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docs(faq): expand and polish FAQ

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This commit is contained in:
Tommaso Casaburi
2026-04-30 18:45:01 +07:00
parent 5c74a1e495
commit dc7e5591a0
2 changed files with 817 additions and 164 deletions
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src/views/faq/faq.module.css
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color: #060;
}
.rightBox {
.columns::after {
display: block;
clear: both;
content: '';
}
.rightColumn {
float: right;
width: 49.1%;
}
.rightBox {
background: #eff;
color: #006;
}
@@ -99,11 +108,16 @@
margin: 1em;
}
.section {
scroll-margin-top: 1rem;
}
.rightBox .first {
padding-top: 0;
}
.rightBox dt {
scroll-margin-top: 1rem;
padding-top: 1em;
margin-bottom: .5em;
font-weight: 700;
@@ -116,6 +130,11 @@
border-bottom: solid #006 1px;
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.rightBox dl > div:last-child dd {
padding-bottom: 0;
border-bottom: 0;
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@media (max-width: 640px) {
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@@ -123,8 +142,8 @@
padding: 10px;
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.rightBox, .leftBox {
.rightColumn, .leftBox {
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src/views/faq/faq.tsx
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import { useEffect } from 'react';
import { type ReactNode, useEffect } from 'react';
import { Link } from 'react-router-dom';
import { HashLink } from 'react-router-hash-link';
import { Footer, HomeLogo } from '../home';
import styles from './faq.module.css';
const externalLinkProps = {
target: '_blank',
rel: 'noopener noreferrer',
} as const;
type FAQItem = {
id: string;
question: string;
answer: ReactNode;
};
type FAQSection = {
id: string;
title: string;
items: FAQItem[];
};
const FAQ_SECTIONS: FAQSection[] = [
{
id: 'basics',
title: 'Basics',
items: [
{
id: 'what5chan',
question: 'What is 5chan?',
answer: (
<>
5chan is a serverless, adminless, decentralized imageboard built on the{' '}
<a href='https://bitsocial.net' {...externalLinkProps}>
Bitsocial
</a>{' '}
protocol. It keeps the familiar board, thread, and anonymous posting flow of imageboards, but boards are Bitsocial communities owned by their operators
instead of by one global website administrator.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'justwebsite',
question: 'Is 5chan just this website?',
answer: (
<>
No. This website is one client for the Bitsocial network. The domain can move, disappear, be mirrored, or be replaced by an installed copy without changing
the underlying boards. You can also{' '}
<a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/5chan/releases/latest' {...externalLinkProps}>
download 5chan
</a>{' '}
for Android, Windows, macOS, or Linux.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'howaccess',
question: 'How do I access the boards?',
answer: (
<>
Use the homepage directories, the top boards bar, <Link to='/all'>/all/</Link>, <Link to='/subs'>/subs/</Link>, a direct board link, or the search box. If you
know a board address such as <code>music-posting.bso</code> or a public key, paste it into search and press Enter.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'directories',
question: 'What are directories?',
answer: (
<>
Directories are short paths such as <code>/g/</code>, <code>/biz/</code>, or <code>/mu/</code> that point to featured boards. Today they are handpicked
through pull requests to{' '}
<a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/lists/blob/master/5chan-directories.json' {...externalLinkProps}>
5chan-directories.json
</a>{' '}
until directory voting is available. A board does not need a directory slot to exist or be reachable.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'whatbasics',
question: 'What should I know before I post?',
answer: (
<>
Read the rules for the board you are using. 5chan has no global rules page that overrides every board. Each board owner and moderator team decides what
belongs in that board, while each app or mirror can decide what it indexes or displays.
