“People don't like to read long shit anymore, so they use images, GIFs and WebMs. That's the reason 4chan has millions of users per month.”
– Nameless @ Passing Through The Lobby¹⁾

An imageboard (画像掲示板, gazō keijiban), or image board (IB), is a type of bulletin board where registration isn't required but the option to attach images is available. Most boards take their inspiration from 4chan,²⁾ which in turn was inspired by the Japanese Futaba Channel.

While imageboards do house text-based communications like textboards, the biggest difference is that users can attach files to their posts. Visual media is notably attractive to Web 2.0 users, but it does eat up a lot of space and you run the risk of vandals uploading illegal content.

Due to their origins, users may attach a name, tripcode, capcode, email, and sage to their post, but using identifiers are typically discouraged in anonymous communities. You should also know when attaching an image or dumping images is appropriate.

Unlike textboards, there's no option to view a thread in pieces or fractions (the option to view the last 50 posts of a thread is rare) and threads aren't usually archived since visual media does eat up a lot of space.

• [PHP] GazouBBS (v3.3, 2002-06-15)
  An unsuspecting script that was likely meant to be a news board. Images were admin-reviewable.
  • [PHP] Futaba (051031, 2005-10-31)
    The fork used on Futaba Channel. However, this version is old and the source code went private.
    • [PHP] Siokara (v1.04, 2004-08-01)
      A short-lived early fork of an old version of Futaba, specifically “031015” (2003-10-15).
      • [PHP] Yakuba (2019-05-27)
        An updated fork of Siokara with general bug fixes, though it isn't updated that often.
    • [PHP] Futallaby (040103, 2004-01-03)
      The ancient English translation of Futaba, formerly used by 4chan and 1chan.
      • [PHP] Fikaba
        A short-lived fork of Futabally, which was apparently meant to be standards-compatible.
      • [PHP] Futallaby-Plus
        This script has apparently been lost to time, so I can't write much about it.
        • [PHP] Saguaro
          An inactive fork of a fork of a fork of a fork. Last seen in DameIB, which no longer exists.
      • [PHP] Yotsuba
        4chan's closed-source fork. Surprisingly, the software has never leaked in full.
    • [PHP] Pixmicat!
      The long-running Chinese translation and fork of Futaba that initially began development as far back as 2006, remains in use at Komica which has a massive collection of boards.
• [Perl] Wakaba (v3.0.9, 2012-02-05)
  The classic that !WAHa.06×36 made for Wakachan. It remains in use at Russian websites like IIchan, but it's usually heavily modified due to the script being so old.
  • [Perl] Desuchan (v0.80)
    A closed-source fork that Der General made for Krautchan. It sadly died with the website in 2018.
  • [Perl] Desuchan (rev 168, 2011-04-22)
    An ancient fork of Wakaba 3.0.7 that Desuchan once used, before replacing it with Wakarimasen.
  • [Perl] Glaukaba
    An impressive fork of Wakaba, which highly resembled 4chan, for a niche Summer Glau website.
• [Perl] Kareha (v3.1.4, 2009-04-16)
  The separate textboard version of Wakaba by !WAHa.06×36. This had an imageboard mode as well, but a lack of database meant that post numbering resets with every new thread.
• [PHP] Trevorchan → Kusaba (v1.0.4, 2008-03-11)
  A famously bad script by “Trevor Slocum” that once plagued the late 2000s, once featured on 7chan.
  • [PHP] Kusaba X (v0.9.3, 2011-07-26)
    The fork of Kusaba by “Harrison”, which remains in use at 7chan, Tohno-chan, and so forth.
    • [PHP] Edaha
      A fork that was meant to replace Kusaba X, but apparently never got anywhere.

