Joomla! is a widely used software for creating, managing, and publishing content on websites. It’s popular among small businesses, government agencies, non-profits, and large organizations globally. With almost 2 million active websites, Joomla powers over 9% of all known company pages, holds 6% of the global CMS market, and accounts for 3% of the entire web!
Joomla stands out with a strong code base, built-in two-step verification, and advanced access control features. The Joomla Security Strike Team (JSST) is known for quickly addressing security vulnerabilities, often providing fixes before they can be exploited. Whether you’re building websites, developing applications, or creating templates and extensions, Joomla offers endless possibilities. Get started with Joomla today and benefit from its extensive global community and robust features!
Joomla includes hundreds of extensions to enhance website performance and boasts some powerful built-in features. Let’s explore the top 10 features that make Joomla an excellent choice for web development.
1. Content Management
Joomla’s content management system is user-friendly and efficient. It features a three-tier article system that helps organize content easily. Users can arrange articles as they prefer, allowing for a flexible content structure. The platform supports user engagement by enabling article ratings, email sharing, and automatic PDF creation. Additionally, administrators can archive content, making it hidden from public view while preserving it for future use.
Joomla also protects email addresses from spam with built-in email camouflage. The What You See Is What You Get (WYSIWYG) editor makes content creation straightforward, allowing users to combine text, images, and formatting without technical skills. Pre-installed modules display popular articles, breaking news, and related content, enhancing the user experience.
2. User Management
Joomla comes with a comprehensive user management system. It includes a registration system where users can set their preferences. Various user groups can be assigned different access levels, such as viewing, editing, publishing, and managing content. Joomla supports multiple authentication protocols, including LDAP, OpenID, and Gmail, allowing users to register using their existing accounts, simplifying the login process.
3. Search Engine Friendly
Joomla is designed with search engine optimization (SEO) in mind. It uses the Apache module rewrite_module to generate SEO-friendly URLs, making it easier for search engines to index the site. Each page can have a unique title, meta description, and meta keywords, further enhancing SEO. This feature ensures that Joomla websites are well-optimized for search engines, increasing visibility and traffic.
4. Security
Security is a top priority for Joomla. The Joomla Security Strike Team (JSST) is dedicated to finding and fixing security vulnerabilities. They use automated tests, code reviews, and user feedback to identify potential issues. By regularly updating Joomla to the latest version, users can protect their websites from most hacking attempts. Joomla’s commitment to security makes it a reliable choice for web development.
5. Easy Template Integration
Joomla makes it simple to integrate new templates. With just a few clicks, users can add a new template to their site. Templates are placed in the Joomla templates folder and can be activated through the admin panel. Joomla also supports using different templates for different pages, providing flexibility in design and layout.
6. Multi-Language Support
Joomla offers robust multilingual support, making it accessible to a global audience. The official Joomla website provides language packs for various languages, allowing users to create websites in multiple languages. Some elements can even translate content in real-time, making it easy to cater to diverse audiences. With Joomla, creating a multilingual website is straightforward and efficient.
7. Flexible Custom Field Layout
Joomla allows for custom layouts in modules, articles, blogs, and more. The introduction of custom layouts in Joomla 3.9 provides greater control over the appearance of custom fields. Users can create their designs, giving custom fields a unique look. Custom layouts can be managed through the Joomla Template Manager, making it easy to apply personalized styles to different elements.
8. Contact Management
Joomla’s Contact Manager is a handy feature for organizing contact information. It supports multiple contact forms, making it easy for users to find and reach the right person or group. This feature is particularly useful for organizations that need to manage various contact points, such as departments or project teams. For example, WooCommerce donations can be managed for cause-based events, and direct contact with project managers can be facilitated.
9. Banner Management
With Joomla’s Banner Manager, customizing banners is simple. Users can create customer profiles, add campaigns, and set parameters like the number of impressions and custom URLs. This feature is ideal for managing advertising on a website, allowing for targeted marketing and effective use of banner space.
10. Community Support & Documentation
One of Joomla’s greatest strengths is its community support. The official Joomla Forum is one of the largest online communities, where experts and users alike share knowledge and solutions. This support system is invaluable for troubleshooting and learning about Joomla. Additionally, the Joomla website offers comprehensive documentation for developers, administrators, and users. It includes a quick start guide, which is an excellent resource for beginners.
Wrapping Up
Joomla is a powerful, flexible, and secure CMS with a rich ecosystem of extensions and templates. Thousands of third-party extensions are available in the Joomla Extensions Directory, allowing users to extend their website’s functionality easily. Many high-quality templates are available for free, and paid options come with world-class support. These templates often include a graphical user interface, enabling users to customize colors, fonts, layouts, and features without coding knowledge.
Joomla is backed by a dedicated community of volunteers and professionals who are passionate about open-source solutions. This community continuously contributes to Joomla’s development, ensuring it remains free and accessible to everyone. With its strong global community, extensive documentation, and commitment to security, Joomla is a reliable choice for creating and managing websites.
Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced developer, Joomla offers the tools and support needed to build robust and engaging websites. Its versatility, ease of use, and comprehensive feature set make it an excellent choice for web development projects of all sizes. Start using Joomla today and explore the endless possibilities it offers for creating dynamic and professional websites.