</>
),
},
],
},
{
id: 'posting',
title: 'Posting',
items: [
{
id: 'howpost',
question: 'How do I post on 5chan?',
answer: (
<>
Open a board, fill out the post form, optionally add a name, subject, comment, and link, then submit. Some boards require a media link for new threads. Some
boards also require an anti-spam challenge before the post is accepted.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'postanon',
question: 'How do I post anonymously?',
answer: (
<>
Leave the <code>[Name]</code> field blank. The post will display as Anonymous. 5chan still signs posts with your local account key, so anonymity means "not
using a display name", not "no cryptographic identity exists".
</>
),
},
{
id: 'register',
question: 'Can I register a username?',
answer: (
<>
There is no central username registry. 5chan creates a local account for you, and you can edit your display name in the post form or settings. For a stronger
identity, you can use a readable crypto address such as <code>myname.bso</code> after configuring the matching Bitsocial record. Display names by themselves
are not proof of identity.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'tripcodes',
question: 'Does 5chan use tripcodes?',
answer: (
<>
Not currently. 5chan uses key-controlled accounts and optional readable crypto addresses instead of 4chan-style tripcodes. If you need a persistent identity,
back up your account and use a resolvable address instead of relying on a display name.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'howimage',
question: 'How do I post an image or video?',
answer: (
<>
Paste a direct media URL into the <code>[Link]</code> field. 5chan detects images, GIFs, video, audio, and supported embeds. Direct links work best. If the
link is detected as a webpage instead of media, try a direct file URL or a different host.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'uploadimage',
question: 'Can I upload media directly?',
answer: (
<>
Yes in the Android and desktop apps, where 5chan can hand the file to a media hosting service. Browser uploads are limited by CORS and should use an external
host first. The board post itself stores text and links; the external media host may still see your IP address when you upload or when other users load the
file.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'postimage',
question: 'Must I post an image?',
answer: (
<>
It depends on the board. Directory boards can require new threads to include a media link. 5chan also filters text-only threads out of some catalog views to
preserve the imageboard feel, and you can adjust catalog filters when browsing.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'replyimage',
question: 'Can I reply with an image?',
answer: (
<>
Yes, unless that board disables or restricts media replies. Open the reply box and add a direct media URL in the <code>[Link]</code> field before submitting.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'quote',
question: 'How do I quote somebody?',
answer: (
<>
Put <code>{'>'}text</code> at the start of a line for greentext. Use <code>{'>>'}123</code> to reference a post number in the current thread. Clicking a post
number opens the reply box with the quote inserted, and selecting text before replying can insert the selected text.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'crossquote',
question: 'Can I quote posts from other boards?',
answer: (
<>
Yes. Cross-board quotes use the familiar <code>{'>>>/board/post'}</code> shape, such as <code>{'>>>/g/123'}</code>. 5chan resolves directory codes and board
addresses when it can find the target.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'multireply',
question: 'Can I reply to multiple posts?',
answer: (
<>
Yes. Add multiple <code>{'>>'}number</code> references in one reply, one per line or wherever they make sense in your message.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'spoiler',
question: 'Can I mark a submission as a spoiler?',
answer: (
<>
Usually. Use the spoiler checkbox for media when the board allows it. For text, wrap the hidden part in <code>[spoiler]hidden text[/spoiler]</code>. Some
boards disable spoilers for posts or replies.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'deletepost',
question: 'How do I delete or edit my own post?',
answer: (
<>
Use the post menu or edit controls when they are available. Author deletion and editing depend on your local account, the board's pseudonymity mode, and
whether the app can prove that your account authored the post. Deleting publishes an edit to the board; it is not a global erase button for every copy that
may already exist elsewhere.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'report',
question: 'How do I report posts?',
answer: (
<>
Reporting is not available yet. For now, board moderation happens through board-specific moderator tools and rules. If you are a board moderator, use the mod
queue and edit controls available for that board.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'prunedelete',
question: 'My post disappeared. Where did it go?',
answer: (
<>
It may have been deleted by its author, removed or purged by board moderation, rejected by an anti-spam challenge, hidden locally by your filters, archived by
board lifecycle rules, or unavailable because the board node or gateway is temporarily offline.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'bump',
question: "Why won't my thread bump?",
answer: (
<>
Boards can have thread limits, bump limits, locks, and archive rules. For example, directory metadata can define a bump limit. Once a thread reaches the
board's limit or is locked or archived, new replies may no longer move it up.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'archive',
question: 'Can I retrieve an old post or image?',
answer: (
<>
Not always. Bitsocial is optimized for current social content, not permanent archival storage. Old content may still exist on the board operator's node, on
peers that cached it, in an archive view, or on the original media host, but 5chan cannot promise that every old post or image will remain available forever.
