Foru.ms Next.js Starter

Foru.ms Next.js Starter is a Next.js boilerplate that ships with the minimal API endpoints needed to connect a frontend to the Foru.ms hosted forum backend, letting developers run a functional forum example locally or on Vercel.

What is the Foru.ms Next.js Starter?

The Foru.ms Next.js Starter is a Next.js application bootstrapped with the minimal endpoints required to get a Foru.ms-powered forum running. It takes a Foru.ms API key and API URL as environment configuration and produces a working forum frontend served on localhost port 3000 in development. It runs on Next.js and is published by Foru.ms, a forum backend-as-a-service provider. A TypeScript-based Next.js App Router forum template (base-forum) and a JavaScript SDK published on npm are also referenced alongside it.

What makes it stand out?

• Foru.ms backend integration — the template connects to the Foru.ms API at https://foru.ms/api/v1 using an API key stored in FORU_MS_API_KEY and the endpoint in FORU_MS_API_URL.
• Minimal endpoint set — the starter ships only the endpoints needed to get a forum working, rather than a full application.
• Next.js foundation — built on Next.js, with development via npm run dev, yarn dev, pnpm dev, or bun dev.
• One-click Vercel deploy — an official Deploy with Vercel button clones the repository and prompts for the two required environment variables (API key and URL).
• Hosted demo — a live demo of the starter is available at the project's Vercel deployment.
• Companion App Router template — a TypeScript-based Next.js App Router forum template is offered for projects that want a different architecture.
• JavaScript SDK on npm — the @foru-ms/sdk package provides a programmatic alternative to the endpoint scaffolding.

Who is it for?

• Developers evaluating forum backends: spin up the starter locally to test whether the Foru.ms API fits their community needs before committing.
• Frontend developers building a community site: use the pre-wired endpoints as a base and extend the Next.js pages on top of the Foru.ms backend.
• Teams deploying to Vercel: clone via the deploy button and supply the two environment variables to get a hosted forum instance.

What can you do with the Foru.ms Next.js Starter?

• Prototype a forum quickly: create a Foru.ms account and instance, paste the API key and URL into a .env file, and run the dev server to see a working forum.
• Self-host a forum frontend: deploy the repository to Vercel with the API key and URL set as environment variables.
• Start from endpoints, not a monolith: use the minimal endpoint set as scaffolding and build custom pages on the Next.js side.

How does the Foru.ms Next.js Starter work?

1. Create a Foru.ms account and a new instance, then copy the API key from the instance settings.
2. Add FORU_MS_API_KEY and FORU_MS_API_URL to the .env file.
3. Run the development server with npm, yarn, pnpm, or bun and open http://localhost:3000.

FAQ

Do I need a Foru.ms account to use this starter?

Yes. An API key is required, and keys are only obtainable from the instance settings of a Foru.ms account. Without both environment variables set, the starter cannot communicate with the forum backend.

Which package managers can run the starter?

The development script is documented for npm, yarn, pnpm, and bun. Each runs the same Next.js dev server, so the choice comes down to your existing tooling preference.

Is there a TypeScript version?

The page links to a separate TypeScript-based Next.js App Router forum template (base-forum) alongside this starter, intended for projects that prefer the App Router and typed code.

Is the starter free?

No pricing is stated on the page. The repository is hosted on GitHub, and API usage depends on a Foru.ms account and instance, whose terms are set by Foru.ms.