Joomla Course And Certification

What Is JOOMLA!? 

JOOMLA! is an Open Source, Easy to Use - Content Management System (CMS), that is used to develop and build dynamic websites and web applications. Joomla is free to use and customizable and it is separated into front-end and back-end templates (which is the Administrator). Joomla is built using Object Oriented PHP, software design patterns and MySQL (which is used for storing the user's data). 

A Content Management System (CMS) is a web software that keeps track of the whole website data (such as text, images, music, pdf's, etc.) which will be available and dynamically displayed to users. It aids in creating, editing, publishing and changing the content of a website seamlessly.

Joomla uses a Model-View-Controller (MVC) Design Architecture. According to the MVC pattern, when Joomla first processes a request, it first processes the URL to find out which component will process the request. The model holds the data that is used by the component. It is also the Model that is responsible for updating the database when and where they are needed. The view is held accountable for giving out the output. It can make contact with the data model to get the needed information. After the view has given out the output, the component takes back the control to the Joomla framework which then carries out the Template.

Joomla: History & Evolution

Joomla is one of the world's most popular content management systems (CMS), powering millions of websites. It has evolved significantly since its inception, adapting to the ever-changing web development landscape.

The Origins of Joomla (2000 - 2005)

• Joomla was born out of a fork from Mambo, an open-source CMS developed by Miro International Pty Ltd in 2000.
• In August 2005, due to disputes over licensing and governance, the core developers left Mambo and created Joomla!
• The name "Joomla" comes from the Swahili word "Jumla", meaning "all together", emphasizing its community-driven nature.
• The first official version, Joomla 1.0, was released on September 22, 2005.

Major Joomla Versions & Milestones

Joomla 1.x Series (2005–2012)

• Joomla 1.0 (2005): A refined version of Mambo, featuring basic CMS functionalities.
• Joomla 1.5 (2008): A major rewrite with an MVC framework, improved extensibility, and better internationalization.
• Joomla 1.6–1.7 (2011): Introduced access control levels (ACL), enhanced user management, and better SEO features.

Joomla 2.5 (2012–2014)

• A long-term support (LTS) version that stabilized the platform.
• Improved database support, mobile-friendly design, and multi-language capabilities.

Joomla 3.x Series (2013–2021)

• Joomla 3.0 (2013): Introduced Twitter Bootstrap, making Joomla fully responsive.
• Joomla 3.5 (2016): Added PHP 7 support, improved caching, and better security.
• Became one of the most widely used CMS platforms, competing with WordPress and Drupal.

Joomla 4.x Series (2021–Present)

• Joomla 4.0 (2021): A complete overhaul with faster performance, better security, and modern UI.
• Introduced Bootstrap 5, Web Accessibility Standards (WCAG 2.1), and a new media manager.
• Improved SEO, workflows, and a built-in API for headless CMS support.

Joomla 5 (2023–Present)

• Released in October 2023, focusing on speed, performance, and enhanced security.
• Supports PHP 8+, improved user interface, and modern development tools.

The Future of Joomla

Joomla continues to evolve, focusing on:
AI-powered content management
Enhanced headless CMS capabilities
Improved security & performance
Better third-party integrations

Despite competition from WordPress and newer CMS platforms, Joomla remains a powerful, flexible, and community-driven CMS for developers and businesses.

The Core Features Of Joomla!

Here’s a breakdown of the core features of Joomla, one of the world’s most popular open-source Content Management Systems (CMS):

1. User Management

• Advanced access control levels (ACL) to manage user permissions.

• Multiple user groups with different viewing/editing rights.

• Frontend user registration and login.

2. Content Management

• Create, edit, and publish content through an intuitive editor.

• Organize content into categories and subcategories.

• Version control to keep track of content changes.

• Scheduling for publishing/unpublishing articles.

3. Template & Design Management

• Flexible templating system for unique site designs.

• Multiple templates for frontend and backend.

• Override system for customizing layout without modifying core files.

• Responsive design support.

4. Extensions & Plugins

• Thousands of extensions available (components, modules, plugins).

• Easily extendable for blogs, e-commerce, forums, learning systems, etc.

• Built-in Extension Manager for installing, updating, or removing add-ons.

5. Multilingual Support

• Built-in multilingual functionality (no need for extra extensions).

• Content translation tools.

• Ability to run websites in multiple languages.

6. Media Management

• Centralized media manager for images, documents, and videos.

• Drag-and-drop uploads.

• Image resizing and metadata management.

7. Menu Management

• Unlimited menu creation and hierarchical menu structures.

• Different menu modules for different parts of the site.

• Support for dynamic navigation and breadcrumbs.

8. SEO & Marketing

• SEO-friendly URLs.

• Metadata management (titles, descriptions, keywords).

• Menu item aliasing for improved indexing.

• Integration with Google Analytics and other marketing tools.

9. Security Features

• Two-factor authentication.

• Access control levels.

• Regular security updates from the Joomla community.

• Strong user authentication and session management.

10. Integrated Help System

• Contextual help within the admin panel.

• Extensive online documentation and community forums.

11. Performance & Caching

• Built-in caching for faster page load times.

• Gzip compression support.

• Session management to improve performance.

12. Built-in Contact Management

• Create and manage contact forms.

• Categorize contact information.

• Spam protection (CAPTCHA support).

Benefits and Advantages of Joomla

1. Joomla is an open-source platform and it is available to use for free.

2. Joomla is designed and built to be easy to install and set up even if you're not a pro user.

3. Since Joomla is very easy to use, as a web designer or developer, you can quickly build and manage sites for your clients. With lesser instructions to the clients, your clients can equally manage their sites on their own.

4. It is very easy to edit the content on your site, as it uses the WYSIWYG editor.

5. Joomla ensures the safety of data content and doesn't allow anyone to change or modify the data.

6. By default, Joomla is compatible and can work on all browsers. 

7. The templates are very flexible to use.

8. Media files can be uploaded easily with the article editor tool.

9. Joomla provides an easy menu creation tool.

Why Study Joomla

1. Joomla lets you set up your website easily and very fast.

2. With knowledge of Joomla, you can take up several clients web projects and finish them up on time.

3. Another reason to study Joomla is that it is very easy to learn even for a beginner.

4. Job opportunities and career advancement.

5. Self-employment opportunities and consultancy.

6. Become CMS professional using Joomla

Joomla Course Outline

Joomla Basics

Joomla - Introduction

Joomla - Overview

Joomla - Installation

Joomla - Architecture

Joomla - Control Panel

Joomla - Toolbar

Joomla - Menus Menu

Joomla - Content Menu

Joomla - Components Menu

Joomla - Extensions Menu

Joomla - Help Menu

Joomla - Menus

Joomla - Modules

Joomla - Settings

Joomla - Debug

Joomla Advanced

Joomla - Template Manager

Joomla - Customize Template

Joomla - Adding Template

Joomla - Creating Template

Joomla - Customize Logo

Joomla - Category Management

Joomla - Adding Content

Joomla - Formatting Content

Joomla - Article Metadata

Joomla - Adding Banners

Joomla - Adding Contacts

Joomla - Adding News Feed

Joomla - Adding Forum

Joomla - Adding Web Links

Joomla - Plugin Manager

Joomla - Extension Manager

Joomla - Website Backup

Joomla - Website SEO

Joomla - Video Lectures 

Joomla  - Exams And certification