Giscus screenshot

Giscus

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Updated: 21 Apr 2025
9750 Stars

A comment system powered by GitHub Discussions. :octocat: :speech_balloon: :gem:

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Overview:

giscus is a comments system powered by GitHub Discussions that allows visitors to leave comments and reactions on websites via GitHub. It is open-source, does not track users or show ads, and is always free to use. The data is stored in GitHub Discussions, eliminating the need for a separate database. giscus supports custom themes, multiple languages, is extensively configurable, and automatically fetches new comments and edits from GitHub. It can also be self-hosted.

Features:

  • Open Source: giscus is open-source, freely available, and does not display ads or track users.
  • No Database Needed: All data is stored in GitHub Discussions, eliminating the need for a separate database.
  • Custom Themes: Supports custom themes for a personalized look.
  • Multiple Languages: Supports multiple languages for wider accessibility.
  • Auto-sync: Automatically fetches new comments and edits from GitHub.
  • Self-Hosted Option: Can be self-hosted for more control over the system.

Installation:

To install giscus, follow these steps:

  1. Create a GitHub Discussions category for your website.
  2. Obtain the repository and categoryID.
  3. Add the following script to your website:
<script
  src="https://giscus.app/client.js"
  data-repo="repository"
  data-repo-id="categoryID"
  data-category-id="categoryID"
  data-mapping="title"
  data-reactions-enabled="1"
  data-theme="dark"
  crossorigin="anonymous"
  async>
</script>
  1. Replace repository and categoryID with your GitHub repository and category IDs.
  2. Customize the data attributes as needed.
  3. Save and incorporate the script into your website.

Summary:

giscus is a feature-rich comments system that leverages GitHub Discussions for seamless integration with websites. It offers customization options, multiple language support, and self-hosting capabilities while maintaining user privacy and data integrity. However, as an actively developed tool, users should be aware of potential changes or feature updates that could impact their usage experience.