I'm an experienced LAMP developer, so I don't mind mucking around on the command line to set up databases, install packages, etc.

But I do want something simple, modern (e.g., actively maintained and built with modern development practices), secure, and easily skinnable.

Specific features I'm after:

• Standard forum hierarchy / structure (a list of broadly thematic forums, each containing a list of threads on specific topics, each containing a paged, chronological list of posts)
• Support for responsive themes (ideally, support for completely custom HTML/CSS/JS, via a good templating engine)
• Easy moderation (deleting comments or threads, blocking problematic users, etc.)
• Preferably not too many features beyond these basics – lightweight is good

I know that PHPbb powers a shit-ton of forum sites, but I wonder if it satisfies my "modern" criterion. Every PHPbb site I see looks like a relic from 1998.

I'm also aware of bbPress. The forum site I'm building will be associated with a WordPress site, so maybe there's some advantage to be gained there. I'm not really a fan of WordPress' spaghetti-like development philosophy and amateurish ecosystem, so that gives me a little pause – but I'd consider bbPress if folks say that it's easy to set up and maintain.

Like I said, I'd also consider a hosted option, if there's one that folks recommend. I just don't know much about that area.

Thanks!