What is Joomla?
Joomla (Swahili for “All together”) is an open-source platform that allows developers to easily build dynamic, responsive websites and web applications. The Joomla platform is free of cost, making it an affordable option compared to most web development software. It is also a popular content management system (CMS), or software that allows developers to create and manage their digital content through various tools and programs. Different users can utilize Joomla, from freelancers and small businesses to large corporate companies. Created in 2005 by Open Source Matters Inc., today a large community of Joomla volunteers contributes to improving the software for all Joomla users today.
What is Joomla programming language?
Joomla uses various programming languages to operate as the highly functional CMS that it is today. It is written with PHP (Hypertext Processor), a scripting language that is commonly used for web development. Joomla also uses object-oriented programming methods and other software design patterns to manage and manipulate data. As a CMS, in order to store the large amounts of digital content collected through websites, it uses MySQL, MS SQL, or PostgreSQL (depending on version).
Is Joomla faster than WordPress?
It is difficult to compare the speed of loading a Joomla versus a WordPress website. Site speed does not necessarily depend on which CMS you are using because frankly, both are extremely popular options that have proven to have excellent site performance. Instead, the latency rate for a user on your website would depend on the number of plug-ins you want, the type of animation or other visual design you have, or other functions that are running in the background. Rather than measuring the speeds of Joomla and WordPress, there are a handful of other differentiating factors such as usability, SEO, and overall costs.
Does Joomla cost money?
One notable plus side of using Joomla is that installation itself is absolutely free of cost (no base cost!). However, managing a Joomla website will inevitably come with a cost. For one, similar to other CMS platforms like WordPress, it requires an external host server in order to actually publish your website. There are also plenty of Joomla templates that will cost money to install onto your website, although there are of course free alternatives. Many of Joomla’s plug-ins or extensions in the official Joomla Directory do require an additional fee. According to online cost calculators for the average Joomla websites, building and maintaining a professional Joomla website can costs as low as $500 or even be as high as $7000.
What is the difference between WordPress and Joomla?
While are both popular CMS platforms, WordPress and Joomla have some distinctions that users should be mindful of. For SEO (search engine optimization), WordPress’ Yoast plug-in is much more powerful than Joomla’s EFSEO plug-in. Joomla is viewed as a better CMS for security purposes because there are more WordPress websites than Joomla websites available that can be targeted. On the other hand, there is a greater selection of WordPress themes and plug-ins available than for Joomla websites. This means there are more options for customizing your site with responsive themes that usually offer customer support. However, in respect to the types of sites that users can build, both are highly capable CMS platforms although users tend to associate Joomla with more complex sites and web apps.
In conclusion, while both CMS platforms are very popular, there are slight distinguishing features that can determine which would support your website. While one CMS is not objectively better than the other, it is true that WordPress is the more popular option among users, particularly amateur developers.
How do I download Joomla?
You can begin the installation process for Joomla by navigating to their download page. When the download is complete, locate and extract the files and open up the Joomla Web Installer through your web browser. From there, fill in the required fields in Step One, Configuration. Once that is complete, you can proceed to Step Two, Database where the screen will prompt you to configure a MySQL database for your website. On Step Three, Overview, the Joomla web installer will ask to load sample data onto the site which can be beneficial for first-time Joomla developers. Next, you can run a final check on the site configurations before finally clicking the Install button. Your Joomla installation is now complete!
How do I build a website with Joomla?
Before even installing Joomla, it is important to secure a domain name and a web server host so that your site content is ready to be published. When you have completed these tasks, install Joomla.
In order to begin building a Joomla website, you should first follow the instructions for installing Joomla (refer to previous question) onto a computer. After setting up Joomla for your website, it is recommended to install a Joomla template, or use the default Joomla template provided. For example, ThemeForest has a variety of templates that you can use to jumpstart your website. From the settings panel, you can browse for and upload your selected theme package. You can assign the template to different menu items in your website.
After installing your template, you can begin sectioning off your website into modules under the Extensions panel. By adding these modules, you can start writing and inserting content into your website. The window for writing and inserting content is very intuitive—anyone with experience with a word processor will find it fairly straightforward.
From here, you can start building the skeleton of your website. Creating pages, or “articles,” to your Joomla website can be done with the click of a button. For those interested in creating a blog feature to your site, this can easily be done with Joomla. Finally, you can organize and sort these pages into a navigation menu.
You can further customize your website by installing Joomla extensions or plug-ins. You can download extensions online on the official Joomla Extensions Directory or ThemeXpert. In the same setting panel, navigate to the Extensions manager. Upload the theme package directly from your computer, install it with the file path, or use a URL.
Is Joomla easy to use?
