phpBB - Feature comparison from v2 to v3
Last updated: 27 October 2007
Status: incomplete
| Feature | phpBB2 | phpBB3 |
| Installation | Easy to use multi-step installer | Easy to use multi-step installer with functionality to allow conversions from other forum software. |
| Posting | Optional use of bbCode, smilies, HTML within posts. Functionality to preview and edit posts and create polls. Ability to make topics appears as stickies or announcements | Optional use of bbCode and smilies within posts. Functionality to save posts as drafts, preview posts and create polls. Ability to make topics appears as stickies, announcements or global announcements. A notice appears if a post has been made while you were replying to reduce duplicate content. Posts can be reported and drawn to a moderators attention. |
| Unread Topics | Topics with posts since your last visit appear as "unread" for the duration of your next login. | Topics with posts since your last visit appear as "unread" until you read the topic or manually "mark all topics read". |
| Attachments | Not featured | Ability to upload attachments within posts and private messages, with many administrator options. |
| Private Messages | Four standard storage folders. Optional use of bbCode, smilies and HTML. Functionality to preview and edit PM's. | Standard folders, in addition to the ability to add more folders and create special PM "rules". Optional use of bbCode and smilies, functionality to preview and edit PM's and save PM drafts. |
| Preferences | Easy to use profile, set out on a single page. Includes various customizable features, such as board language, board theme, timezone and settings such as displaying popups for PM's, publicly displaying email addresses, etc. | Complete modular User Control Panel (UCP). Many user defined options, displayed neatly under several tabs (Overview, Profile, Board Preferences, Private Messages, Usergroups, Friends and Foes) and sub-tabs for ease of use. |
| Moderation | Simple Moderation Control Panel (MCP) that allows for the locking, splitting, deleting and moving of topics. These can be done within a topic, or on a separate MCP page. | Modular Moderator Control Panel (MCP) with options displayed neatly under several tabs (Main, Moderation Queue, Reported Posts, User Notes, Moderator Logs) and sub-tabs for ease of use. Simple moderation functions include locking, splitting, moving, deleting, merging and copying topics. Moderators can issue warnings and add notes to a users profile for prosperity. Any reported posts can be viewed by a moderator, who can then decide whether to close the report or act on it. |
| Administration Control Panel (ACP) | Panel based layout. Navigation within left panel, split into sections (General Admin, Group Admin, Styles Admin, User Admin) | Modular based ACP to give the administrator complete control over all facets of the bulletin board. Split into eight main tabs (General, Forums, Posting, Users and Groups, Permissions, Styles, Maintenance, System) |
| ACP - General | Functionality to backup and restore a database, alter board configuration settings, mass email users, alter and add smilies and set word censors. | Quick links to access the main administration features. Quick access to various board controls, such as purging the template cache, resetting the board start date and viewing admin logs. |
| ACP - Forums | Ability to add, edit, delete and position forums and categories. Forums can be periodically pruned. | Ability to add, edit, delete and position forums. Forums can be defined to act as categories, forums or links. Sub-forums can also be implemented to appear below a specified parent forum. Forums can be periodically pruned. Custom bbCode's have been introduced, eliminating the need for HTML on phpBB |
| ACP - Usergroups | Ability to create a new usergroup or alter an existing usergroup. Basic features include giving usergroups names and descriptions, as well as selecting one group leader. | Ability to create new usergroups or alter existing ones. Increased functionality means aside from having a name and description, usergroups can have additional options, such as having more than one leader, usergroups being displayed in the board legend, group-wide PM's, group-wide avatars and ranks, etc. |
| ACP - Permissions | Simple permissions system which allows an administrator to create permissions for users and usergroups alike. Basic permissions include setting a user or usergroup to moderate a forum, being permitted to post, reply, edit, delete, create polls, sticky, announce or vote in a poll. | Advanced permissions system allows the administrator to have complete control over the board setup. Many sub-tabs allow for increased functionality, such as defining rules for administrators, users and moderators, and roles for usergroups. Special features include being able to copy permissions from an existing user or usergroup to a new user or usergroup. |
| ACP - Styles | Easy to use Styles section allows the administrator to easily add or remove styles. Administrators also have basic editing abilities, such as editing some minor attributes (font size, colours, cell colours, etc). | Ability to edit existing styles, as well as delete, deactivate, reactivate, create and import new styles. Special features including a new template caching system to increase board speed and efficiency. |
| ACP - Users | Functions to alter all parts of a user profile, as well as disallow usernames, ban IP addresses, usernames or email addresses. | Functions to alter all parts of a user profile, as well as disallow usernames, ban IP addresses, usernames or email addresses. Special features include the ability to add custom profile fields for users, prune users or view the forum in the same way a selected user could. |
| ACP - System | System checks to ensure the board is up to date. | Set rules for spiders and robots, manage reports, language packs and view PHP information. System checks to ensure the board is up to date. |