</>
),
},
],
},
{
id: 'boards-moderation',
title: 'Boards And Moderation',
items: [
{
id: 'whooperate',
question: 'Who operates 5chan?',
answer: (
<>
The 5chan app is open-source software. The operator of a public domain is hosting a static client, not owning every board or every post. Boards are operated
by their own Bitsocial community owners.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'whoadmin',
question: 'Who is the administrator?',
answer: (
<>
There is no global 5chan administrator with authority over every board. Each board has its own owner and can have its own moderators. App maintainers can
change the client, defaults, and directory listings, but they do not become the owner of every Bitsocial community.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'whomod',
question: 'Who are the moderators?',
answer: (
<>
Moderators are assigned per board by the board owner or by the board's management setup. They can remove, purge, lock, pin, archive, ban, or review posts
according to that board's policy and tools.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'capcode',
question: 'What are owner and moderator labels?',
answer: (
<>
Some posts show role labels or icons for board owners and moderators. Those labels are board-scoped. They are not global staff badges and do not imply
authority on unrelated boards.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'createboard',
question: 'Can I create my own board?',
answer: (
<>
Yes. A 5chan board is a Bitsocial community. Today the practical route is to run{' '}
<a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/bitsocial-cli' {...externalLinkProps}>
bitsocial-cli
</a>{' '}
as a node and use{' '}
<a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/5chan-board-manager' {...externalLinkProps}>
5chan Board Manager
</a>{' '}
for imageboard lifecycle rules such as thread limits, bump limits, archived-thread retention, and purging of author-deleted content.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'submitdirectory',
question: 'How do I get my board into a directory?',
answer: (
<>
Open a pull request against{' '}
<a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/lists/blob/master/5chan-directories.json' {...externalLinkProps}>
5chan-directories.json
</a>{' '}
with the board title, address, and NSFW status. Current expectations include high uptime, active use, relevant topic fit, and responsible moderation. Future
directory voting is planned for 5chan Pass holders.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'banishment',
question: 'Can I be banned?',
answer: (
<>
A board can ban or restrict you inside that board. An app or mirror can also choose what it shows. There is no protocol-level super-admin who can erase your
identity or confiscate every community from the network.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'banappeal',
question: 'Can I appeal a ban?',
answer: <>There is no global appeal form. Appeals, if any, are handled by the board owner or moderators for the board that banned you.</>,
},
{
id: 'worksafe',
question: 'What does work safe mean?',
answer: (
<>
Directory entries can mark boards as safe-for-work or NSFW. Homepage and catalog filters can use that metadata, but users should still read the board title,
topic, and rules before opening or posting.
