Timeline
The Timeline app is one of the most central components for user engagement in UNA communities. It serves a dual purpose:
- Displaying various Feeds: Aggregated streams of activity and content from across your site.
- Enabling Native Posting: Users can post directly to their timelines using Timeline “Updates,” similar to microblogging.
Understanding how the Timeline app aggregates content, the different types of feeds it can generate, and how to configure its settings in Studio is crucial for operators aiming to build dynamic, engaging communities.
Core Concepts: Timeline Items and Aggregation
At its core, the Timeline app operates via aggregation:
It collects "events" (items) from across your UNA site and displays them in unified streams. These may include:
- Native Timeline Updates: Posts created directly using the Timeline app.
- Content from Other Modules: New posts, videos, photos, discussions, articles, marketplace listings, group creations, profile changes, and more—generated by other installed apps.
- System Events: Actions like new friendships or follows (if configured).
Operators control which events are included in feeds via Timeline settings.
Timeline vs. Outline Views
There are typically two main views, chosen when adding Timeline blocks in Page Builder:
- Timeline View:
Classic, chronological. Items are listed by newest first, emphasizing time sequence—like a standard social media feed. - Outline View:
A grouped/card-based display, which gives a quick overview and may combine items, sometimes less strictly chronological.
Understanding UNA Feeds
UNA supports several distinct feeds, each with a specific purpose and content scope.
Operators place these as blocks on pages via Page Builder (Studio > Pages):
| Feed Type | Block Examples | Content Scope & Description | Typical Placement | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Feed | Public Feed (Timeline)Public Feed (Outline) |
All PUBLIC content across the site (updates, posts, videos, etc. marked as public). | Homepage (guests, explore) | Showcase overall public activity |
| Profile Feed | Feed (Timeline) (on profile) |
Content from and on a specific Profile (their posts, plus content posted on their profile by others). | User profile pages | Individual activity |
| Following Feed | Feed (Timeline) (on Dashboard) |
Content from profiles and contexts you follow. Shows posts/updates by users, groups, events, or channels the logged-in user is following. |
User Dashboard | Personalized stream from followed sources |
| Hot Feed | Hot Feed (Timeline)Hot Feed (Outline) |
Content selected by an engagement/recency algorithm (comments, reactions, etc.). | Explore, optional pages | Surface trending/popular content |
| For You Feed | 'For You' Feed (Timeline) |
Personalized recommendations. By default, includes public events, items from your Following feed, channels you follow (if Channels app is enabled), Hot Feed content, and updates from suggested friends or “Who to Follow.” Sources and weighting are fully configurable in Studio → Timeline → Settings → 'For You' Feed. |
Explore, optional pages | Suggest content users might have missed |
| Context Feed | (In Groups/Events modules) | Content within a specific Context (e.g., posts in a specific Group or Event). | Group/Event pages | Display space-specific activity |
| Other Feeds | e.g., Photos Feed (Timeline), Videos Feed (Timeline) |
Content filtered by specific type (photos, videos, etc.) | Optional | Media browsing |
Note: Block names in Page Builder may vary slightly by UNA version or theme.
Details: Following Feed
- Following Feed (often simply labeled as "Feed") appears on the user Dashboard.
- Shows activity from profiles, groups, events, and other contexts the user follows.
- Only includes content from sources the user has chosen to follow, making it highly personalized.
Details: For You Feed
- For You Feed is a personalized stream designed to help users discover relevant content they may have missed.
- By default, it includes:
- Public Events: Site-wide public posts.
- Following Feed: Posts from users and contexts you follow.
- Channels: If using the Channels app, includes posts from channels you follow.
- Hot Feed: Currently trending/popular posts.
- Suggested Friends/Who to Follow: Posts from suggested friends and profiles you may want to follow.
- The exact sources and weighting for the For You Feed can be configured in
Studio → Timeline → Settings → 'For You' Feed.
Timeline "Updates": Native Content Posting
Separate from aggregation, the Timeline app allows direct posting:
- "Post to Feed" Block: Users create new "Updates" (posts) via a form, which can include text, links, photos, videos, and more.
- Visibility Controls: Users set who can see each update (e.g., Public, Friends Only, Me Only).
- Contextual Posting: Updates can be posted to a user's own profile or to groups/contexts they’re a member of (if permitted).
- Scheduled Posting: Advanced users/admins can schedule posts.
Configuring the Timeline App (Studio > Timeline > Settings)
This is where operators fine-tune aggregation, feed sources, appearance, performance, and algorithms.
- General Settings: Control editing, approvals, deletion/hiding, event sources, search fields, etc.
- Browse Settings: Pagination, infinite scroll, sorting, external item injection, feed switchers, context filters.
- Card Settings: Card display, titles, video preload/autoplay, comment preloading, attachment display.
- Cache Settings: Enable table/item caching, cache engine, cache duration.
- Post Settings: Editor/image attachment logic, limits, priority for media vs. links, editor toolbar.
- Hot Feed Settings: Algorithm for trending content, including scoring weights, age limits, minimum engagement, recalculation interval.
- For You Feed Settings: Configure which sources contribute, and how much each is weighted.
See in-app descriptions for more detail on each setting.
Placing Feeds on Pages (Studio > Pages)
- Go to
Studio > Pages. - Choose the page (Homepage, Dashboard, Profile, Group, etc.).
- Click
Add Blocks. - Under Timeline, choose the desired feed block (e.g.,
Public Feed (Timeline),Hot Feed (Outline),Post to Feed). - Drag onto the layout grid and configure block-specific options.
Moderation and Advanced Actions
Admins and moderators (per Studio > Permissions) can:
- Pin: Stick items to the top of a feed.
- Promote: Visually highlight.
- Hide/Delete: Remove or hide from feeds (behavior depends on “inactivate” vs. “delete” settings).
Best Practices
- Careful Aggregation: Only include event types that add value to feeds.
- Performance: Use caching, optimize infinite scroll/Hot Feed intervals for your server.
- Block Placement: Choose appropriate feed blocks for each page.
- User Guidance: Explain feeds, especially For You and Hot, if prominent.
- Monitor Hot Feed: Adjust settings to keep popular content fresh and relevant.
Conclusion
The Timeline app brings together all activity streams in UNA CMS—public, personal, following, trending, and recommended—by aggregating from every module and letting users post natively. With extensive settings and customizable feeds, operators can craft an engaging, tailored experience for every community.