Getting Started with Joomla!: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 16:45, 15 April 2022

Joomla!

4.x

Introduction

Joomla! is one of the most popular, free and open-source content management systems (CMS) available for publishing web content. It is user friendly, extendable, multilingual, accessible, responsive, search engine optimised and so much more.

Joomla! 4 is the current version, released in August 2021.

Understanding Joomla!

If you're having trouble visualizing how Joomla! works, it might be useful for you to think of Joomla! as an Operating System (OS), like Microsoft Windows, Apple Mac OS or Linux.

The most important similarity is that both your OS and Joomla! are not really intended for direct use. You need to install applications onto your OS (and extensions for Joomla!) to be able to actually do something useful with your computer (and your web site). Just like your OS, Joomla! comes with enough core extensions to allow you to create a fully functional web site.

Further similarities and differences can be found in the following table.

Comparison Table

Joomla! concept	Operating System concept
Extension	Added Application (e.g. Word, Chrome, Music Player, Photoshop)
Core extensions	Built-in applications (e.g. Start button, Screen Saver, File Search)
Database	File system (one type of Files)
File system	File system (another type of Files)
Viewing a page	Using an application (Added or Built-in)
Updating Joomla!	Installing updates for your OS (Security patches and bug fixes)
Migrating between Joomla! versions	Installing a new version of your OS, for example moving from MS Windows 7 to MS Windows 10.

What You Will Need

A Hosting Environment

On your own laptop or desktop. Install a WAMP or XAMP or LAMP stack. This looks daunting but is usually very easy and may be installed already along with your operating system. The W stands for Windows, the X for Mac OS X and L for Linux, your OS software; the A stands for Apache, the web server software; the M stands for MySQL (or MariaDB), the database software; the P for PHP, a widely use web scripting language. You should also install phpMyAdmin to create a Database and Database User.
- Check whether your OS provides the appropriate stack. If it does, check that it is installed or install it. If not, search the web for a download site. All of this software is free! You should not need to pay or provide any personal details.
- If stuck, try XAMPP which is a free pacakge used to install and manage all of the required components, except Joomla. It works on all platforms. WAMP is restricted to Windows.
On a Hosting Service. Almost all will provide the necessary environment. However, the cheapest may have over-restrictive php.ini settings so it is best to check the recommended settings in the Installing Joomla tutorial with what a proposed hosting service provides.

An Installed Copy of Joomla!

This is described in more details in the Installing Joomla! tutorial.

Download the latest version of Joomla to your local computer from the Joomla site.
Move or copy it to the root of your web site, uncompress it and give the folder a short name.
Install Joomla!.
- Installing with Sample Data allows you to to explore a Joomla! site before you have created one for your own content.

Alternatives

Use a Demo Installation. Many hosting services or script installer sites offer 'demo' versions of a Joomla! installation. You will at least be able to make changes, but they will not be permanent. 'Demo installations' are reset back to a 'fresh' installation state at regular intervals.
One-click Installation. Many hosting services offer a one-click installation of popular web site programs.

Getting Started Tutorials

Summing it all up

Articles are the main type of web site content.
Categories create an organisational hierarchy to control web site content.
Menus provide a navigational method to use or browse the web site content (pages).
Modules provide a means to combine web site content (Articles) with other information.
Templates control the look of a Joomla! web site.

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+== Getting Started Tutorials == <!--T:44-->
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-===What to Expect=== <!--T:45-->
-</translate>
-<translate><!--T:46-->
-Joomla! is introduced using detailed 'hands-on' instructions about adding, altering and manipulating content. At the same time, general points about Joomla! are made which are intended to help people to learn and do more. As the tasks require more background knowledge, so there are fewer hands-on instructions and more general pointers to the extensive documentation available for Joomla!</translate>
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-===Topics=== <!--T:47-->
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-The series is divided into multiple parts. Each topic will build upon the previous one. Alternatively, you can go right to the part containing the information sought.</translate>
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+* [[J4.x:Installing_Joomla|Installing Joomla]]
-===Remember=== <!--T:49-->
+* [[J4.x:Logging_in_to_Joomla|Logging in to Joomla]]
+* [[J4.x:Articles_and_categories|Articles and Categories]]
+* [[J4.x:Getting_Started:_Adding_an_Article|Adding an Article]]
+* [[J4.x:Getting_Started:_Adding_a_Category|Adding a Category]]
+* [[J4.x:Getting_Started:_Adding_a_Menu_Item|Adding a Menu Item]]
+* [[J4.x:Getting_Started:_Adding_a_Module|Adding a Module]]
+* [[J4.x:Getting_Started:_Site_and_Administrator_templates|Site and Administrator Templates]]
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-<translate><!--T:50-->
-As you move from one Tutorial topic to the next, you can always refer to the [[S:MyLanguage/glossary|Glossary]] if you forget the meaning of common terms.</translate>
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-== Topics == <!--T:51-->
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-These topics should be considered the key building blocks of a Joomla! web site. They will give you a foundation upon which to build.</translate>
-<translate>
-===[[Article/en|Articles]]=== <!--T:57-->
-</translate>
-<translate><!--T:58-->
-Articles are the core content of any Joomla! powered web site. Everyone needs to know the basics of how to edit and create them. This tutorial will help you to understand the inner workings of Joomla! articles and their integration into a web page.</translate>
-<translate>
-===[[Category/en|Categories]]=== <!--T:55-->
-</translate>
-<translate><!--T:56-->
-Every part of Joomla! powered web site or any CMS type of web site needs a method to display and store its content logically. The usual method is by categories and subcategories.  Joomla! allows for multiple ways to display and use content controlled by categorisation. This part of the Tutorial will introduce you to the uses of Joomla! categories.</translate>
-<translate>
-===[[Menu/en|Menus]]=== <!--T:59-->
-</translate>
-<translate><!--T:60-->
-Every web site has some type of navigation system, or menu. They can vary in style from web site to web site, but they all perform the same function. The menu tutorial will explain how menus control content.</translate>
-<translate>
-===[[Module/en|Modules]]=== <!--T:61-->
-</translate>
-<translate><!--T:62-->
-As you have already learned, Extensions and Core Extensions are like a Computer Application (e.g. Word, Excel, Photoshop, Screensaver, File search). Modules are lightweight Joomla! extensions. A module's display is controlled by the ''Template'' and ''Menu'' Core Extensions. They are usually used to display information boxes alongside, above or below Articles. Common examples include a ''Login'' form and a ''Site Search'' form.</translate>
-<translate>
-===[[Template/en|Templates]]=== <!--T:53-->
-</translate>
-<translate><!--T:54-->
-Templates control how a Joomla! powered web site appears for users, notably the colour scheme and general layout of the pages' Articles, Modules and Menus. It is possible to have more than one template so that some pages can take on a different appearance.</translate>
-<translate>
-==Summary== <!--T:63-->
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-After you complete all Tutorial Topics, you should be able to create a simple website.</translate>
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 ===Summing it all up=== <!--T:65-->
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-<translate><!--T:66-->
+<translate><!--T:68-->
-*Templates control the look of a Joomla! web site.</translate>
+*Articles are the main type of web site content.</translate>
 <translate><!--T:67-->
 *Categories create an organisational hierarchy to control web site content.</translate>
-<translate><!--T:68-->
-*Articles are the main type of web site content.</translate>
 <translate><!--T:69-->
 *Menus provide a navigational method to use or browse the web site content (pages).</translate>
 <translate><!--T:70-->
 *Modules provide a means to combine web site content (Articles) with other information.</translate>
+<translate><!--T:66-->
+*Templates control the look of a Joomla! web site.</translate>
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J4.x