discourse-mod ("Mod") is a Discourse plugin that gives moderators a set of per-topic and per-category controls without needing admin access. This page lists everything the plugin adds; each feature has its own page with full details.
Lets the built-in moderators group create, edit, and delete categories — abilities normally reserved for admins. This is also the plugin's master switch (mod_categories_enabled). See Category management and mod_categories_enabled.
A moderator-set message shown in an official-notice box (shield icon + "Moderator message" label) at the bottom of a single topic, cooked as Markdown. See Per-topic footer message.
A confirm-or-go-back dialog shown to a user before they post a new topic in a category. The message is set per category by a moderator, and can be limited to users at or below a chosen trust level (e.g. only TL0 and TL1) via a Discourse combo-box. The category Settings field shows a live preview of the dialog, and URLs in the message render as clickable links. See Per-category new-topic prompt.
Originally a stand-alone confirm-or-go-back dialog shown to a user before they reply to a topic. This feature now lives under the Per-topic prompt checklist entry in Statement mode — staff configure it from the topic admin (wrench) menu → Prompt Checklist. The legacy mod_topic_reply_prompt field still works for any topic that hasn't been migrated yet, but opening the new editor pre-fills it in Statement mode so saving migrates the topic. See Per-topic reply prompt (legacy).
A forum-wide checklist of staff-defined items (each with an optional link) that a new member at trust level 0 to 2 must tick before posting for the first time. Staff configure it — items, trust-level audience, and accept-button text — in a modal opened from the First-post checklist link in the sidebar's Community section. Editing it bumps a version that re-prompts everyone who already accepted, and every acceptance is recorded in an audit log. From the audit log staff can also require a specific user to re-accept. Alongside the forum-wide list, staff can create targeted checklists — separate checklists aimed at specific users that apply regardless of trust level or staff status. See First-post checklist.
A topic-scoped confirmation a user must accept before their reply to that topic is allowed through. Staff attach it from the topic admin (wrench) menu via the dedicated Prompt Checklist entry. Two modes:
- Statement — a single Markdown-cooked message + a single accept button. Replaces the legacy per-topic reply prompt.
- Checklist — multiple items, each with an optional link, all of which must be ticked before the accept button enables.
Frequency can be once per user per topic (the default — a staff edit bumps the version and re-prompts) or on every reply (no acceptance is recorded). A trust-level cap (max_tl) filters out higher-TL non-staff users, mirroring the global checklist. Targeted checklists still take priority over the per-topic prompt. See Per-topic prompt checklist.
Lets a moderator pin any post so it also appears at the end of the topic with a pin badge; the original post is badged in place. If the pinned post is already last, only the badge is shown. See Pin a post to the bottom.
Lets a moderator flag a topic so replies route to the review queue for moderator approval instead of being published directly. Staff replies still post directly. See Per-topic reply approval.
A staff-only note on a topic — shown like a post with the author's avatar, name, and a relative timestamp — with a staff-only reply thread. Never visible to, or even sent to, regular users. See Private moderator note.
Staff get a shield tab in the user menu listing moderator notes from across the forum, with an unread count. Setting a note or replying to one also sends a real Discourse notification (bell + live pop-up) to the other staff members, linking to the topic. The shield-tab's unread count is also surfaced in the page header as a shield pip next to the avatar, and as a (N) prefix on the browser-tab title — both update live (no refresh) via a dedicated MessageBus channel. See Moderator-notes user-menu tab.
Staff can post a whisper — an in-topic reply visible only to a chosen audience (the targeted users, all staff, and the topic's whisper participants), marked with a full-width banner. Only staff can start one; once a user has been whispered to in a topic they can whisper back to staff. Staff can also add a user to a topic's whisper conversation from a whisper post's admin menu, so that user sees every whisper in the topic. Gated by mod_whisper_enabled (default on). See Moderator whisper.
| Feature | Where it is set |
|---|---|
| Footer message, reply approval, private note | Topic admin (wrench) menu → Moderator Actions modal — split into What users see and Moderation tools sections, with a save toast |
| Per-topic reply prompt (statement) | Topic admin (wrench) menu → Prompt Checklist entry (mode: Statement) |
| New-topic prompt | Category → Settings tab |
| Pin a post to the bottom | A post's admin (moderator actions) menu |
| First-post checklist | First-post checklist link in the sidebar's Community section (opens a modal) |
| Per-topic prompt checklist | Topic admin (wrench) menu → Prompt Checklist entry (opens its own modal) |
| Category create / edit / delete | The normal Discourse category UI |
Every moderator action is gated by a Guardian permission — can_manage_mod_messages? for the topic/checklist tools, can_edit_category? for the per-category prompt — so only moderators and admins can set this content; regular and anonymous users are blocked with a 403. The private moderator note is sent only to staff. See Settings & features reference for the full breakdown.