</>
),
},
],
},
{
id: 'features',
title: 'Features',
items: [
{
id: 'catalog',
question: 'What is the catalog?',
answer: (
<>
The catalog is a thumbnail-first board view. Use <code>/board/catalog</code> for one board, <Link to='/all/catalog'>/all/catalog</Link> for directory boards,
or <Link to='/subs/catalog'>/subs/catalog</Link> for boards you subscribe to.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'filters',
question: 'How do filters work?',
answer: (
<>
Catalog filters can hide or prioritize matching threads by text, display name, user ID, board, or other local criteria. These are local browsing filters. They
do not remove posts from the board.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'subscriptions',
question: 'How do subscriptions work?',
answer: (
<>
Subscribe to a board to keep it in your top bar and in <Link to='/subs'>/subs/</Link>. Subscriptions are stored in your local account data, so back up your
account if you want to move them to another device.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'directlinks',
question: 'Can I share direct links?',
answer: (
<>
Yes. Post menus can copy a direct thread link, content ID, or user ID. Links usually use the current directory code when one exists, and fall back to the
board address when needed.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'imagesource',
question: 'How can I find the source of an image?',
answer: <>On media posts, the post menu includes image search links such as Google Lens, Yandex, and SauceNAO when 5chan can identify a usable image URL.</>,
},
{
id: 'downloads',
question: 'Where can I get the apps?',
answer: (
<>
Use the{' '}
<a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/5chan/releases/latest' {...externalLinkProps}>
latest GitHub release
</a>{' '}
for Android, Windows, macOS, and Linux builds. The web app remains available from public mirrors.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'mirrors',
question: 'What mirrors exist?',
answer: (
<>
Public mirrors can change over time. The Bitsocial app directory currently lists 5chan web access and mirrors such as <code>5chan.app</code>,{' '}
<code>5chan.eth.limo</code>, <code>5chan.cc</code>, and <code>5channel.org</code>. If one mirror is unreachable, try another or use an installed app.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'extension',
question: 'Does 5chan have an official browser extension?',
answer: (
<>
No official 5chan browser extension is required. For IPFS and ENS-style static mirrors, tools such as IPFS Companion can help advanced users, but the ordinary
web app does not require an extension.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'pass',
question: 'What is 5chan Pass?',
answer: (
<>
<Link to='/pass'>5chan Pass</Link> is a planned supporter pass. It is not available to buy, activate, or renew yet. The current plan is for pass holders to
vote on directory assignments, post on <code>/vip/</code>, and skip compatible posting challenges on boards that support the pass challenge.
</>
),
},
],
},
{
id: 'issues',
title: 'Issues',
items: [
{
id: 'challenge',
question: 'What is an anti-spam challenge?',
answer: (
<>
A challenge is a board's posting check. It can be a captcha, rate limit, payment, token gate, allowlist, iframe flow, or custom code. 5chan shows the
challenge before publishing when the board requires one.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'whychallenge',
question: 'Why does 5chan use challenges?',
answer: (
<>
Open peer-to-peer pubsub can be flooded by spam. Bitsocial keeps spam resistance local by letting each board choose its own challenge instead of forcing every
board into one global CAPTCHA or account policy.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'whyspam',
question: 'Why do I still see spam?',
answer: (
<>
No anti-spam system is perfect, and each board chooses its own policy. Some boards may prefer open posting with lighter moderation. Others may use stricter
challenges, moderator queues, bans, or allowlists.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'xbroken',
question: 'Why does something not load?',
answer: (
<>
The board node may be offline, the browser gateway may be slow, a media host may block embeds, your local cache may be stale, or a public router may not have
enough peers yet. Try refreshing, waiting a moment, using another mirror, or opening the board in an installed app.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'downtime',
question: 'Where should I go if 5chan is unreachable?',
answer: (
<>
Try another mirror, an installed app, or the latest release build. For app-level outages and development discussion, check the{' '}
<a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/5chan' {...externalLinkProps}>
GitHub repo
</a>{' '}
or the{' '}
<a href='https://t.me/fivechandev' {...externalLinkProps}>
Telegram dev group
</a>
.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'torproxy',
question: 'What is the Tor, VPN, and proxy policy?',
answer: (
<>
5chan has no global IP policy, but individual boards, gateways, media hosts, or challenge providers may apply their own rules. Peer-to-peer networking can
expose network metadata, so do not assume a VPN or Tor makes all activity anonymous.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'copyrighted',
question: 'Will 5chan remove copyrighted material?',
answer: (
<>
5chan usually embeds links to external media rather than hosting browser-uploaded media itself. Copyright complaints about hosted media should go to the media
host. Board-specific content issues belong with that board's owner or moderators. App repository issues should be limited to the 5chan software itself.
