Module/en

Modules are lightweight and flexible extensions used for page rendering. These modules are often “boxes” arranged around a component on a typical page. A well-known example is the login module. Modules are assigned per menu item, so you can decide to show or hide (for example) the login module depending on which page (menu item) the user is currently on. Some modules are linked to components: the “latest news” module, for example, links to the content component (com_content) and displays links to the newest content items. However, modules do not need to be linked to components; they don't even need to be linked to anything and can be just static HTML or text.

Modules are managed in the Joomla! Administrator view by the Module Manager. More information about module management can be found on the appropriate version help screens.

• J3.10 Module Manager Help Screen

See also: Component, Plugin, Template

Learning More

Module Positions

A module position is a placeholder in a template. Placeholders identify one or several positions within the template and tell the Joomla! application where to place output from modules assigned to a particular position. The template designer has complete control over module positions, creating variations between templates and the respective Joomla! default positions assigned to modules in the installation sample data.

For example, the module position Left could be defined to be on the left side of the template to display a site navigation menu. So if a module is assigned the Left position, it will be displayed wherever the designer puts that Left module position - not necessarily the left side of the page.

Recommended Reading

Modules are one of the simplest parts of Joomla and a great entry point for people learning to use the system (the equivalent of widgets in wordpress). They can be displayed just about anywhere on a page (in all the positions a template allows as well as in the main content area using the loadmodule plugin for the com_content component).

Beginner

To understand how to install and use a module in Joomla it is recommended to read Module Manager. You can read also Module Manager Custom HTML for an example.

Beginner/Intermediate

Creating a simple module for Joomla is one of the simplest development steps you can do - and the creating a simple module tutorial is designed to take you through this. It starts with a simple module and then shows a few things you can then do with the module.

Advanced

Introduced into Joomla 3.2 is a hidden component that allows modules to create AJAX requests. You can find documentation about Using Joomla Ajax Interface to help you create even better modules.

Joomla! Default Modules

Joomla! is packaged with many modules, more are available on the Joomla! Extension Directory. Here are the standard modules available in a new Joomla! installation.

Articles - Archived

This module shows a list of the calendar months containing archived articles. After you have changed the status of an article to archived, this list will be automatically generated.

Articles - Categories

This module displays a list of categories from one parent category.

Articles - Category

This module displays a list of articles from one or more categories.

Articles - Latest

This Module shows a list of the most recently published and current Articles.

Articles - Most Read

This Module shows a list of the currently published Articles.

Articles - Newsflash

The Article Newsflash Module will display a fixed number of Articles from a specific Category or a set of Categories.

Articles - Related

This Module shows a list of Articles that are related to the current Article being viewed by the user (for example, a Article Layout or a Blog or List layout where the user has clicked on an Article link). Articles are considered to be related to each other if they share at least one Keyword in the Article's Metadata Information. Article Keywords are entered in the Metadata Information section of the Article Manager - New/Edit screen.

Banners

The Banner Module displays the active Banners from the Component.

Breadcrumbs

This module shows a set of navigation links that illustrates where you are inside the web site and allows you to navigate back.

Custom

The Custom Module allows you to create a self-contained HTML unit and then put it in any valid location on a page.

Feed Display

This Module shows an RSS News Feed from a website. This Module is not related to the News Feeds Component or the News Feeds Layouts and is an alternative that allows a feed to display in a Module position.

Footer

This Module displays the web site copyright and Joomla! license information.

Language Switcher

This module displays a list of available Content Languages (as defined and published in...)

Latest Users

This module displays the latest registered users

Login

This module displays a username and password login form. It also displays a link to...

Menu

This module displays a menu on the frontend.

Random Image

This Module displays a random image from your chosen directory.

Search

This module will display a search box.

Smart Search

This is a search module for the Smart Search system.

Statistics

The Statistics Module shows information about your server installation together with...

Syndication Feeds

Smart Syndication Module that creates a Syndicated Feed for the page where the Module is...

Tags - Popular

The Popular Tags Module displays the most commonly used tags, optionally within specific...

Tags - Similar

The Similar Tags Module displays links to other items with similar tags. The closeness...

Who's Online

The Who's Online Module displays the number of Anonymous Users (e.g. Guests) and...

Wrapper

This Module shows an iframe window to specified location.