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Quick start guide

This guide takes you from a fresh install to comments live on an article in about ten minutes. You do not need to touch most settings to get started; the defaults are sensible.

1. Install the package​

Install it the normal Joomla way:

  1. Sign in to System → Install → Extensions in your Joomla admin.
  2. Drag the pkg_quillthreads_x.x.x.zip file onto the upload area, or pick it with the file selector.
  3. Wait for the success message.

The package installs the component, the content plugin, the latest-comments module, the Smart Search and privacy plugins, the scheduled task plugin, and the shared Shondalai Core library.

After install, the component sits at Components → QuillThreads.

2. Enable the content plugin​

The comment thread appears on your articles through the content plugin, which is enabled on install. To confirm:

  1. Go to System → Manage → Plugins.
  2. Search for quillthreads.
  3. Make sure Content - QuillThreads shows a green check. If not, open it and set Status to Enabled.

While you are there, the same search lists the Smart Search, privacy, and task plugins. The privacy plugin is worth enabling now so data requests are covered from day one.

3. Set who can comment​

Permissions decide who can post, reply, vote, report, and moderate.

  1. Open Components → QuillThreads, then click Settings in the sidebar.
  2. On the Posting tab, set Who can comment to either everyone (guests and registered users) or registered users only.
  3. If you allow guests, leave Allow guest comments on.

For the finer-grained Joomla permissions (who can moderate, ban, import, and so on), see Permissions. The defaults are fine for a first run.

4. Choose how new comments are handled​

Still in Settings, open the Moderation tab and pick a Moderation mode:

  • Hold every comment for review while you find your feet.
  • Hold guest comments only (the default), so signed-in members post straight away.
  • Hold a user's first comment only, then trust them afterwards.
  • Publish immediately once you are confident in your anti-spam settings.

You can change this at any time. See Moderation for the full picture.

5. Open an article and check the thread​

Visit any published article on your site. The comment thread appears below the article body by default. Post a test comment to see the flow.

If you are signed in as an administrator, you will also see moderator controls inline. The same comment shows up in the admin under Components → QuillThreads → Comments.

tip

By default the thread renders on the single-article view only, not under every teaser in a blog or category list. You do not need to do anything to get that behaviour.

6. Place comments exactly where you want (optional)​

By default the thread appears after the article body. You can change the placement, or drop it at a specific point in your text:

  • Set the placement to before the content, after the content, or off, in the content plugin options.
  • Type {quillthreads} anywhere in an article to place the thread at that exact spot.
  • Type {quillthreads off} to hide comments on a single article.

Full details are in Placing comments on articles.

7. Make it yours (optional)​

A few settings worth a look before you go live:

  • Appearance: light, dark, or automatic theme, and an accent colour. See Appearance and theming.
  • Anti-spam: the honeypot, dwell time, and rate limits are on with good defaults. See Anti-spam.
  • Notifications: turn on email notifications and customise the templates. See Email and notifications.
  • Privacy: the consent prompt and IP handling. See Privacy and GDPR.

8. Bringing comments from another system​

If you are moving from JComments or Akeeba Engage, you do not have to start from zero. Open Components → QuillThreads → Import, preview the migration as a dry run, and bring your existing discussion across with threading intact. See Migrating comments.

9. Keeping QuillThreads up to date​

When a new version is released, System → Update → Extensions picks it up automatically through the update site. Click Update next to the QuillThreads row. We recommend a database backup before any major-version upgrade.

Next steps​