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Joomla

Joomla

Overview

What is Joomla?

Joomla! is a free and open source content management system used to publish web content. Included features are page caching, RSS feeds, printable versions of pages, news flashes, blogs, polls, a search function, and support for language internationalization.

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Recent Reviews

TrustRadius Insights

Joomla is a versatile content management system used by various businesses and organizations to run and manage their websites. It is …
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Jammin' with Joomla!

10 out of 10
October 18, 2019
Incentivized
Joomla is used across our organization. It solves our website address needs and much more due to its flexibility and ease of use. We …
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Awards

Products that are considered exceptional by their customers based on a variety of criteria win TrustRadius awards. Learn more about the types of TrustRadius awards to make the best purchase decision. More about TrustRadius Awards

Popular Features

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  • Availability / breadth of extensions (45)
    8.0
    80%
  • Role-based user permissions (44)
    7.1
    71%
  • Page templates (45)
    7.0
    70%
  • WYSIWYG editor (46)
    6.0
    60%

Reviewer Pros & Cons

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Pricing

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What is Joomla?

Joomla! is a free and open source content management system used to publish web content. Included features are page caching, RSS feeds, printable versions of pages, news flashes, blogs, polls, a search function, and support for language internationalization.

Entry-level set up fee?

  • No setup fee

Offerings

  • Free Trial
  • Free/Freemium Version
  • Premium Consulting/Integration Services

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Alternatives Pricing

What is Adobe Business Catalyst (Discontinued)?

Adobe Business Catalyst was a cloud-hosted system for building and managing web content and online stores with a built-in CRM framework in addition to sales, service, and marketing features including eCommerce and Email Marketing tools. It has been end of life (EOL) since 2020.

What is Agility?

Agility CMS is a cloud-based content management system from the company of the same name in Toronto, Ontario.

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Product Demos

Joomla! 3 Quickstart Installation Step by Step Guide

YouTube

JA Elastica - Free Responsive Design Template for Joomla 2.5!

YouTube

Template Creator CK 3 - Overview, simple demo, create your Joomla template in 7minutes

YouTube

Template Creator CK 3 - Overview, simple demo, create your Joomla template in 8 minutes

YouTube
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Features

Security

This component helps a company minimize the security risks by controlling access to the software and its data, and encouraging best practices among users.

7.1
Avg 8.0

Platform & Infrastructure

Features related to platform-wide settings and structure, such as permissions, languages, integrations, customizations, etc.

6.6
Avg 7.7

Web Content Creation

Features that support the creation of website content.

7.2
Avg 7.6

Web Content Management

Features for managing website content

6.6
Avg 7.3
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Product Details

What is Joomla?

Joomla! is a free, open source content management system used to publish web content. Joomla is written in PHP, uses object-oriented programming (OOP) techniques and stores data in a MySQL, MS SQL, or PostgreSQL database. Included features are page caching, RSS feeds, printable versions of pages, news flashes, blogs, polls, a search function, and support for language internationalization. Its dashboard organizing administrator tasks into context menus, from which content is edited, permissions set and changed, contacts managed, and messages sent to users. Extensions modify functionality in widely varying ways and provide flexibility.

Joomla Video

What is Joomla!

Joomla Competitors

Joomla Technical Details

Operating SystemsUnspecified
Mobile ApplicationNo

Frequently Asked Questions

Joomla! is a free and open source content management system used to publish web content. Included features are page caching, RSS feeds, printable versions of pages, news flashes, blogs, polls, a search function, and support for language internationalization.

Drupal, Kentico Xperience, and Plone are common alternatives for Joomla.

Reviewers rate Library of website themes highest, with a score of 8.9.

The most common users of Joomla are from Small Businesses (1-50 employees).
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Comparisons

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Reviews and Ratings

(287)

Community Insights

TrustRadius Insights are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, 3rd-party data sources. Have feedback on this content? Let us know!

Joomla is a versatile content management system used by various businesses and organizations to run and manage their websites. It is popular among marketing departments as it allows them to update web content without the need for a developer, saving time and resources. Web development teams also benefit from Joomla's user-friendly interface, using it to design websites for clients and teach them to make small changes independently. Additionally, Joomla serves as a content management system for a wide range of projects, both internally and for clients. Its flexibility and extendability make it a preferred choice for both non-technical users and developers.