While there are other CMS platforms like WordPress that are arguably more user-intuitive, Joomla is not necessarily impossible to master. For one, Joomla has a very straightforward installation process (see How do I download Joomla?). Plus, there are thousands of extensions that you can download so that your website can practically maintain some back-end processes on its own. Joomla’s control and settings panel are very straightforward and it is easy to navigate through them. In addition, because recent Joomla versions include more friendly UX features, it is easier for non-developers to get accustomed to using Joomla.
Is Joomla a good platform?
Joomla is one of the most popular CMS platforms for website development, next to WordPress and Drupal. Due to its higher complexity, Joomla is the perfect tool for a range of needs. Whether you are a freelancer, a blogger or an entrepreneur, Joomla can support your web development dreams. In addition, Joomla has powerful built-in SEO to drive traffic to your website and security to protect your website from malicious attackers. It is also a great tool for more advanced developers who would rather hard-code their websites with its convenient object-oriented programming techniques (Joomla! Framework).
How do I run Joomla on Xampp?
To run Joomla on XAMPP, first you must download XAMPP onto your computer. Installing XAMPP varies depending on which device you have (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) so ensure that you follow the correct procedure.
Once you have successfully installed XAMPP, you can begin with the Joomla installation. First, go to Joomla’s official download website to install the software. Inside the XAMPP folder on your computer, there should be a folder called “htdocs”; create a new folder inside “htdocs” to hold your Joomla web content. Extract the Joomla installation and place into this new folder. Lastly, proceed with the regular configuration process by going to “https://localhost/folderName” in your web browser.
What are the benefits of Joomla?
There are many excellent features that make Joomla a great CMS option for building your online platform. For one, Joomla can support anything from a simple personal blog to an interactive e-commerce website. You do not need extensive programming background in order to start up a website. On the other hand, with its PHP framework, developers with complex ideas can create multi-level web applications. So Joomla is a great sandbox that provides the best of both worlds.
Joomla websites come with great SEO and built-in security to increase traffic to your website without making it vulnerable to malicious attackers like many WordPress sites. In addition, Joomla offers seventy different language translations so that your website can appeal to a diverse, even international audience. To upgrade your website, there are thousands of extensions with documentation to fulfill the potential of your Joomla platform.
Who created Joomla?
Joomla was originally created by Open Source Matters Inc. Since then, the software has grown tremendously through the contributions of the Joomla community. In particular, Joomla released a list of lead developers and contributors called the Joomla Team Honor Roll. Because it is open source, any user can contribute to Joomla.
What are Joomla extensions?
Like the name suggests, Joomla extensions are an “extension” of the original Joomla software. In other words, they add different levels of functionality to your website. According to the official Joomla documentation site, the five different types of extensions include components, modules, plug-ins, templates, and languages. Components are Joomla’s primary units of function; in a component, there is the site part (front-end) and the administrator’s part (back-end). Modules are blocks of code or sections on your website that are used for page rendering. Plug-ins are essentially additional functions that users can interact with on your website to trigger different events. Templates are pre-designed layouts that you can use to format the content of your site. Lastly, languages are the various languages that your website can be viewed in.
How do I manually update Joomla?
Remember to always backup your website before attempting to back it up, especially through a manual procedure.
Even though it is recommended to update your Joomla software with the Joomla Update component, you may need to manually update your software. To do this, begin by installing the update package from Joomla’s official site and extracting the files. Next, upload these folders and files either at your website’s root or where your installation is located on your computer using a preferred FTP software. Open your FTP client and upload the new files. In the Joomla admin window, go to the Database panel and Fix your database. Your website should now be successfully updated.
Where can I find Joomla templates?
There are many great online resources for installing Joomla templates for your website. Do not be intimidated by templates that come with a price tag. Many of these templates come with useful documentation, customer support, and further customization.
- JoomlaShine has a wide selection of responsive templates with sleek design. They have many templates optimized for different needs, whether you are creating a website for a restaurant or a retail store.
- JoomDev also totes a handful of responsive and UX-friendly web templates built for your digital content. You can even live demo some of the websites to interact with the template to try for yourself. There are several free templates available, as well as many affordable templates under $40.00.
- JoomlArt is another option for plenty of cost-effective web templates. Not only do these templates have a modern feel, but many come with customer support and documentation to assist you at any time.
Does Joomla use cookies?
Joomla does use “session” cookies to track basic information about a user’s visit on your Joomla site. The session cookie will associate each site visitor with an identifiable string. It also tracks their interactions (their clicks, the content they read, etc.) with your Joomla website. Joomla stores these browser cookies into the database linked to your site. Joomla extensions also reserve the right to create their own cookies as well. Because of Joomla’s cookie usage, Joomla recommends that you notify your site visitors of the use of browser cookies.
Conclusion
Joomla is a versatile development tool that practically anyone can use to build any website or web application. The latest version of Joomla is version 3.9, which comes with features such as better user privacy, managing user information requests, and more.
Seeking Joomla design services? Reach out to Sunlight Media today for professional consulting for our web services or ask us about our Joomla design services.