</>
),
},
],
},
{
id: 'technical',
title: 'Technical',
items: [
{
id: 'software',
question: 'What software does 5chan use?',
answer: (
<>
The 5chan client is free and open-source software under GPL-3.0-or-later. Boards are Bitsocial communities, typically run with{' '}
<a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/bitsocial-cli' {...externalLinkProps}>
bitsocial-cli
</a>{' '}
and, for imageboard-specific behavior,{' '}
<a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/5chan-board-manager' {...externalLinkProps}>
5chan Board Manager
</a>
.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'hardware',
question: 'What hardware does a board need?',
answer: (
<>
A board operator runs a Bitsocial node. Bitsocial is designed so community nodes can run on ordinary hardware such as a laptop, Raspberry Pi, or cheap VPS, as
long as the operator can keep the board online.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'howp2p',
question: 'How does the peer-to-peer network work?',
answer: (
<>
Communities are addressed by public keys or readable names that resolve to public keys. Clients ask routers for peers that provide the community, fetch the
latest metadata and content pointers, then fetch the post content from peers. Publishing uses peer-to-peer pubsub plus the board's challenge system.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'gateway',
question: 'Can browsers connect peer-to-peer?',
answer: (
<>
Yes, experimentally. The standard web app can use HTTP gateways, routers, and pubsub providers as compatibility helpers. The{' '}
<a href='https://p2p.5chan.app' {...externalLinkProps}>
p2p.5chan.app
</a>{' '}
subdomain instead runs a{' '}
<a href='https://helia.io' {...externalLinkProps}>
Helia
</a>{' '}
IPFS node in the browser, so it can load boards peer-to-peer without centralized IPFS RPC gateways. Browser nodes still have restrictions, such as limited
inbound connectivity, so they can load data peer-to-peer but are not a stable way to host board data yet. Helia pubsub is currently unstable for 5chan's
needs, which is why the pure browser P2P site is experimental. The desktop apps are the stable pure-P2P option today because they run a full Bitsocial node
with IPFS Kubo.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'blockchain',
question: 'Is 5chan on a blockchain?',
answer: (
<>
No. Bitsocial avoids putting posts on-chain. Social media does not need global transaction ordering, and skipping a blockchain avoids gas fees, block-time
delays, and permanent storage bloat.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'federation',
question: 'Is 5chan federated like Mastodon?',
answer: (
<>
No. Federation still depends on servers, admins, domains, and instance policies. Bitsocial communities are peer-to-peer communities addressed by keys, so
hosting can change without turning one server into the owner of every account and post.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'bso',
question: 'What are .bso addresses?',
answer: (
<>
<code>.bso</code> names are readable Bitsocial names that resolve to public keys through Bitsocial TXT records. 5chan also recognizes some legacy or
compatible crypto-domain aliases, but the current Bitsocial-first naming is <code>.bso</code>.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'personalinfo',
question: 'What personal information is collected?',
answer: (
<>
5chan does not require a central account signup. Your app stores account data, settings, subscriptions, and caches locally. Network peers, gateways, challenge
providers, and external media hosts may still see normal network metadata. Public crypto addresses, on-chain pass activity, and linked media URLs should be
treated as public.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'privacy',
question: 'Is 5chan fully anonymous?',
answer: (
<>
No. 5chan can avoid a central website administrator seeing every poster IP, but peer-to-peer systems still expose network-level information. Bitsocial
encrypts publication content before it enters pubsub during publishing, but accepted board content is public. You should not treat 5chan as a complete
anonymity tool.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'oldcontent',
question: 'Does Bitsocial store everything forever?',
answer: (
<>
No. Bitsocial keeps the latest community state and content pointers lightweight. Old posts may remain available through the board operator, peers, caches, or
archives, but permanent availability is not guaranteed by the protocol.