Joomla is widely used across organizations to manage content on public-facing websites, including non-profit organizations and startup companies. It is also utilized by web hosting platforms for its user-friendly interface and automatic installation. Companies rely on Joomla to manage their company intranets, providing a centralized information clearinghouse. This CMS is also commonly used by website design and development departments to create and maintain websites for various industries. Furthermore, Joomla finds applications in educational institutions to manage department pages and provide control to individual representatives. Its ability to handle different features like e-commerce and blog sites makes it an attractive choice for businesses with diverse needs. Developers appreciate Joomla's customization options, allowing them to create templates and extensions tailored to specific requirements.

The City of Pomona's website is managed using Joomla, enabling web administrators to easily edit and disseminate important information to the public. The built-in Access Control List features of Joomla allow the creation of users and groups with specific rights, granting access only to authorized individuals. These specific users can sign in to the website from the front-end to edit or update content as needed. Additionally, Joomla's Social Network AutoPoster feature automatically posts new articles from the City's website onto its Facebook Page. The CMS also includes a contact manager that lists the contact information of city departments, council members, and the mayor. The user-friendly interface provided by the Joomla Content Editor Component, known as JCE, makes it easy for standard users to edit and update content, similar to using Microsoft Word. Overall, Joomla offers a range of features and functionality that make it a valuable tool for managing websites across various industries and organizations.

Versatility and Customizability: Users have found Joomla to be highly versatile and customizable, allowing them to create websites that meet their specific needs. Several reviewers have mentioned how they were able to tailor the CMS to their unique requirements, making it a popular choice for businesses and organizations.

User-Friendly Interface: Many users appreciate the user-friendly interface of Joomla. They find it easy to navigate and perform various tasks without much hassle. The logical and intuitive admin interface has been praised by several reviewers, highlighting its contribution to a smooth user experience.

Availability of Third-Party Components and Extensions: Reviewers have expressed their satisfaction with the availability of third-party components and extensions in Joomla's marketplace. This wide range of options allows users to enhance the functionality of their websites by adding features like e-commerce capabilities, social media integration, and more. Some users have even mentioned specific third-party components that have greatly benefited their website development process.

Confusing User Interface: Users have found Joomla's user interface to be confusing and not user-friendly, making it difficult to perform tasks quickly. Several reviewers have mentioned this issue.

Security Concerns: There were concerns about Joomla's security, with users mentioning that it was not the most secure platform in the past and needed regular updates and secure file permissions to combat vulnerabilities. Some reviewers have expressed worry about the security of their websites.

Menu Items Rearranging Themselves: Users reported frustration with menu items rearranging themselves after adding new ones. This inconsistency in menu organization has been mentioned by several reviewers as a source of annoyance when managing their websites.

Based on user reviews, users commonly recommend the following for Joomla:

  1. Consider other CMS alternatives: Explore other CMS platforms, especially if you are not tech-savvy or lack previous web programming experience. Compare different CMS options before committing to Joomla.

  2. Invest in learning Joomla: Highly recommend dedicating time and effort to learning Joomla. It is particularly beneficial for small business owners who publish their own web content but have limited experience. Having someone at your business who knows code, including HTML and CSS, is recommended.

  3. Use Joomla for specific purposes: Joomla is suitable for developing web applications and websites, especially for small businesses without the resources for a website agency or in-house management team. It is also recommended for associations and small to medium-sized businesses with the help of a Joomla expert. Additionally, it is seen as a good option for beginners and creating multilingual websites due to its ease of use and flexibility.

It's important to note that while Joomla offers powerful features, it may not be suitable for all users or scenarios. Users advise considering other platforms if SEO is a major part of your company's future or if advanced or e-commerce features are required. Checking out WordPress as an alternative before deciding on Joomla is suggested.

