This topic serves as a centralized Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) resource for our community. Each reply below covers a specific question along with its answer. The goal is to provide clear, concise information around community expectations.
This topic is read-only to keep the information consistent and easy to browse. If you have questions, copy the link to the specific FAQ item:
Then create a new topic in the Meta category, linking to the FAQ item.
We’ll update this FAQ over time as new questions arise — so check back occasionally for the latest.
Yes, but we expect you to always uphold the following guidelines:
Don’t copy & paste blindly: always verify the facts, make sure the answer truly fits the question, and that you understand what you’re posting.
Be transparent: if AI helped shape your response, mention it. This helps build trust.
Watch for bias and errors: AI can reflect biases, outdated information, or just be plain wrong. Verify that it’s correct.
Respect forum culture: our goal on this forum is thoughtful, authentic participation, not just fast answers.
Think about the environmental cost: AI-generated content consumes significant computing power and energy.
Consider ethical concerns: many AI systems are trained on content scraped from the web without consent, which raises serious questions about fairness and ownership.
We acknowledge that for a lot of people English isn’t their first language and AI can be a good way to help make your posts clearer. But please still uphold the guidelines above.
When in doubt, it’s better to write from your own experience or research. AI can assist, but genuine insight makes the best answers.
Can I advertise my commercial packages for Umbraco on this forum?
No, not directly. Here’s what’s okay:
No aggressive promotion: this isn’t the place for ads or sales pitches.
Be transparent: If you’re the developer or affiliated with the package, say so. It builds trust and avoids misunderstandings.
Mention your product if it’s relevant: if your product directly helps solve the problem being discussed, it’s fine to bring it up, just explain how it helps.
Offer alternatives: people are looking for a solution to their problem, not just a product. Share other ways to approach the problem without your plugin.
Keep it helpful: focus on giving clear, useful answers that contribute to the discussion and help others learn.
If you only participation in the forum contains of replies promoting your product then this is not acceptable.
A good forum question gives people enough information to actually help you. Vague questions waste everyone’s time — including yours.
Here’s what makes a good question (and avoids common mistakes):
Be Specific About Versions
Always include the exact Umbraco version number (e.g., 14.0.2, not just Umbraco 14).
If you’re not on the latest patch of that major version, the first answer you’ll get is: “Update to the latest patch”. Many bugs are already fixed there.
Describe What You’re Trying to Do
What was your goal?
What did you try?
What actually happened?
What did you expect to happen?
Include error messages verbatim (copy-paste them, don’t paraphrase).
Show, Don’t Just Tell
Screenshots and short screen recordings can save a lot of back-and-forth.
But: always describe what’s happening too. Images alone aren’t searchable and might not explain the problem.
Be Precise with Code
If code is involved, paste a minimal, reproducible example.
Format your code properly. Walls of unformatted text are difficult to read
Don’t paste huge files; focus on the part where the problem is.
Search First, Then Ask
Check if your question has been asked (and answered) before.
If you found something similar but it didn’t help, say so and explain why.
Example: Bad Question vs Good Question
Bad Question
Good Question
“My Umbraco site is broken after updating. Please help.”
"After updating my site to Umbraco 13.3.1, I’m getting a NullReferenceException when trying to save a content node. This happens in the backoffice when clicking ‘Save and Publish’.
(No version info, no details, vague problem)
It was working fine in 13.2.0. I’ve checked the logs and found this stack trace: [stack trace here]. I’ve also tried clearing the cache and restarting the app, no change.
Expected: The content should save without error.
Actual: The page shows an error notification and nothing is saved.
Environment: Running locally on Windows, SQL Server backend, no custom packages.
(Screenshots of the error and stack trace attached)
Why is this better?
The good question gives the exact version.
Describes what is being done when the error happens.
Provides error messages and logs.
Shares what they tried already.
Gives the environment context.
Provides evidence (screenshots).
This saves the helpers from having to ask more and more questions from you to be able to help/
In summary
A good forum question is like writing a bug report: version, context, steps to reproduce, expected vs actual result, and evidence (screenshots, code, errors). The better you ask, the faster you’ll get useful answers.
Bad Question
Good Question