How Threadline Works

The Embed Layer

Every publisher snippet loads /api/embed, which serves the Disqus-shell widget (public/widget/embed.js). Optional ?lazy=1 uses a ~1KB IntersectionObserver bootstrap that still hydrates the same shell. It:

• Reads your data-site-id and the current page URL
• Renders the comment widget inside a Shadow DOM boundary (no CSS leaks)
• Talks to the Comments API via fetch() and WebSocket — no iframe, no third-party cookies
• Emits JavaScript events for custom integrations

The API Layer

Comment traffic goes through the Threadline Comments API (Fastify). The embed calls it from the visitor browser. Server-side tools use the same API with an API key. The website app hosts auth, sites, billing, and serves the embed bundle at /api/embed.

• Read operations (listing comments) are public — no auth required
• Write operations (posting, editing, deleting) require a session or API key
• Rate limits apply per IP (anonymous) and per user (authenticated)

The Identity Layer (TIP)

Threadline uses the Threadline Identity Protocol (TIP) for portable identity and reputation. Visitors can authenticate via:

• Your existing user system (SSO — Publisher plan and above)
• Email magic links / password accounts (built-in)
• Guest mode with display name

Managed vs. Self-Hosted