QorumOverview
Qorum stores and serves your site's comments. You choose whether to show them with the ready-made widget or to build the interface with the API. This page explains the parts and helps you pick a path.
How it works
When someone opens a page on your site:
- The page loads the widget (or calls the API) passing the site's public key and the ref, which says which conversation to show.
- Qorum checks that the page is on a domain allowed for that site and returns the comments of that conversation.
- If the person is logged in, the widget also sends a login token. With it they can comment, reply, like and report.
- When something happens (a new comment, a reply, a report), Qorum can notify your server through a webhook.
The comments are stored in Qorum. Your site doesn't need a database for them.
The parts
| Part | What it is |
|---|---|
| Site | Each site you register in the dashboard. It has its own allowed domains, keys, appearance and rules. |
Conversation (ref) | A text that identifies the page of the comments, like post-42. Same ref, same conversation. You choose the format. |
| Public key | Starts with pk_. Goes on the page, next to the widget. Anyone can see it. |
| Secret key | Starts with sk_. Stays on your server only. It signs logins and unlocks the management API. |
| Webhook secret | Starts with wh_. Your server uses it to check that a notice really came from Qorum. |
| Your site's login | People who already have an account on your site comment with it. Your server creates a token signed with the secret key. |
| Qorum account | For sites without a login: the person creates a username and password inside the widget. It works on every site that uses Qorum. |
| Moderator | Someone on your team who can approve, delete, pin and ban, in the dashboard and right inside the widget. |
Anything sent to the browser can be read by anyone. Whoever has the secret key can delete comments, change settings and log in as any user of your site.
Which path to take
Ready-made widget
Pick the widget if you want comments working today, with little code. It already has replies, likes, images, notifications, login, moderation and five templates you adjust in the dashboard.
API for your design
Pick the API if your site has its own look and you want the comments to follow it exactly, or if you are building an app. The API returns each comment with the text already in safe HTML plus the author's card, ready for you to draw.
Both together
You can mix them. A common example: the widget on the pages, and the management API inside your site's admin panel so your team moderates without opening the Qorum dashboard.
What you'll need
- An account in the dashboard (just a username and password).
- Your site's address, to allow the domain.
- Access to paste a snippet of code into your pages.
- Optional: a server (PHP, Node, Python, Go or another) if you want to use your site's login or receive webhooks.
Ready to start? Follow the quick start.