Using wpDiscuz to Handle Comments in Breakdance Builder

In this guide, we’ll show you how to integrate wpDiscuz to Breakdance for a modern comment experience. It covers installation, setup, and the benefits of using wpDiscuz over default options.

Christy Cañete

Updated October 2, 2023

add wpDiscuz on Breakdance

add wpDiscuz on Breakdance

Reading Time: 6 minutes

Difficulty: Very Easy. No prior knowledge required
Time Required: ~5 minutes

A comment section is not just a space below your content. 

It’s a place for sharing ideas, asking questions, or engaging with other people who have similar interests. It's like building a mini-community right under your article. 

And guess what? This engagement can drive more visitors to your blog.

Breakdance comes with a comment block, much like the one you'd find in WordPress. However, its features are limited. For instance, it doesn’t support social media integration.

If you want to level up your site’s comment system, then you might want to consider a third-party plugin like wpDiscuz.

In this guide, we’re going to compare the difference between the Breakdance comment block and wpDiscuz. Then, I’ll show you how to integrate wpDiscuz into your Breakdance template. 

Here’s what you’ll accomplish by the end of this tutorial:

add wpDiscuz on Breakdance

wpDiscuz vs Breakdance Comment Block

Both WordPress and Breakdance offer a default comment system that, while functional, often falls short in terms of features and user engagement.

Having tried both, I can say that these native blocks feel very basic. But if you’re looking for something simple and easy to use, then these default comment forms will suffice.

Here are a few pros and cons of using the built-in comment forms.

Pros of WordPress/ Breakdance comment forms:

  • Native integration loads faster
  • Less prone to conflicts with other plugins
  • Doesn’t need any additional setup

Cons of WordPress/ Breakdance comment forms:

  • Lacks advanced features like real-time updates and social media integrations
  • Can easily get tons of spammy comments
  • Comments, by default, require your approval to post. That means you need to constantly check your blog’s comment stream.

Now, let’s briefly discuss wpDiscuz. What I really love about this plugin is that it modernizes the comment experience. It supports a lot of features designed to increase reader engagement and, in turn, your site’s traffic.

But before you install this plugin, let’s weigh its pros and cons.

Pros of wpDiscus:

  • Great at detecting and curbing low-quality or spammy comments
  • You can easily sort, filter, and manage comments
  • Allows integration of social media engagement to your posts
  • Comes with advanced analytics for comments

wpDiscus cons:

  • You need to keep it up to date to prevent security issues
  • Might occasionally slow down page loading
  • Users need to register to comment
  • Limited options to customize the appearance of the comment form 

How to Integrate wpDiscuz with Breakdance

1) Install wpDiscuz

Getting wpDiscuz up and running on your site is straightforward. 

To install wpDiscuz, head over to Plugins > Add New. In the search bar, type in ‘wpDiscuz.’ Then, select to install and activate. 

install wpDiscuz on WordPress

2) Configure wpDiscuz

Once wpDiscuz is activated, you’ll be prompted to complete the setup process. Click ‘Go to Installation Wizard’ to configure the plugin. 

Select a Style and Layout

In the first step, choose a comment style and layout that feels right for your website. Then, proceed to the next step.

configure wpDiscuz plugin

Add a Comment Bubble

On the next page, you can enable or disable a comment bubble. 

wpDiscuz

When you enable the bubble live update, your readers will stay updated with the latest comments through pop-ups. This feature can encourage them to participate in the comments. 

You can also select a bubble location anywhere on your page. This allows the readers to jump right into the comment section quickly.

Once you’re done, click ‘Next Step.’

Enable Article Rating

This part is optional but highly recommended. Ratings boost engagement and help highlight the most valuable or insightful comments.

configure wpDiscuz plugin

Configure Other Settings

Once everything is set, click the ‘Finish Installation’ button. You will then be redirected to the settings page where you can customize your comment form, Google Recaptcha, social login, comment moderation, and many others.

configure wpDiscuz  plugin

You can also go to the general settings to configure other options like the AJAX function, wpDiscuz home page, gravatar cache, and maintenance. 

Once you’re done, click ‘Save Changes.’

3) Create a Custom Function

The easiest way to integrate wpDiscuz into our Breakdance is by using shortcodes.

Here, we’re going to create a custom function and add it to our template. 

For this, I suggest using the Code Snippets plugin. It's a straightforward way to add custom code without risking site errors. Install and activate the plugin.

install Code Snippet plugin

Once done, go to Snippets > Add New and name your code snippet. 

Tap the ‘Functions PHP’ tab and paste the following code:

function my_wpdiscuz_shortcode() {
    $html = "";
    if (file_exists(ABSPATH . "wp-content/plugins/wpdiscuz/themes/default/comment-form.php")) {
        ob_start();
        include ABSPATH . "wp-content/plugins/wpdiscuz/themes/default/comment-form.php";
        $html = ob_get_clean();
    }
    return $html;
}
add_shortcode("wpdiscuz_comments", "my_wpdiscuz_shortcode");

Below the editor, choose ‘Run snippet everywhere’ and save.

add code snippet on WordPress

4) Add the Shortcode to Your Breakdance Template

I’m going to assume that you’ve already created a single post template in Breakdance.

Here’s what our site currently looks like without the comment plugin.

Breakdance single post template

To display the comment form, let’s add a shortcode element.

add shortcode block on Breakdance

Then, paste the following:

    
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And just like that, you're all set!

add wpDiscuz shortcode

5) Save and Preview

Save your template and open a post on the front-end. Try to enter comments, add a rating to the article, and like a comment.

Here’s what our site looks like with the comments.

add wpDiscuz comment form on Breakdance
add comments using wpDiscuz

What’s Next?

wpDiscuz is a popular plugin for comments that work well with Breakdance. It offers a lot of features, too, that you might not find in the default comment forms.

Keep in mind, though, that both options have their own share of pros and cons. It's essential to weigh these before settling on a comment system.

If you want to explore other cool features in Breakdance, make sure to read our other tutorials:

Got any questions or experiences you’d like to share about wpDiscuz? Don’t hesitate to let us know in the comments! 

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Written by Christy Cañete

Christy Cañete is a software engineer who's passionate about front-end web design. Not only can she code, but she writes too! She loves breaking down technical topics into super easy tutorials. If you're looking to learn without the jargon, she's your go-to.

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