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I'm a solo dev, let me put my suggestions if you don't mind,
Your project consists in two groups.
1. Social type oriented like site
2. Forum
Instead of doing this all with traditional php approach, go with below stacks,
Use strapi which is headless cms with ready to use backend, its open source and free for self hosting, has exactly what you want, stories, pics, videos, blogs, except forum. U just need to develop front end that works with strapi backend and have strapi modules setup in admin for the specific use like stories and pics etc. Strapi is #1 in headless cms, plus constantly updated.
For forum just simply use discourse, well known forum software that is open source, free and constantly updated, backed up by really good devs and community. Cloudflare and other giants use discourse as their forum software. Docker based and updates are made easily in backend assuming you don't have any other 3rd party plugin.
This should be it. U don't need php development for these, period. Go headless and painless, successful and cheered up with latest techs that is free. But nothing is free, ever. You become the product.
GL
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KVS, Mechbunny, API's, Elevatedx, NATS, dating sites, Symfony, Laravel, LAMP stack development.
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