# Using Shortcodes to Display the Forum

GravityOps Forum provides several shortcodes to display forum content anywhere on your WordPress site.

## 1. Main Forum Index

The primary shortcode for your forum is:

`[gofrm_index]`

Place this shortcode on any WordPress Page (e.g., a page titled "Community") to display the full forum structure, including all boards and forums.

## 2. Specific Forum Displays

In addition to the main index, you can use the following shortcodes for more targeted placements:

- `[gofrm_forum]` - Displays a specific forum and its topics.
- `[gofrm_topic]` - Displays a specific topic and its replies.
- `[gofrm_profile]` - Displays the user's forum profile and activity.

## 3. How Shortcodes Interact with Permalinks

The way these shortcodes function depends on your settings in the **Configuration** tab:

### Option A: Automatic URL Routing Enabled (Recommended)
When **Enable Custom Rewrite Rules** is checked, the plugin automatically manages navigation using clean URLs (e.g., `your-site.com/forum/my-forum/123`). In this mode, you typically only need the `[gofrm_index]` shortcode on a single page, or you can rely entirely on the automatic base URL.

### Option B: Flexible Shortcode & Multi-Page Layouts
Whether you have rewrite rules enabled or disabled, you can use shortcodes to create custom layouts. You can place the forum on a single page or spread it across several dedicated pages:

- **Single Page**: In most cases, placing `[gofrm_index]` on one page is enough. It can fall back to forum/topic/profile views when dedicated shortcodes are not present.
- **Multiple Pages**: Create separate pages for different views (for example, one page with `[gofrm_index]` and another page with `[gofrm_profile]`).

**Auto-Discovery:**
The plugin will **automatically discover** these pages and ensure that links (like "View My Profile") point to the correct dedicated page. If a dedicated page is not found for a specific view, the plugin will fallback to displaying that content on the page containing the `[gofrm_index]` shortcode.

**Smart Fallbacks:**
- If you only place `[gofrm_index]` on a page, it handles all views (Index, Forum, Topic, Profile) automatically.
- If you navigate directly to a dedicated page (like your Profile page), the shortcode will automatically show your content without needing special URL parameters.
- If you land on a dedicated Forum or Topic page without having selected a specific item, the plugin will provide a helpful link back to the main index.

**Customizing the Mapping:**
You can manually override the automatic discovery in the **Configuration** tab under **Advanced Page Mapping**.
