Subreddit Meaning: What a Subreddit Is and How It Works

If you've been told to "ask in the right subreddit" and weren't sure what that meant, you're in good company. The word looks like jargon, but the idea is simple, and once you've got it, Reddit makes a lot more sense.

This page sticks to what Reddit's own help centre says about subreddits. I'll cover what the word means, the four types of community, how to find and read one, and a few notes for creators and small-business owners who want to take part without annoying anyone.

What the word subreddit means

Reddit Help says Reddit is a large community made up of thousands of smaller communities. Those smaller communities are also known as "subreddits", and they're created and moderated by users like you.

So "sub" is short for a part within the whole. A subreddit is simply a topic space inside Reddit. Reddit Help uses both words for the same thing, so don't be thrown when you see "community" and "subreddit" side by side.

How a subreddit works day to day

Reddit Help says there are communities dedicated to specific topics, where users can post content and interact with one another. Examples from Reddit's own list include breaking news, fandoms, lifehacks, gaming, sports and health.

• People post stories, links, images and videos, depending on what the community allows.
• Other members comment and vote on those posts.
• Moderators, who are users, look after the community and enforce its rules.

Reddit's rules say each community's culture is shaped by the rules the moderators enforce, and by the upvotes, downvotes and discussions of its members. That's why two subreddits on a similar topic can feel completely different.

What r/ means in a subreddit name

You'll see subreddit names written like r/help or r/modsupport. Reddit's own pages use that style, for example when they send you to r/help for extra questions. Read it as "the community called help". Reddit's help says you don't need to type the r/ part when you search for a community.

I haven't found a page in Reddit's help that spells out why the r/ is there, so I'll leave the history out.

The four types of subreddit on Reddit

The help centre lists four kinds of community. Which one you're looking at decides who can read, vote and post.

Type	What Reddit says
Public	Anyone with a Reddit account can view, comment and post.
Restricted	Anyone can view and vote, but only approved members may post or comment, depending on community settings.
Private	Only members approved by moderators can view and take part.
Premium-only	Available only on old.reddit.com, where only Reddit Premium members can create, view and take part.

In restricted and private communities, moderators decide who's approved. If you can't post somewhere, it may simply be a restricted community, not a fault.

How to find and join a subreddit

Reddit's help centre gives these ways to find communities:

1. Use the search bar. Reddit calls it the most direct route.
2. Try r/findareddit, r/newreddits or r/popular when you're not sure what you want.
3. Open the navigation menu on the left and choose Explore Communities for trending topics and recommendations.

Joining and leaving work on reddit.com and in the iOS and Android apps, with slightly different steps on each. Check Reddit Help's article on joining or leaving a community if the buttons look different on your device. You can join as many communities as you like, though Reddit says your home feed shows posts from around 250 of them on a visit, and refreshes every 30 minutes.

Reading a subreddit sidebar before you post

The sidebar is the most useful thing to read. On a browser it appears on the right-hand side when you view a community. In the Reddit app, go to the About tab after tapping See more under the description. Reddit says the sidebar usually holds the rules, guidelines and other resources, and varies by community and platform.

Reddit encourages everyone to read the sidebar before taking part for the first time. If you have doubts, it suggests sending the moderators a message.

Subreddit etiquette from Reddit's own rules

Reddit's platform-wide rules apply inside every subreddit, on top of whatever each community adds. They're short, and worth a read:

• Remember the human: harassment, bullying and threats of violence aren't allowed.
• Abide by community rules, and take part authentically where you have a real interest.
• Respect privacy: don't reveal someone's personal or confidential information.
• Be authentic: you can use a nickname, but don't intentionally mislead or impersonate.
• Label content clearly, particularly anything graphic or sexually explicit.

If someone targets you with threats, report it to Reddit, and if you're in danger, contact the police.

Subreddits for creators and small businesses

A subreddit can be a handy place to learn what real people ask in your area. Reddit's rules ask you to take part authentically in communities where you have a personal interest and not to spam. In practice, read before you post, follow each community's rules and don't paste the same promotional message into several places.

If you're curious about running your own, my guide to making a subreddit explains the choices involved, and adding flair on Reddit shows the labels members use inside communities. When you want a quieter feed, hiding posts on Reddit is worth a read.

Subreddit questions people mix up

• Subreddit versus Reddit: Reddit is the whole site, a subreddit is one community inside it.
• Subreddit versus moderator: a subreddit is the community, and moderators are the users who manage it.
• Subreddit versus admin: admins enforce Reddit-wide rules, not each community's own rules.

If you want help with Reddit itself, Reddit Help points to r/help, where admins and other users answer questions. Reddit says it isn't an official Reddit community, but you'll find admins there.

Frequently asked questions

What does subreddit mean?

Reddit Help says subreddits are the smaller communities within Reddit, each about a specific topic and created and moderated by users.

What does r/ mean on Reddit?

It's how community names are usually written, such as r/help. You don't need to type r/ when you search.

Is a subreddit the same as a Reddit community?

Yes. Reddit Help uses the terms together: communities, also known as subreddits.

What are the types of subreddit?

Reddit Help lists public, restricted, private and premium-only communities.

Can I join more than one subreddit?

Yes. Reddit says you can join as many communities as you want, though your home feed shows posts from around 250 of them on any visit.

Where do I find a subreddit's rules?

Read the community sidebar. On a browser it's on the right, and in the app it's on the About tab after you tap See more.