Forum Software: How?

[Novus Anima]

Well, I've been viewing various forum softwares including SMF, and it got me thinking. Now I love to do stuff with HTML, CSS, PHP, etc; I find it very fun and enjoyable. However, I like to know where everything is and how everything works from the ground up. Yeah, I could study the code of the SMF engine but that would really get me nowhere. I'd like to create me own forum software, but I don't know where I would begin. So, I was hoping you guys could aid me in my ultimate goal. Basically all I need to know is: languages required and order in which I should create files. In a nutshell, I know that I will need PHP, HTML, CSS and SQL, but I'm not sure if there's anything else. Then the structure I get really confused with, because I don't know where I would begin with it. Would I use PHP to interpret SQL queries as a start? Like, I don't know how I'd make my own software structure-wise. But I'd really love to, so that leaves me in a rather weird position lol.

Any help is appreciated.

[TheListener]

A good place to start would be HERE

[Robert.]

I'm very sorry, but if you want to create a decent forum software: please don't waste your time. Many people did (including me) and it's just too much work for most people. If you really want your own software, you can make your own forum software with SMF as a base, but that would still require some skills.

[Colin]

A quick peak of the quantity of the source files SMF runs off of is a good enough indicator of the amount of work and talent it takes. With a team of many it is still a huge job. With a team of one it is an impossible job.

[MrPhil]

I like to know where everything is and how everything works from the ground up.

OK, that's good.

Yeah, I could study the code of the SMF engine but that would really get me nowhere.

Why do you say that? SMF is a reasonably (not perfectly) well designed system, and you could learn a lot from it.

I'd like to create me own forum software, but I don't know where I would begin.

You're in for a long, tough slog. If you know almost nothing about programming and less about how a forum works, don't kid yourself -- you're going to fail.

Basically all I need to know is: languages required and order in which I should create files.

You need a lot more information than that. Study SMF's source code and architecture. Study other forums and other Web software until you understand how to create a suitable architecture. Learn algorithms.

In a nutshell, I know that I will need PHP, HTML, CSS and SQL, but I'm not sure if there's anything else.

JavaScript and AJAX are necessary for any modern application architecture.

Then the structure I get really confused with, because I don't know where I would begin with it. Would I use PHP to interpret SQL queries as a start? Like, I don't know how I'd make my own software structure-wise.

Like I said, study what's been done before. It sounds like you know almost nothing about the subject and need to learn a lot before you type in your first line of code.

But I'd really love to, so that leaves me in a rather weird position lol.

Well, a healthy dose of enthusiasm for a project is a very good start. However, you still need a lot of basic knowledge to get anywhere.

Any help is appreciated.

While studying SMF, if you see changes you'd like to make, consider making modifications to SMF and "fork" off a new forum. Just make sure that if you end up using any existing SMF code that you obey the licensing terms as far as credits and copyrights go.

[Matthew K.]

As people have kind of already mentioned, if you don't know where to start, you shouldn't be starting. It's a HUGE project, even to make something 100 times less than SMF feature wise. You'd need to be an expert in PHP especially.

[Arantor]

Even if you are a PHP expert, it's still a massive, scary undertaking.