Getting Started

This documentation is organized into a series of chapters that will explain the functionality of the different areas that make up the vBulletin Package. Throughout this manual we will provide screenshots and in depth tutorials so that you spend more time running your community than you do building it. vBulletin Connect has been designed to bring you modern community building tools and ease of use.

Self-Hosted vs. vBulletin Cloud

There are two different ways that you can utilize vBulletin on your site. These are the Self-Hosted and vBulletin Cloud installations. There are pros and cons to either implementation.

  • Self-Hosted: This installation type requires more technical knowledge on your part. You will be responsible for maintaining your server, upgrading vBulletin and the overall security of your server. In exchange for these requirements, you will have full access to the source code, can modify all templates, and install third-party products.
  • vBulletin Cloud: When using the Cloud version of vBulletin, you won’t have to worry about server maintenance, server security, or upgrading vBulletin. However, the tradeoff is that you won’t be able to customize the software as much. People who run vBulletin Cloud sites, cannot edit most templates, upload third-party products, or access the source code the site.

You can see a detailed comparison of the features between these options on the vBulletin website.