I am against plaintext / inline templates for posts (the kind that is pre-filled into a single large textarea like the post body). It is not nice for users (just too much to read before posting) and prone to editing errors.
See it a lot on GitHub. Users mangle the template, copy and paste over the wrong lines, or only fill in partially and leave long sections of template text unedited.
A good template must have proper UI (an accessible form, with separate inputs for each item). The Guided bug form on rhbz (requires login) is a decent example. But, it could be overkill for users who just want to ask simple questions.
Overall, I don’t think it is essential for a forum.
On the other hand, I would like template replies. A Discourse Templates plugin was mentioned in a previous thread on this subject.
Some template replies that I see the need for:
- How to get a specific boot journal (relevant Quick Docs)
- How to get a specific dnf/PackageKit transaction history—in response to “something broke after an update”
- How to get audio info—I have seen a few times users asking for pipewire service status in response to general audio hardware/software questions, which is almost always irrelevant (unless talking about pipewire config). You want
alsa-info.shandpactl list
Alternatively, these could be written as guides / wiki-posts and linked to (easier for the answerer, but harder for the asker as they have to navigate away from their post).