ever so many more cool features, which do happen to include some basic bbPress forums or the option to integrate a full bbPress forum using the bbPress plugin. Yes, I know that’s a confusing sentence if you’re new to all of these plugins. Hopefully this blog will set you straight:

BuddyPress Core Features:

• Activity Streams
• Extended Profiles
• Private Messaging
• Friend Connections
• Extensible Groups
• WordPress Blogging
• Discussion Forums – powered by a limited version of bbPress

What’s the difference between BuddyPress and bbPress?

BuddyPress is a social networking plugin for WordPress, which includes all of the core features listed above. bbPress is forum software now available as a plugin for WordPress. It integrates well with virtually any WordPress theme and has a good number of add-on plugins that will help to extend your forum bbPress forum even further.

I hope this helps those who are new to WordPress and searching for a solid social networking / forum option! We’re always around on Twitter if you have any questions, especially after you’ve fully reviewed the BuddyPress website! ;)