# How to Navigate and Use Discourse

**URL:** https://forum.decay-and-rebuilding.org/t/how-to-navigate-and-use-discourse/18
**Category:** Help & Site Feedback
**Tags:** newbies, guides
**Created:** [February 18, 2026, 3:17pm UTC](https://forum.decay-and-rebuilding.org/t/how-to-navigate-and-use-discourse/18 "2026-02-18T15:17:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 1
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![ComradeDog](https://forum.decay-and-rebuilding.org/user_avatar/forum.decay-and-rebuilding.org/comradedog/32/9_2.png) [@ComradeDog](https://forum.decay-and-rebuilding.org/u/ComradeDog)
#### Post date: [February 18, 2026, 3:17pm UTC](https://forum.decay-and-rebuilding.org/t/how-to-navigate-and-use-discourse/18/1 "2026-02-18T15:17:21Z")

</div>

**Discourse** , the software running this forum, can be a bit intimidating if you haven’t been on something like this before.

But don’t worry, **you can learn the most important bits very quickly**.

 

# Categories, Topics, and Posts

If you’ve come from **Discord** , you know its structure of themed **channels** where people chat by making **posts**.

**Discourse** has a very similar structure, with one extra layer, like so:

1. **Categories** : Like channels, the server admins make and arrange these. There’s also sub-categories nested within categories.
2. **Topics** : Anyone can start a topic inside a category that they have access to, by clicking **New Topic** , choosing a category, naming the topic, and writing the original post for that topic (the **OP** )
3. **Posts** : Just like posts in Discord, these are the content that fill up the topics.

Right now, you’re reading the OP of the _How to Navigate and Use Discourse_ **topic** in the _Help and Site Feedback_ **category**.

# How to Navigate 🧭

**Browse the latest topics** by:

- clicking the Decay & Rebuilding logo at the top, **or**
- clicking “Topics” in the sidebar (bring up the sidebar by clicking on this ![image](https://forum.decay-and-rebuilding.org/uploads/default/original/1X/6828de07995a8da673aa16ed5f14d7b9e2db0047.png) symbol at the top of the screen, **or**
- clicking [here](https://dnr.discourse.diy/)

This shows a list of topics in order of which ones have the most recent posts.

**Use the Categories button** to **explore by subject**.

🆘 **If you get lost** , click the site logo to go back to the main topics screen, and find your way from there.

For search, the sidebar menu, or your profile and notifications, use the icons at the top right.

![image](https://forum.decay-and-rebuilding.org/uploads/default/original/1X/a1a66282ac528b0c03359382d18665cd2573c78c.png)

# Join the conversation 💬

- **Reply** to any topic, or **start a new one**.  
 ![image](https://forum.decay-and-rebuilding.org/uploads/default/original/1X/18bc09e88b99227d9abee4ea0aef96ec5c9a7d53.png)
- **Format** your posts using the tools in the composer, or using [Markdown](https://www.markdownguide.org/basic-syntax/).
- Show appreciation by using the ❤ Like button.
- Watch out for **notifications** - when someone replies to you, quotes you, mentions your `@username` or links your post, a number appears over your profile pic at the top right. Click it to see what’s up.  
 ![image](https://forum.decay-and-rebuilding.org/uploads/default/original/1X/dfe737b62b95fd1422cdca5b686eaa8b0b4a7d34.png)
- Send **private messages** by clicking on a user and clicking on **Message** or **Chat**.

# Get Help

For help, you can:

- Check the #Help & Site Feedback category, make a new topic or reply to this post to ask a question.
- Mention [@staff](https://forum.decay-and-rebuilding.org/groups/staff) in a post or message them with a question.

# Get started

This should be enough to get you started. Go post something!  
Let me know below what else you want to know.

### See also:

- [Discourse Getting Started Guide](https://meta.discourse.org/t/understanding-discourse-for-new-users/96331?silent=true)
- [Using Discourse Index](https://meta.discourse.org/t/using-discourse-index/308031) in the [Discourse Documentation](https://meta.discourse.org/c/documentation/10)