discourse-mod-categories

A Discourse plugin that grants moderators the ability to create, edit, and delete categories — capabilities that are normally reserved for admins.

Everything else moderators already have in core Discourse (editing topics, moving posts, bulk-changing topic categories, managing tags, etc.) is left untouched.

How it works

1. Install the plugin
2. Enable mod_categories_enabled in site settings
3. Anyone in the built-in moderators group can now create, edit, and delete categories

Settings

Admins use these site settings only to switch the capabilities on. The content of every message is set by moderators, per topic or per category (see below).

Setting	Default	Description	Docs
mod_categories_enabled	false	Allow moderators to create, edit, and delete categories; also the plugin's overall enable switch	docs
topic_footer_message_enabled	true	Enable the per-topic pinned footer message	docs
precheck_new_topic_enabled	true	Enable the per-category "before you post a new topic" prompt	docs
topic_reply_prompt_enabled	true	Enable the per-topic "before you post a reply" prompt	docs
mod_whisper_enabled	true	Enable moderator whisper posts (staff-only side conversations in a topic)	docs

mod_categories_enabled is false by default, so the whole plugin is off until an admin turns it on. The other settings default to true, so once mod_categories_enabled is on, the footer message, new-topic prompt, reply prompt, and moderator whisper are all available unless an admin explicitly turns them off.

Enabling the features

All four settings live at Admin → Settings, in the Moderator Category Management category (/admin/site_settings/category/discourse_mod_categories). To change one, search for its name and tick or untick the checkbox.

1. mod_categories_enabled (default off) — turn this on first. It is the plugin's master switch; nothing else works until it is on. Moderators can then create, edit, and delete categories, and the plugin's moderator UIs load.
2. topic_footer_message_enabled (default on) — enables the per-topic footer message and pinned posts. Moderators set content from a topic's admin (wrench) menu → Moderator Actions. Untick to disable.
3. precheck_new_topic_enabled (default on) — enables the per-category new-topic prompt. Moderators set the message on each category's Settings tab. Untick to disable.
4. topic_reply_prompt_enabled (default on) — enables the per-topic reply prompt. Moderators set it in the topic admin menu's Moderator Actions modal. Untick to disable.

Per-topic reply approval and the private moderator note are also set from the topic admin menu → Moderator Actions (no separate site setting). The whole plugin can be switched off at any time by un-ticking mod_categories_enabled.

Who can set the messages

Only moderators and admins can set the messages. The endpoints that persist them are gated by Guardian#can_manage_mod_messages?; regular and anonymous users get a 403. Moderators have this ability while the plugin is enabled (mod_categories_enabled); admins always do.

Per-topic footer message

When topic_footer_message_enabled is on, a moderator opens a topic, uses the topic admin (wrench) menu → Moderator Actions, and sets the Pinned footer message. It renders in an official-notice box at the bottom of that topic (below the last post, above suggested topics) — a shield icon and a "Moderator message" label above the content. Stored on the topic as the mod_topic_footer_message custom field and cooked as Markdown for display; not shown in private messages or when blank.

Per-topic reply prompt (now under Prompt Checklist)

The legacy stand-alone reply prompt has moved into the Per-topic prompt checklist entry under its Statement mode — a single Markdown-cooked message + an accept button. Staff configure it from the topic admin (wrench) menu → Prompt Checklist, alongside the existing Checklist mode for multi-item flows. The legacy mod_topic_reply_prompt / mod_topic_reply_prompt_max_tl custom fields remain registered for any topic that hasn't been migrated; opening the new editor for such a topic pre-fills it in Statement mode so saving migrates it. See Per-topic reply prompt (legacy) for the older details.

Per-category new-topic prompt

When precheck_new_topic_enabled is on, a moderator edits a category (category → Settings tab) and sets the Before-new-topic prompt. The field shows a live preview of how the message will look in the dialog, and a Show this prompt to combo-box caps it by trust level. When a user starts a new topic in that category, a confirmation dialog shows the moderator's message before the topic posts. Stored as the mod_category_new_topic_prompt and mod_category_new_topic_prompt_max_tl category custom fields.

First-post checklist

While the plugin is enabled, staff can define a forum-wide checklist that a new member must tick before posting for the first time. Each item is a line of text with an optional link to a post or page. A user at or below a configurable trust-level cap (TL0, TL0–TL1, or TL0–TL2) who creates a topic or replies is shown a modal listing the items; every box must be ticked before the post goes through. Staff configure the list — items, trust-level cap, and accept-button text — in a modal opened from the First-post checklist link in the sidebar's Community section; saving bumps a version that re-prompts everyone who already accepted. See the docs for details.

Per-topic prompt checklist

Staff can attach a Prompt Checklist to a single topic from the topic admin (wrench) menu's dedicated Prompt Checklist entry. Two modes: Statement (single Markdown-cooked message + accept button — replaces the legacy per-topic reply prompt) and Checklist (multiple items, all of which must be ticked). Configurable frequency (once-per-user-per-topic or on every reply) and a trust-level audience cap. Acceptance in once mode is recorded per-topic per-user with a version, so a staff edit re-prompts every previously-accepted user. See the docs for details.

Pin a post to the bottom

From any post's admin (moderator actions) menu, a moderator can choose Pin to Bottom. The pinned post is shown at the bottom of the topic as a regular-looking post (avatar, username, content) marked with a pin symbol. Unpin from Bottom clears it. Stored as the mod_topic_pinned_post_id topic custom field.

Per-topic reply approval

In the topic admin menu modal, a moderator can tick Require approval for replies. While on, replies to that topic are routed to the review queue for a moderator to approve instead of being published directly; staff replies still post immediately. Stored as the mod_topic_require_reply_approval topic custom field, and enforced server -side via a NewPostManager handler — the per-topic analogue of a category's "require reply approval".

Moderator-notes user-menu tab

While the plugin is enabled, staff get an extra shield tab in their user menu (next to the notifications bell). It carries an unread count and lists the moderator notes set on topics across the forum, each linking to its topic. Visible to staff only. See the docs for details.

Moderator whisper

When mod_whisper_enabled is on (default), staff can post whispers — in-topic replies visible only to the post author, all staff, the chosen target users, and the topic's whisper participants. Staff arm a whisper from the composer's eye button and pick up to 10 targets. A non-staff user who has been whispered to can whisper back staff-only. Whispers are filtered out of the topic stream for everyone else. 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. See the docs for details.

Documentation

Each setting and feature has a dedicated page in docs/:

• Feature list
• Settings & features index
• mod_categories_enabled — master switch & category management
• Category management
• Moderators vs Admins
• Per-topic footer message
• Pin a post to the bottom
• Per-topic reply prompt
• Per-topic reply approval
• Per-category new-topic prompt
• First-post checklist
• Per-topic prompt checklist
• Private moderator note
• Moderator-notes user-menu tab
• Moderator whisper
• mod_whisper_enabled
• Tests & screenshots
• Changelog

Permissions granted

Action	Default
Create categories	All categories
Edit categories	All categories
Delete categories	All categories (must be empty, no children)

Installation

Add the plugin's repository URL to your app.yml:

hooks:
  after_code:
    - exec:
        cd: $home/plugins
        cmd:
          - git clone https://github.com/Shalom-Karr/discourse-mod.git

Then rebuild the container:

./launcher rebuild app