Release Notes: Forumax & Forumax Pro – Version 2.1.0

Introduction

We’re excited to introduce Forumax v2.1.0, an experience-focused update built on the standalone foundation of v2.0.0.
This release emphasizes modern UI, real-time engagement, and smoother community management.
Free users get a powerful new Dashboard, while Pro users unlock Promax features like Live Chat, Social Login, and real-time alerts.
Together, these improvements transform Forumax into a truly interactive community platform.

---

What’s New in v2.1.0

Version 2.1.0 introduces a wide range of improvements designed to modernize both the admin workflow and the end-user experience.

---

1. Advanced Dashboard & Analytics (Free & Pro)

The Dashboard has been completely redesigned to act as the central command center for your forum.

Key Highlights

• Comprehensive Statistics
  Instantly view essential engagement metrics such as total discussions, replies, and average replies per topic.
• Quick Actions
  Jump directly to the Forum Builder, create new forums or topics, or access important settings without extra navigation.
• System Health Overview
  A new System Info panel shows Forumax, WordPress, and PHP versions—making diagnostics and support easier.
• Live Activity Feeds
  Dedicated sections for Recent Topics and Recent Replies keep administrators informed about ongoing conversations.

---

2. Analytics & Performance Insights (Pro)

Forumax Analytics provides a clear, data-driven view of your community’s performance, helping administrators make smarter decisions with confidence.

What You Can Track

Forum Overview Metrics
Instantly monitor total forums, topics, replies, active users, and resolution rates from a single, unified analytics screen.

Activity Trends
Visual charts display topic creation and reply activity over time, making it easy to spot engagement spikes and quiet periods.

Resolution Status Breakdown
Track solved, open, closed, and unanswered discussions with an intuitive visual summary—ideal for support-focused communities.

Time-Based Filtering
Analyze performance across custom date ranges (e.g., last 7 days or last 30 days) to understand growth patterns and user behavior.

Actionable Insights
Identify high-performing forums, engagement gaps, and response bottlenecks to continuously improve community health and responsiveness.

3. Introducing Promax – The Ultimate Community Experience (Pro)

Forumax Pro v2.1.0 unlocks Promax, a premium feature suite designed to transform traditional forums into real-time, social-first communities.

Promax Features

💬 Live Chat System
A private, real-time chat experience built directly into Forumax. Users can:

• Chat with assistants or other members
• Share files and videos
• Like messages
• Access complete chat history anytime

📜 Reply Timeline Navigation
Long discussions are now easier to follow. A visual timeline beside replies allows users to:

• Jump between responses
• Track conversation flow
• Avoid endless scrolling

🔔 Real-Time Alerts
Instant notifications appear when:

• New topics are published
• Existing discussions receive updates
  No page refresh required.

😃 Topic & Reply Emojis
Users can now add emojis directly to topics and replies—bringing more emotion and personality into discussions.

🔐 Social Login
Lower the entry barrier by allowing users to log in using:

• Google
• Facebook
• Twitter

---

4. Social Features & Sharing

• Social Sharing for Topics
  Built-in sharing buttons allow users to easily distribute discussions across their social networks—driving more visibility and engagement.

---

5. Navigation & Usability Enhancements

• Improved Sticky Topic Handling
  Important announcements now stay consistently pinned at the top.
• Helpful Links & Demo Import
  Quick access to documentation, support resources, and a Demo Data Import option helps new users get started instantly.

---

Improvements & Fixes

UI & Design Enhancements

• Premium Dashboard Design
  A modern, card-based layout paired with a gradient header delivers a clean, SaaS-like experience.
• Consistent Styling
  Unified styles across widgets, avatars, voting buttons, and support elements.
• Improved Responsiveness
  CSS refinements ensure a better experience across desktops, tablets, and mobile devices.
• Refined Forum Single Pages
  Improved spacing and typography enhance readability on individual forum views.

---

Technical Improvements

• Bootstrap Dependency Removed
  Reduces plugin bloat and avoids conflicts with WordPress themes.
• Codebase Cleanup
  Removed unused CSS files and legacy assets for better performance.
• Optimized Promax Assets
  Sidebar registration, tracking, and Promax-related features are now more efficiently integrated.

---

Bug Fixes & Stability

• Fixed duplicate sidebars and improved theme compatibility.
• Resolved incorrect topic counts after demo data import.
• Improved mobile usability (hidden “Trash” filter issue fixed).
• Enhanced AJAX security with nonce verification and input sanitization.
• Pro fixes include unread notification counters, chat HTML entity handling, and voting notice markup.

---

Comparison: v2.0.0 vs v2.1.0

Area	v2.0.0	v2.1.0	Why It Matters
Core Focus	bbPress independence	UI & engagement refinement	Foundation vs experience
Dashboard	Basic settings	Rich stats & actions	Faster decision-making
Interactivity	Text-based replies	Chat, emojis, alerts	Social-style engagement
Login	WordPress only	Social login	Lower entry friction

---

Insights & Reasoning

Forumax v2.1.0 clearly signals a shift from plugin to platform.

• UX First: Card layouts and visual hierarchy elevate usability.
• Engagement-Centric: Chat, emojis, and alerts focus on interaction—not just content.
• Performance-Conscious: Removing Bootstrap ensures speed without sacrificing features.

---

User Impact

For Administrators

• Instant visibility into community health
• Faster setup with demo import and guided links

For Community Members

• More expressive conversations
• Faster responses through real-time updates

For Content Managers

• Clear engagement metrics to identify high-performing topics

---

See It in Action

Upgrade to Forumax v2.1.0 today and experience a faster, cleaner, and more engaging forum platform—built for modern communities.