> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://orgo.space/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Discussion Namespaces

> Organize discussions into categories so members can find and filter by topic

Discussion Namespaces (categories) turn a flat list of posts into an organized forum. Instead of scrolling through everything, members can filter by "Announcements", "Questions", "Ideas", or whatever categories make sense for your organization.

<img src="https://mintcdn.com/orgo-dc7abe63/sPAuWdxW1VnQjqo4/images/platform/communication/discussion-categories.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=sPAuWdxW1VnQjqo4&q=85&s=81cdb382ce555d57d5abf76d5f263fc4" alt="Discussion category settings page" style={{ width: "100%", borderRadius: "8px", border: "1px solid var(--border-color)", marginBottom: "1rem" }} width="3248" height="910" data-path="images/platform/communication/discussion-categories.png" />

***

## Do I need namespaces?

| Your situation                                                            | Recommendation                                             |
| ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| Your groups have diverse discussions (news, questions, resources, events) | Yes — categories help members find what they need          |
| Your Main Group is an announcement-only channel                           | Probably not — one type of content doesn't need categories |
| Small organization with low discussion volume                             | Not yet — add categories when the feed gets busy           |
| Active community with 10+ posts per week                                  | Yes — filtering becomes essential                          |

***

## Setting up namespaces

**Settings** → **Features** → **Discussion Namespaces**

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create categories">
    Click **+ Create Category** and enter a name. Create as many as you need (aim for 5-10).
  </Step>

  <Step title="Order them">
    Drag categories to set the display order. Put the most used categories first.
  </Step>

  <Step title="That's it">
    Categories are now available in all groups across the organization. When members create posts, they can select a category. When browsing, they can filter by category.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Recommended categories by organization type

### Community / general organization

| Category          | Use for                                                |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ |
| **Announcements** | Official news and updates from leadership              |
| **General**       | Open conversation, anything that doesn't fit elsewhere |
| **Questions**     | Help requests, how-to questions                        |
| **Ideas**         | Suggestions, feedback, proposals                       |
| **Events**        | Event-related discussion                               |

### Professional association

| Category           | Use for                                       |
| ------------------ | --------------------------------------------- |
| **Industry News**  | Relevant articles, trends, regulatory changes |
| **Best Practices** | Knowledge sharing, professional advice        |
| **Job Board**      | Employment opportunities                      |
| **Networking**     | Introductions, partnership requests           |
| **Resources**      | Shared tools, templates, documents            |

### Youth / scouting organization

| Category      | Use for                                 |
| ------------- | --------------------------------------- |
| **Program**   | Activities, program updates, curriculum |
| **Training**  | Leader development, certification       |
| **Events**    | Event planning and follow-up            |
| **Resources** | Materials, handbooks, templates         |
| **General**   | Everything else                         |

***

## How members use categories

### When creating a post

1. Go to a group → **Discussions** → **Create Post**
2. Write the post content
3. Select a category from the dropdown (optional — uncategorized posts are allowed)
4. Publish

### When browsing

1. Go to a group → **Discussions**
2. Click the category filter dropdown
3. Select a category to see only matching posts
4. Clear the filter to see everything

***

## Key details

* Categories are **organization-wide** — the same set is available in all groups
* Only **administrators** can create, edit, reorder, or delete categories
* Categorizing posts is **optional** — members can post without selecting a category
* Editing a category name updates it everywhere — all existing posts with that category
* Deleting a category removes the tag from existing posts but the posts remain

***

## Common scenarios

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Nobody uses the categories — posts are all uncategorized">
    Categories are optional by design, so members may skip them. Lead by example — make sure admins always categorize their posts. Consider adding a gentle reminder in the post creation flow. If categories aren't adding value, you might have too many or they might not match how your community actually discusses.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I want different categories for different groups">
    Namespaces are organization-wide — the same categories appear everywhere. This is by design for consistency. If a group doesn't use certain categories, members simply don't select them. The filter only shows categories that have posts in the current group.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How many categories should I create?">
    5-10 for most organizations. Fewer than 5 and categories aren't adding much. More than 10 and members can't decide where their post belongs. Think broad themes, not specific topics.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Can I restrict who can post in certain categories?">
    Not natively — any member who can post in a group can use any category. To restrict posting, use the group-level "Only admins can post" setting and direct regular member discussion to a different group. For example, "Announcements" category in the Main Group works when only admins can post there.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Related

* [Discussions](/platform/discussion) — The discussion feature overview
* [Groups](/platform/groups) — Where discussions live
* [Main Group](/platform/groups/main-group) — Org-wide discussions