# Introduction

The Forums API delivers posts and replies from online discussion boards as structured JSON - raw, conversational content where opinions form.

## Endpoint

`GET`

```bash
https://api.webz.io/api/forums
```

## Example

Find active discussions about a topic:

```bash
https://api.webz.io/api/forums?token=YOUR_TOKEN&q="home battery" language:english
```

## Understanding threads

Forum content is organized in threads: an original post followed by replies. Each post - original or reply - is a separate result with its own `uuid`, `url`, and text, and carries:

| Field | Meaning |
| --- | --- |
| `ord_in_thread` | Position of the post in its thread (`0` = the original post) |
| `thread.title` | Title of the thread |
| `thread.replies_count` | Number of replies in the thread |
| `thread.participants_count` | Number of distinct participants |

As a thread grows, each new reply arrives as a new post. If an already-delivered post's text changes on a later crawl, its `text` and `updated` fields are refreshed.

Filter by activity (`replies_count:>10`) or sort by `replies_count` / `participants_count` to find lively discussions - see [Filters](forums-api-filters).

> [!NOTE]
> `thread.replies_count` and `thread.participants_count` are snapshots taken when each post was crawled. The newest post in a thread carries the freshest counts.

## Original posts vs. replies

The `is_first` filter targets either side of a thread:

| Filter | Returns |
| --- | --- |
| `is_first:true` | Only original posts (equivalent to `ord_in_thread:0`) |
| `is_first:false` | Only replies |

Opening posts of busy threads, without wading through every reply:

```bash
https://api.webz.io/api/forums?token=YOUR_TOKEN&q="home battery" is_first:true replies_count:>10
```

## Coverage window

Forums content is searchable for roughly the last **31 days** - see [Time Range & History](news-blogs-forums-time-range). Older data - up to the last **5 years** - is available via the [News, Blogs, Forums & Reviews Archive](archive-what-is).

> [!NOTE]
> Internally, forum content is typed `discussions` - responses show `"site_type": "discussions"` in the `thread` object. Review content is excluded from forums results.