• [PHP] Tinyboard
  The lightweight imageboard script that SaveTheInternet made for 4chon.³⁾ Still used on Ota-ch.
  • [PHP] Vichan
    The better known Tinyboard fork, initially developed for Polish Vichan. Due to its mass adoption, it continues to receive general security updates.
    • [PHP] Kissu
      An experimental fork for Kissu, which partially relies on Vichan and NPFchan for updates.
    • [PHP] Infinity
      The famous Reddit-like fork of Vichan that Copypaste used on 8chan. No longer developed.
      • [PHP] OpenIB
        An older version of the NTTEC fork of “Infinity”, which focused on security updates.
    • [PHP] Lainchan
      An unusual fork that continues to be used for Lainchan. Bit horrible to look at.
    • [PHP] NPFchan
      The somewhat decent fork, initially made for /mlpol/ until the new owners decided to replace it. Despite this, it remains in use on Wizardchan and other niche boards.
      • [PHP] Bazukachan
        The NPFchan fork, by Ninja, for 27chan, which VHSchan also used. No longer developed.
• [.js] Fatchan → jschan (2023-08-31)
  An imageboard script made for Fatchan. It has somewhat grown in popularity, being used at 27chan, 94chan, PTchan, Trashchan, and ZZZchan.

• [PHP] Thorn (v1.1b6, 2006-01-09)
  A dead, archaic script that Albright !LC/IWhc3yc made for Pichan. The script would also be seen within the histories of a not4chan clone and AnonIB before the August 2009 hack.
• [Python] Matsuba (mid-2000s?)
  An old Wakaba-based script that was used for Soviet Russia, which was forced to shut down.
• [PHP] MiniBBS
  The lightweight script that remains in use at Minichan and Tinychan to this date.
• [PHP] Mitsuba
  This is, yet another, imageboard script written in PHP. A certain fork remains in use at Karachan.
• [PHP] FoolFuuka
  Highly-customizable imageboard, best known for its use as a 4chan archive frontend.
• [Python] Wakarimasen
  A dead, Wakaba-compatible python script that was designed for Desuchan.
  • [Python] Wakarimasen
    The current Wakarimasen fork that Desuchan uses, though this might be a really old version.
• [Go] NNTPchan
  A distributed imageboard that encouraged Tor and I2P communication. No longer operational.
• [PHP] Infinity Next
  The failed 8chan and Kiwi Farms collaboration,⁴⁾⁵⁾ once used at 16chan⁶⁾ and 9chan.tw.
• [Go] Meguca/Shamichan
  A real-time imageboard that was made for Meguca, then the 2019 synagogue shooting forced a rebrand. It was used at Meguca, Chen2, and remains in use at Sturdychan.
  • [Go] 2chen
    A fork of Meguca for the old 2chen. Both the GitHub and website went down at the same time.
• [PHP] TinyIB (2023-03-20)
  Another script from “Trevor Slowcum” of Kusaba fame. It's used by 1chan and SVQW (not SAoVQ).
• [.js] LynxChan (v2.9; 2023-07-28)
  This was a prospective Vichan rival by Stephen Lynx during 8chan's Infinity Next disaster, but it just isn't good to look at. It remains in use at 8moe, AlogsSpace, Anon.cafe, and Bandada.club.
• [Lisp] Purplish
  Niche imageboard software used at Stevenchan.
• [.js] Doushio
  One of the oldest, active real-time imageboard scripts, made for Doushio and used on /tea/.
• [Go] Gochan
  A script by Zeke Roa that was intended to replace the old script on Lunachan, which shut down and later merged into GETchan. Remains experimental until the migration tool works.

• There are differences between Futaba Channel and the average English imageboard script:
  1. The “double dash” (>>) outside posts were changed to “ellipses” (…) in late 2003, and they would gradually become the standard across all Futaba Channel boards by the mid-2000s.
  2. The three bullet points about file types, specifications, and thumbnails were all combined into one.
  3. “(USER WAS BANNED FOR THIS POST)” never existed, this came from Something Awful.
• Most scripts are PHP because people were reluctant to use or dive into anything else back then, which unfortunately contributed to the trend of PHP dominating a large majority of the internet.
  • There's a reason why Kusaba X was so hated and why people kept poking so many holes into it!
• All these scripts with user-created boards completely killed the imageboard script development scene, very similar to how Reddit has killed niche forums and instilled internet gentrification.

• Textboard

• Overscript - An overview of anonymous bulletin board scripts.