</>
),
},
],
},
{
id: 'culture-contribution',
title: 'Culture And Contribution',
items: [
{
id: 'anonymous',
question: 'Who is Anonymous?',
answer: (
<>
Anonymous is the default display name when no name is provided. It is a posting style, not one shared person. Depending on the board's pseudonymity mode,
5chan may still show per-post or per-reply user IDs to help readers follow a thread without revealing a chosen name.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'contribwhat',
question: 'What is considered positive contribution?',
answer: (
<>
Post on-topic material, source useful links, respect each board's rules, avoid spam, and help new boards build a real culture. Since boards are independent,
what counts as a good contribution depends on the board.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'shitposting',
question: 'What is low-quality posting?',
answer: (
<>
Repeated spam, off-topic flooding, malicious links, impersonation, and challenge abuse make boards worse and may get you filtered, removed, or banned by that
board.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'contribhow',
question: 'How can I contribute to the project?',
answer: (
<>
Use the software, run boards, report app bugs, open pull requests, improve documentation, build compatible clients, or help with Bitsocial infrastructure. The
app source is on{' '}
<a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/5chan' {...externalLinkProps}>
GitHub
</a>
.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'donations',
question: 'How can I support 5chan financially?',
answer: (
<>
5chan Pass is the planned supporter path, but it is not live yet. Until then, the most useful support is running boards, improving the client, testing
releases, and helping the Bitsocial ecosystem mature.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'events',
question: 'Does 5chan hold official events?',
answer: (
<>
There is no formal global event program. If you want to host a meetup, panel, or board-specific event, make it clear that it is community-run unless the core
project explicitly says otherwise.
</>
),
},
{
id: 'about',
question: 'Where can I learn more?',
answer: (
<>
Read the{' '}
<a href='https://bitsocial.net/docs/' {...externalLinkProps}>
Bitsocial docs
</a>
, the{' '}
<a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/5chan' {...externalLinkProps}>
5chan source repository
</a>
, and the app directory on{' '}
<a href='https://bitsocial.net/apps' {...externalLinkProps}>
bitsocial.net
</a>
.
</>
),
},
],
},
];
const FAQ = () => {
useEffect(() => {
window.scrollTo(0, 0);
@@ -19,7 +780,7 @@ const FAQ = () => {
</div>
<div className={styles.boxContent}>
Welcome to 5chan's <strong>F</strong>requently <strong>A</strong>sked <strong>Q</strong>uestions page. After reading the FAQ, be sure to familiarize yourself
with the <a href='/rules'>Rules</a>!
with the <Link to='/rules'>Rules</Link>!
</div>
</div>
<div className={styles.columns}>
@@ -29,170 +790,43 @@ const FAQ = () => {
</div>
<div className={styles.boxContent}>
<ul className={styles.list}>
<li>
<strong>
<HashLink to='#basics'>Basics</HashLink>
</strong>
<ul>
<li>
<HashLink to='#what5chan'>What is 5chan?</HashLink>
</li>
<li>
<HashLink to='#justwebsite'>Is 5chan just this website?</HashLink>
</li>
{FAQ_SECTIONS.map((section) => (
<li key={section.id}>
<strong>
<HashLink to={`#${section.id}`}>{section.title}</HashLink>
</strong>
<ul>
<li>
<HashLink to='#howaccess'>How do I access the boards?</HashLink>
</li>
{section.items.map((item) => (
<li key={item.id}>
<HashLink to={`#${item.id}`}>{item.question}</HashLink>
</li>
))}
</ul>
<li>
<HashLink to='#whatbasics'>What should I know before I post?</HashLink>
</li>
<ul>
<li>
<HashLink to='#postanon'>How do I post anonymously?</HashLink>
</li>
<li>
<HashLink to='#register'>Can I register a username?</HashLink>
</li>
<li>
<HashLink to='#howimage'>How do I post an image?</HashLink>
</li>
<li>
<HashLink to='#uploadimage'>Can I upload an image?</HashLink>
</li>
<li>
<HashLink to='#postimage'>Must I post an image?</HashLink>
</li>
<li>
<HashLink to='#replyimage'>Can I reply with an image?</HashLink>
</li>
<li>
<HashLink to='#quote'>How do I quote somebody?</HashLink>
</li>
<li>
<HashLink to='#multireply'>Can I reply to multiple posts?</HashLink>
</li>
<li>
<HashLink to='#spoiler'>Can I mark a submission as a spoiler?</HashLink>
</li>
</ul>
</ul>
</li>
</li>
))}
</ul>
</div>
</div>
<div className={`${styles.box} ${styles.rightBox}`}>
<div className={styles.boxBar}>
<h2 id='basics'>Basics</h2>
</div>
<div className={styles.boxContent}>
<dl>
<dt className={styles.first} id='what5chan'>
What is 5chan?
