What is Joomla? Definition & Tutorial
What is Joomla?
Joomla is an open source content management system(CMS). It helps you build powerful dynamic websites and applications. It has an intuitive interface that helps you use its features and functionality to the fullest.
Joomla has gained huge popularity over the last decade and successfully grown into one of the most widely used content management systems globally. Since its inception in 2005, it has successfully captured the massive following and it certainly has over 99 + million downloads till date.
Joomla is written in PHP and use MySQL database to store the data while using object-oriented programming techniques. It can be set up with one-click install through web hosting control panel.
Joomla uses Model-View-Controller (MVC) design architecture. According to the MVC pattern when Joomla process a request, it first analyzes the URL to evaluate which component will process the request. The model contains the data used by the component. It is also the Model’s responsibility to update the database when and where required. The view is accountable for producing the output. It can contact with the model to get the needed information. After the view has produced the output, the component gives back the control to the Joomla framework which then executes the template.
What is a CMS?
CMS stands for a Content Management System. It is system software that allows you to efficiently create, manage, and optimize the digital content. In a layman language, we can say that a CMS is a tool that lets you build a website without having to involve in the complex coding at all.
Basically, a CMS provides you an intuitive interface to build and modify the website content. A CMS can be installed on your web host. And once a CMS is installed, with the help of your web browser you can easily access your site and make whatever changes you want.
For all the new users, it is no less than boon that they’ve got such a system (CMS) that allows them to structure content with least possible efforts. Most of the content management systems offer you WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor to work with. This means you will get exactly the same output on the web browser as you are seeing in the editor.
Features of Joomla
Joomla is a powerful choice to build a website irrespective of its size. Below are some of its essential features.
1. Multilingual
Being multilingual serves everybody’s purpose. Obviously, for those who don’t understand English, it is a feature to feel happy about. Yes! Joomla is multilingual. It supports 75 languages. A huge list I must say.
2. Responsive in nature
Having a responsive website is a norm nowadays. Because every second person is surfing the internet through a smartphone. Thus, it is required to have a website that works perfectly on any device of any size. And Joomla gives you a completely responsive website. So, you never lose a potential website visitor.
3. Easy to Use
Joomla is open source and entirely free to use. But free doesn’t mean it lacks in features. In fact, the completely user-friendly interface will amaze you with its WYSIWYG feature that gives you exactly the same results. Another factor to feel good about is that the frequent updates. Joomla brings new updates in the form of new features and functions. With every new update, it gets easier to work.
4. Security
Security is an essential factor to consider when you create a website. Joomla provides you with two-factor authentication to avoid the chances of hacking. So your site won’t get hacked but in case you leave very common username and password and someone gets in, you can easily restore hacked Joomla site.
5. Joomla Forum
Anyone can contribute to Joomla forum on a volunteer basis. Joomla is an open source project which welcomes volunteers and their contributions to it. With whatever skillset and with as much as you can contribute to it and let others use your creation. In this forum, you get to know other Joomla followers and you might learn something from them. If you ever stumble on any problem. Chances are that someone has already discussed that in the forum and you can easily get the solution form it.
Joomla is simple to manage. And there are various other factors that make it easy to work with. And these features make it stand out of the crowd.
What makes Joomla an obvious choice?
Apart from the above-discussed features, there are numerous other reasons to utilize Joomla.
- You will get a fully SEO optimized website with Joomla. There are various Joomla SEO hacks that can lead to a successful website.
- Over 8,000 extensions are there to overwhelm you with their functionalities.
- User Management (ACL), where ACL means Access Control List which is helpful in managing the users of your site.
- You can design as many menus as you want.
- Easy to maintain images.
- URL redirection is quite simple.
- Adding a contact form is easy.
- Get updates with 1 click.
So, these were some of the prominent features that Joomla has to offer you. However, it also permits you to use various other third party extensions and plugins. Thousands of verified third-party extensions to enhance your web experience are present in the Joomla Extensions Directory.
Joomla Extensions Directory (JED)
It is a place where you can find numerous extensions to enhance the functionality of your website. These are 100% Joomla verified extensions and plugins. Some of the extensions are free and some of them are paid. You can choose as per your needs.
Joomla Templates
Joomla templates or Joomla theme is almost the same thing. A template describes how your website will look like. If you wish you can keep the default look or you can customize it according to your specifications. The best news is that the latest version of Joomla comes with responsive design both at the front as well as back-end. However, choosing a Joomla template is really important because it is the main aspect on which your website will rely on. The only thing that can haunt any Joomla developer is that finding the best Joomla template framework. So, their pain to create everything from scratch can go away.