Better SMF

---

Better Tags adds a clean, native-feeling tagging system to SMF without turning the forum into something complicated or unfamiliar.

The goal is simple: make it easier to organize, discover, follow, and connect content across the forum while keeping everything consistent with the way SMF already works.

Whether you want to tag forum topics, organize Gallery content, connect Downloads, or let members follow subjects they care about, Better Tags gives you one shared tagging system to do it.

---

Features

• Topic Tags – Add one or more tags when creating or editing a topic.
• Autocomplete Suggestions – Existing tags are suggested while typing so tag names stay consistent.
• Shared Tag Pages – Clicking a tag opens a dedicated page showing all supported content associated with that tag.
• Follow Tags – Members can follow tags they are interested in and manage them from their Following page.
• Alerts – Followed tags can notify members when new matching content is added.
• Tag Manager – Administrators can rename, merge, delete, bulk-manage, and clean up tags from the Administration Center.
• Permissions – Control who can use Better Tags through SMF permissions.
• Board Restrictions – Tag usage can be limited where appropriate without changing normal SMF posting behavior.
• Orphan Cleanup – Built-in cleanup keeps unused or broken tag relationships from accumulating.
• Data Preservation – Better Tags data is preserved when uninstalling unless the administrator explicitly chooses to remove it.

---

Better Gallery Integration

Better Tags works directly with Better Gallery.

• Tag Gallery albums.
• Tag individual Gallery media items.
• Display tag chips directly with Gallery content.
• Show Gallery Albums and Gallery Media on shared tag pages.
• Gallery media results can open directly to the correct item in the Gallery lightbox.
• Deleted Gallery content automatically cleans up its tag relationships.

This makes it possible for one tag to connect forum discussions and Gallery content naturally.

---

Better Downloads Integration

Better Tags also integrates with Better Downloads.

• Add tags while creating or editing downloads.
• Display tags directly on download pages.
• Include Downloads on shared tag result pages.
• Respect download visibility and approval rules.
• Automatically remove tag relationships when downloads are deleted.

---

One Tag — Multiple Content Types

This is where Better Tags becomes especially useful.

A tag page can bring together related content from different parts of the site.

For example, clicking:


could show:

• Forum Topics
• Gallery Albums
• Gallery Media
• Downloads

Instead of each MOD becoming its own isolated section, Better Tags gives related content a common connection point.

---

Designed to Feel Native

Better Tags was built to work with SMF rather than fight against it.

It uses SMF permissions, admin areas, alerts, sessions, themes, and normal content visibility rules wherever possible.

The interface was also designed to stay lightweight.

No giant tag clouds.
No confusing category system.
No separate content platform.

Just clean tags where they are useful.

---

Theme Support

Better Tags works with the standard SMF Curve2 theme and has been tested extensively with Theme Lab generated themes.

The tag entry widget, autocomplete suggestions, tag chips, admin tools, and shared tag pages are all designed to remain usable across both light and dark designs.

---

Administration

Better Tags adds its own area under:


From there administrators can manage:

• Settings
• Tag Manager
• Integrations
• Permissions and usage behavior
• Cleanup and maintenance

The Tag Manager also supports bulk operations for larger tag libraries.

---

Installation

Install Better Tags through the normal SMF Package Manager.

After installation:

• Review the Better Tags settings.
• Check the Better Tags permissions for your member groups.
• Enable any supported Better Gallery or Better Downloads integrations you want to use.
• Start tagging content.

Better Tags does not require modifications to SMF core files.

---

Compatibility

SMF: 2.1.x

Designed and tested alongside the Better SMF MOD collection, including:

• Better Gallery
• Better Downloads
• Theme Lab

---

Why Better Tags?

SMF already does an excellent job organizing content into boards and topics.

Better Tags is not meant to replace that structure.

It adds another way to connect related information across that structure.

A download can relate to a forum topic.
A Gallery album can relate to a support discussion.
Several topics across different boards can all belong to the same subject.

Tags make those connections easy to find without changing the way the forum itself works.

---