Index the topics and replies of a Discourse forum. Each citation links back to the topic.

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Before you start

  • A Pro plan or higher, and permission to edit sources in the knowledge base.
  • Your forum’s address, for example https://community.example.com.
  • For private categories only: a Discourse API key, created in your forum’s admin area. A public forum needs no key.

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Set up

1

Choose Discourse

Open your knowledge base, go to Sources, click Add source and choose Discourse. Give the source a name.
2

Connect

Enter the Base URL. Add the API key if you need private categories.
3

Narrow what is indexed (optional)

Fill in Categories or Tags, or turn on Solved topics only.
4

Add

Click Add source. The first sync starts right away. Open the source’s Documents tab to see the topics it indexed.

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Options

OptionDefaultWhat it does
Base URL—Required. Your forum’s address.
API keyEmptyNeeded only for private categories.
API usernamesystemThe Discourse user the key was created for. Discourse refuses a key used under any other name. On the Configuration tab only.
CategoriesEmptyCategory slugs, comma-separated. Empty indexes every topic the forum lists.
TagsEmptyKeeps only topics with at least one of these tags.
Solved topics onlyOffKeeps only topics with an accepted answer.
Turn on Solved topics only for a support forum. A topic with an accepted answer is the one that answers a question.

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What gets indexed

  • One document per topic, titled with the topic title.
  • The opening post comes first, then the accepted answer (if there is one), then every other reply under its author’s name.
  • Every reply is read, however long the topic.
  • The topic’s tags and category are included.

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Sync

Discourse re-syncs every 10 minutes. Click Sync Now on the source page to sync right away.

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Troubleshooting

  • Private topics are missing. Add an API key. If you already did, set API username to the user the key was created for.
  • A topic is missing. Open the source’s Sync history tab. Topics the forum refused (403, 404 or 410) are listed there. The rest of the forum still syncs.
  • The sync fails with a URL and a status. Discourse refused that request. On a category, a 403 or 404 usually means the key cannot read it or the slug is wrong.
  • The sync fails on a very large forum. A single topic list is read up to 500 pages. Name Categories so each one is read separately.
  • Solved topics only indexed nothing. Your forum does not report accepted answers. Turn the switch off and narrow by Categories instead.