Filter: The better way to discover content

Filter is a new take on an old idea; Topics was designed to make finding content easier. Rather than relying on a traditional forum search or XenForo’s default filtering systems, Topics made it simpler for users to find the exact information they were interested in. Filter expands on that, matching our original vision for content filtering in XenForo much more closely.

Although they accomplish it in different ways, both add-ons were designed to help enhance content discoverability on a forum and create a better user experience.

With the release of Filter, Topics will no longer be sold. If you have already purchased Topics or UI.X Pro with Topics included and have an active license for them, you can get Filter for free! Learn more on Filter’s product page.

Filter is easier to configure

Topics has a fair amount of complexity; with 13 pages and multiple videos to its documentation, it can be daunting for a forum administrator to set up and configure to their liking. While all those potential options may seem like a good idea, it actually ended up creating unnecessary complexity and challenges.

Topics required extensive steps to be taken before it could be used to its fullest, hence the extensive documentation. Building thread topics, in particular, could take a significant amount of time for well-established forums, and was a necessary step to get the most out of it.

In contrast to Topics, Filter has just a few basic options; this leads to a much better experience for forum administrators and visitors. You can specify filtering via nodes, prefixes, or both as default, along with a few other minor settings, and you’re set. No rebuild processes. No need to go through and assign Topics to old threads. If you’ve got prefixes (a XenForo feature since version 1.1) set up, you’ve done the bulk of the work already. The widget itself is just as simple; add it and you’re all set!

Filter “simply works” with your XenForo setup

With Topics, it isn’t always a simple experience depending on your existing forum configuration and styles. Topics requires additional style properties separate from your default styling, and may not always “fit in” without some extra work.

Filter, on the other hand, is designed to work within your existing styles entirely. The results list styles are pulled directly from the discussion list styles, and the widget works just like any other sidebar widget. This not only saves you time by eliminating the need to adjust styles or even CSS to get it to match the look & feel of your site, but it also ensures that users have a familiar experience when working with it.

Get filter today

Filter is an amazing way to enhance the usability and functionality of your forum. Both you and your visitors will enjoy its simplicity, usability and functionality. Get Filter today!