Requirements to run and use miniBB-based forums

miniBB is a forum software with its specific requirements, which include server-side requirements for executing the software itself, client-side requirements for using the software with the maximum effect, installation knowledge for setting up the program on the web-server, and administration knowledge for maintaining the virtual community. Please study these conditions carefully for being sure miniBB meets your abilities.

Server-Side Requirements

miniBB is not a standalone application. It can be executed only on the web server with installed libraries, packages and programs which are interacting with each other using miniBB's interface and scripting files. These libraries are offered by any level Web hosting service. So you actually need the following:

1. A web server. This is the main program supporting your web-space. Your web hosting provider should prefferably offer Apache-based server, "The Number One HTTP Server On The Internet". However, server's type doesn't matter a lot when we speak about running miniBB. It also supports Microsoft's Internet Information Services and probably any kind of other server, which is able to correctly interpret cookie headers and output the webpages.
2. PHP - the most popular hypertext preprocessor nowadays. Minimal PHP version to run miniBB begins from 4.1.0, PHP5 is fully supported as well. Small additional modifications will allow to run miniBB even with lower PHP version like PHP3, but we think such old PHP libraries are already not supported even by PHP developers. The only requirement about PHP is that magic_qoutes_runtime setting must be set to OFF, which is set so by default.
   
   If you are going to use mailing functions of miniBB, like new reply notifications for example, PHP also must be compiled with sendmail or similar SMTP program. Additional miniBB modules like C.A.P.T.C.H.A. or Image Galleries also require GD Graphics library compiled with PHP, preferrably with Freetype module. These specific requirements, however, are offered by the most Web hosting service companies.
3. mySQL - the most known branded open source database. miniBB uses very native and simple mySQL commands, so mySQL version doesn't matter a lot. It could be from 3.x, 4.x, 5.x or hopefully any other .x series as well. It is possible to extend miniBB scripts so it uses other type of database, however miniBB developers are supporting currently only mySQL as the most promising database technology.

If we speak about Operating System - miniBB should work with any major OS. Those recommended by miniBB team are Linux or FreeBSD; users have reported, that it also executes on Windows or Mac OS X with no problems.

Client-Side Requirements

miniBB is a collection of pre-processed scripts, which produce the W3C-valid HTML output. On the client side it is accessed by any kind of modern web browser. Those browsers we recommend include Microsoft Internet Explorer (supplied with Windows OS by default), Mozilla Firefox and Opera. They are most widely used in Internet; however, if you are using some kind of other specific browser, it also shouldn't be a problem in viewing generic miniBB pages.

Though we would mention some specific browser's requirements:

• Cookies should be enabled. Authorization routine used by miniBB, uses cookies for storing username, encrypted password and identity protection information. Despite you may browse miniBB forum pages with cookies disabled or not available at all, it will be probably impossible for you to log-in and post the messages in the forum for registered members only.
• JavaScript should be enabled. When proceeding the postings, miniBB uses some basic JavaScript functions for HTML form, which provide higher level of security for your forums. Internet Explorer 7 also needs Scripted Windows Enabled for using miniBB's text processing routine in full mode.

If RSS feed is available on miniBB-based forums, you probably will need the RSS Feed reader. We recommend the one supplied with Mozilla Thunderbird.

Installation Knowledge

Despite miniBB it free and it is called 'mini', it doesn't mean you can just take it and install pressing the few buttons. Installation and setting up is a process which will require some technical experience from your side. This experience means that you should know:

• how to work with plain text files, i.e. open, edit them, cut and paste the codes;
• how to properly edit PHP files, having basic knowledge about their structure;
• how to work with FTP client, having FTP access to your hosting server;
• if needed, how to create mySQL database and assign necessary user privileges to it, like for example from cPanel;
• finally, how to backup your forums and files for archiving purposes.

It is also preferred that you know English, since miniBB documentation and support, basically, are provided in English only.

If you are a professional coder or administrator, most probably these requirements will make you smile. Yes, they are very common and basic - but from our experience we could say not everybody wanting to make his own forum, is meeting this knowledge. On miniBB.com, we are not providing free lessons or support about the mentioned topics. If you would like to install miniBB, but do not know how, please refer to our qualified paid support or hire the person, who's able do the things for you.

Administration Knowledge

Some users think by mistake that they could just install the forums and forget about their existence, making profits or collecting information automatically. That is not true definitely. If you care about quality of your forums, they will need an each-day, each-hour or even each-minute constant moderation. The person who moderates the forums could be you, i.e. the same administrative person who has installed them; or you can give administration privileges to other persons as well, called moderators. What each forum moderator should know, are basic principles of forum software working in general. Another words, you must understand of what the term Internet forum actually means, before installing the software for it like miniBB.

For the users who are at the beginner level and do not even know where to start, in this article we have provided a lot of links to the terms explained in Wikipedia, a great free encyclopedia resource where miniBB is listed as well. Please study these links for your own education, if necessary.

But if you are sure you meet all the conditions above, and everything seems clear and affordable for you, welcome to Download miniBB and have your forums running in just few minutes! Do not forget that buying exclusive paid extensions for miniBB, you are supporting it's developing and investing in your own forums at a solid level.

Thank you in advance for understanding and choosing our software.