</dt>
<dd>
5chan is a serverless, adminless, decentralized imageboard where anyone can create and own unlimited boards. All data comes from the Bitsocial protocol,
it's all text including links from which media is embedded, shared peer-to-peer. Users do not need to register an account before participating in the
community.
</dd>
<dt id='justwebsite'>Is 5chan just this website?</dt>
<dd>
No. 5chan is a client app for the Bitsocial protocol. This website is just one place to open it — the domain could change, disappear, or be blocked
without affecting the Bitsocial network or any boards. We recommend installing the app when your browser offers it, so you keep a local copy that works
independently. You can also <a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/5chan/releases/latest'>download the app</a> from GitHub. If you know a board's
address, you can connect from any host or installed copy.
</dd>
<dt id='howaccess'>How do I access the boards?</dt>
<dd>
Anyone can access any board at a any time by simply knowing its address. Paste it in the search box, located in the homepage or at the top of the board
pages. Hit enter, and you will connect peer-to-peer to the board. Each board is completely independent and moderates itself, the board owner can do
whatever they want with it.
</dd>
<dt id='whatbasics'>What should I know before I post?</dt>
<dd>
Please remember to read the rules and guidelines of whatever board you decide to post to. Each board is completely independent and has its own rules and
guidelines, as there are no global admins nor global rules.
</dd>
<dt id='postanon'>How do I post anonymously?</dt>
<dd>
To post as "Anonymous", simply do not fill in the [Name] field when submitting content.
<br />
<br />
5chan uses the Bitsocial protocol to function, which does not leak IP addresses of people who post. When you post on 5chan, no board admin can know your
IP address, nor can the app itself, which is just static HTML. However, the Bitsocial protocol is not fully anonymous, it uses IPFS, which means your IP
address is part of a public P2P swarm, similarly to how BitTorrent works.
</dd>
<dt id='register'>Can I register a username?</dt>
<dd>
You already have one, it's automatically generated by the app and you can find it in the settings. It's the address of your generated account file, and
you can change it to something readable (e.g., "myname.eth") by purchasing a crypto domain like ENS (Ethereum Name Service) and resolving your account
address with it.
<br />
<br />
You can also edit the display name associated with your account at any time in the settings or directly in the post form. The name you choose will be
reused across threads until you change it again.
</dd>
<dt id='howimage'>How do I post an image?</dt>
<dd>
You need a link to the image, ideally using an image hosting service, like Imgur or catbox.moe. Paste the link to the image in the [Link] field when
submitting content. 5chan will attempt to load the media from the link and show its type next to the [Link] field. If the link type is "webpage", the
link is not an image, and you should try another link.
<br />
<br />
You can also post videos, audios and gifs by pasting their direct links. 5chan also supports the following websites to embed media without a direct
link: YouTube, Twitter/X, Reddit, Twitch, TikTok, Instagram, Odysee, Bitchute, Streamable, Spotify and Soundcloud.
