Build engaging community platforms with sustainable moderation and meaningful interaction design.
Core Data Model
from datetime import datetime
from enum import Enum
class MemberRole(str, Enum):
MEMBER = "member"
MODERATOR = "moderator"
ADMIN = "admin"
class ContentStatus(str, Enum): DRAFT = "draft" PUBLISHED = "published" HIDDEN = "hidden" # Soft-removed by mod ARCHIVED = "archived"
Core entitiesclass Member: id: str display_name: str bio: str joined_at: datetime role: MemberRole reputation: int = 0
class Discussion: id: str title: str body: str author_id: str category: str status: ContentStatus created_at: datetime reply_count: int = 0 view_count: int = 0 pinned: bool = False locked: bool = False
class Reply: id: str discussion_id: str author_id: str body: str parent_id: str | None = None # Threaded replies status: ContentStatus created_at: datetime upvotes: int = 0
## Discussion Forum
### Thread Display Patterns
**Flat (chronological):** Best for announcements and linear conversations.
**Threaded (nested):** Best for technical discussions where tangents are valuable.
**Hybrid (flat with quoted replies):** Best for general discussion.
```python
async def get_discussion_with_replies(discussion_id: str, sort: str = "chronological"):
discussion = await db.get_discussion(discussion_id)
replies = await db.get_replies(discussion_id)
if sort == "chronological":
return sorted(replies, key=lambda r: r.created_at)
elif sort == "threaded":
return build_thread_tree(replies)
elif sort == "popular":
return sorted(replies, key=lambda r: r.upvotes, reverse=True)
Categories and Tags
CATEGORIES = {
"reading-group": {"description": "Book discussions and study groups", "color": "#4A90D9"},
"announcements": {"description": "Official updates", "color": "#E74C3C", "mod_only": True},
"help": {"description": "Questions and support", "color": "#2ECC71"},
"showcase": {"description": "Share your work", "color": "#F39C12"},
"meta": {"description": "About the community itself", "color": "#9B59B6"},
}
Reputation System
Action-Based Scoring
| Action | Points | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Post discussion | +2 | Encourages contribution |
| Reply to discussion | +1 | Encourages engagement |
| Receive upvote | +5 | Community validation |
| Give upvote | +1 | Encourages voting |
| Marked as answer | +15 | High-value contribution |
| Post hidden by mod | -10 | Discourages violations |
Privilege Tiers
PRIVILEGE_TIERS = {
0: ["read", "reply"],
10: ["create_discussion", "upvote"],
50: ["edit_own_posts", "flag_content"],
100: ["create_events", "add_tags"],
500: ["edit_wiki_posts"],
1000: ["nominate_moderator"],
}
def get_privileges(reputation: int) -> list[str]:
privileges = []
for threshold, perms in PRIVILEGE_TIERS.items():
if reputation >= threshold:
privileges.extend(perms)
return privileges
Content Moderation
Moderation Queue
class ModerationAction(str, Enum):
APPROVE = "approve"
HIDE = "hide"
WARN = "warn"
BAN_TEMPORARY = "ban_temporary"
BAN_PERMANENT = "ban_permanent"
async def flag_content(content_id: str, reason: str, reporter_id: str):
flag = await db.create_flag(
content_id=content_id,
reason=reason,
reporter_id=reporter_id,
)
# Auto-hide if threshold reached
flag_count = await db.count_flags(content_id)
if flag_count >= 3:
await db.update_content_status(content_id, ContentStatus.HIDDEN)
await notify_moderators(content_id, flag_count)
Community Guidelines Enforcement
GUIDELINES = {
"be_respectful": "Treat others as you'd want to be treated",
"stay_on_topic": "Keep discussions relevant to the community focus",
"no_spam": "No promotional content without context",
"cite_sources": "Back up claims with references when possible",
"no_personal_attacks": "Criticize ideas, not people",
}
async def moderate(content_id: str, action: ModerationAction, reason: str, mod_id: str):
await db.record_mod_action(content_id, action, reason, mod_id)
if action == ModerationAction.HIDE:
await db.update_content_status(content_id, ContentStatus.HIDDEN)
await notify_author(content_id, reason)
elif action == ModerationAction.WARN:
await send_warning(content_id, reason)
Event Management
class Event:
id: str
title: str
description: str
organizer_id: str
event_type: str # "reading-group", "salon", "workshop", "office-hours"
starts_at: datetime
ends_at: datetime
location: str # URL for virtual, address for physical
capacity: int | None
rsvp_count: int = 0
recurring: str | None = None # "weekly", "biweekly", "monthly"
async def create_recurring_events(template: Event, count: int):
events = []
for i in range(count):
event = template.copy()
if template.recurring == "weekly":
event.starts_at += timedelta(weeks=i)
event.ends_at += timedelta(weeks=i)
events.append(await db.create_event(event))
return events
Notification System
class NotificationType(str, Enum):
REPLY = "reply"
MENTION = "mention"
UPVOTE = "upvote"
EVENT_REMINDER = "event_reminder"
MOD_ACTION = "mod_action"
async def send_notification(user_id: str, notification_type: NotificationType, data: dict):
prefs = await db.get_notification_preferences(user_id)
if notification_type.value not in prefs.get("muted", []):
await db.create_notification(user_id, notification_type, data)
if prefs.get("email_enabled") and notification_type in prefs.get("email_types", []):
await send_email_notification(user_id, notification_type, data)
Anti-Patterns
- No onboarding flow — New members need guided first steps
- Flat hierarchy only — Categories/tags help people find relevant content
- No moderation tools — Build moderation from day one, not after the first incident
- Gamification without purpose — Points should encourage healthy behavior, not just activity
- One-size-fits-all notifications — Let members control what they receive
- No archive strategy — Old discussions should be searchable but not clutter active feeds