</dd>
<dt id='uploadimage'>Can I upload an image?</dt>
<dd>
Yes, but only in the Android app, which you can download on <a href='https://github.com/bitsocialnet/5chan/releases/latest'>GitHub</a>. The app is able
to automatically upload media to image hosting services, like Imgur or catbox.moe, sharing your IP address with the image hosting service. This is not
possible in the browser, which can't make backend requests.
<br />
<br />
If you use the browser version, you should upload images to an image hosting service of your choice, and then past the image link in the [Link] field
when submitting content. You can paste any link, not just image links. You can also get an image link from social media, by right clicking the image and
selecting "Copy image URL", or by using tools such as <a href='https://cobalt.tools/'>cobalt</a>.<br />
<br />
The reason why uploading media directly to boards is not possible, is because 5chan is a client for the Bitsocial protocol, which is text-only
(including links, from which media is embedded by clients). However, Bitsocial uses IPFS, so in theory it could let users upload media to the board
owner's IPFS node, and then post the direct IPFS link for the media. This is not enabled because loading media from IPFS is extremely slow at the moment
(because most people have slow internet).
</dd>
<dt id='postimage'>Must I post an image?</dt>
<dd>
It depends on the board. Each board has its own rules, and a board owner might decide to only allow posts with images in their community. 5chan
automatically filters out text-only threads in the catalog view, to resemble an imageboard, and you can disable this in the [Filters] menu.
</dd>
<dt id='replyimage'>Can I reply with an image?</dt>
<dd>
Yes. To reply to a thread with an image of your own, fill in the post box as you normally would, making sure to specify a direct image link (e.g.,
ending in .png or .jpeg) in the "Link" field. 5chan will attempt to load the image, and if it worked it will show the Link type as "image", next to the
field, before posting. If the Link type is "webpage", the link is not an image, and you should try another link.
</dd>
<dt id='quote'>How do I quote somebody?</dt>
<dd>
To greentext-quote a portion of text, place a pointer ("{'>'}") in front of the text you wish to highlight (ex. "
<span className='greentext'>{'>'}This is a quote</span>").
<br />
<br />
To quote a specific post by its number, use the {"'>>'"}number syntax (ex. "{'>>'}" followed by the post number). Clicking a post's number link will
automatically open the reply box with the quote reference inserted for you. You can also select text in a post and then click reply to auto-quote the
selected text.
</dd>
<dt id='multireply'>Can I reply to multiple posts?</dt>
<dd>
Yes. You can reference multiple posts in a single reply by using multiple {"'>>'"}number quotes (ex. "{'>>'}" followed by a post number, one per line).
While the reply modal is open, clicking another post's number link will insert an additional quote reference at the cursor position.
</dd>
<dt id='spoiler'>Can I mark a submission as a spoiler?</dt>
<dd>
All boards allow you to mask plot-spoiling content. To mark your image as a spoiler, check the [x Spoiler?] box before submission. Spoilerizing text
makes it unreadable to others until they mouse over it. To spoilerize a comment, place {`[spoiler][/spoiler]`} tags around the text you wish to hide
(ex. "{`[spoiler]`}SPIKE DIES!{`[/spoiler]`}").
</dd>
</dl>
</div>
<div className={styles.rightColumn}>
{FAQ_SECTIONS.map((section) => (
<section key={section.id} id={section.id} className={`${styles.box} ${styles.rightBox} ${styles.section}`} aria-labelledby={`${section.id}-heading`}>
<div className={styles.boxBar}>
<h2 id={`${section.id}-heading`}>{section.title}</h2>
</div>
<div className={styles.boxContent}>
<dl>
{section.items.map((item, itemIndex) => (
<div key={item.id}>
<dt className={itemIndex === 0 ? styles.first : undefined} id={item.id}>
{item.question}
</dt>
<dd>{item.answer}</dd>
</div>
))}
</dl>
</div>
</section>
))}
</div>
</div>
<Footer />