Attribute Ratings

Reviews

(1-2 of 2)
Companies can't remove reviews or game the system. Here's why
James Fauria | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 9 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User
Incentivized

From 2011-2013, as the Web Master for the City of Pomona I personally built a 300+ page website for a city government with little to no budget. The old website was antiquated and didn't allow for the easy and quick editing and dissemination of important information for the public citizens to obtain. After implementing Joomla, the City of Pomona’s website now has these features:

  • Each department has its own individual folder to store its data in.
  • The web administrator can Create users and groups and then assign them specific rights according to the built-in Access Control List (ACL) features of the new CMS system.
  • Specific users with specific rights can sign-in to the website from the Front-End and edit/update content.
  • When the web administrator posts new articles to the front page news section, it is also posted to the City’s FaceBook Page automatically with a Social Network AutoPoster.
  • Specific users with specific rights can access, edit, and update the City’s Calendar, directly through the front end.
  • The website features a contact manger that lists the pictures, phone numbers, email addresses, and fax numbers of the city’s departments, council members and the mayor.
  • Utilizing the Joomla Content Editor (JCE) Component, when standard users sign into the website to edit or update, it’s easy for them to get work done because the JCE is incredibly user friendly and very similar to Microsoft Word.

    There are many more beneficial features that are too numerous to list.
  • Joomla has a Built in Media Manager that allows you to create your own folder, name it whatever you like, and then configure the settings of your Media Manager to redirect to the new folder. Then, after that is complete, you can create other folders inside of the “Main Media” folder in a proper organized hierarchical manner.
  • Joomla’s Menu Manager is extensive and configurable. Joomla allows for an Unlimited amount of Links to have in your Unlimited amount of Menus.
  • No Separate “Page” and Separate “Post.” There’s only one type: “Article.” ALL “Pages” are “Articles.” All “Posts” are “Articles.”
  • Joomla has Unlimited Custom Module Management – Joomla gives you the ability to create your entire website out of Modules or simply create and manage as many modules as you want. You could put them anywhere you want, in any place, on any page you want. You can even put Modules into the Menu Items.
  • Joomla has a Built-in Access Control List (ACL). This allows you to create Specific Groups and then you can add Specific Users to those groups and manage with a fine granular approach, which group can access which individual part or element in the website.
  • Joomla lets you Sign-in to the website from the Front-End and edit/update content in Articles and Modules.
  • With Joomla there is one central place for installing Templates, Components, Plugins, or Modules: the Extension Manager
  • Joomla has built in Cache Control. This gives your site a quicker response to requests, if nothing has been change to an article or other element.
  • Joomla has a built in Contact Manager that includes Google’s new reCAPTCHA v2. This is the modern version that helps to block spam and other malicious submissions.
  • Joomla has built in Global Check in for items. Useful if you want to quickly return articles and release them from users editing it.
  • Joomla has a built in Language Manager. Very useful for International Websites or websites that welcome people who speak different languages.
  • Joomla is compatible with Microsoft Windows SQL Server and Microsoft Windows IIS Server so it could be seamlessly used in a Microsoft Environment. Most corporations run on Windows Networks with Windows Servers.
  • Joomla has a built in Authentication – LDAP plugin that synchronizes with Microsoft Windows Server’s Active Directory so you can just use your standard A.D. Login to sign in to Joomla on your organization’s Intranet Website. Implementing a Joomla based "Intranet" is a great low cost solution.
  • Joomla has built in Nested Categories. This provides for a more organized hierarchical atmosphere.
  • Joomla has built in Revision Control. In case something goes wrong in an article, you could revert back to a previous version.
  • Joomla has built in Tag Management. Tags help users to find articles pertaining to specific subject matters.
  • Joomla has built in Search Engine Optimization (SEO) settings on important parts of the Website including: Articles and Menus. This is where you can insert keywords and metadata. This helps with search engines.
  • Joomla has Search Engine Friendly (SEF) URL abilities that use Apache Mod_Re-Write. Instead of the user trying to read "?=itemid1" they will easily read "about" or "services" in the url of their web browser.
  • For Developers and Software Engineers:
  • Joomla is Object-Oriented Designed - Unlike Joomla's main competitors: Drupal and WordPress, Joomla, is an Object Oriented Designed (OOD) CMS. Object-Oriented Programming (OOP) takes the view that what we really care about are the "objects" we want to manipulate rather than the logic required to manipulate them. One of the principal advantages of object-oriented programming techniques over procedural programming techniques is that they enable programmers to create modules that do not need to be changed when a new type of object is added. A programmer can simply create a new object that inherits many of its features from existing objects. This makes object-oriented programs easier to modify.
  • For Developers and Software Engineers:
  • Joomla is MVC - Also unlike Joomla's competitors, Joomla's architecture is MVC. Model–View–Controller (MVC) is a software architectural pattern for implementing user interfaces. It divides a given software application into three interconnected parts, so as to separate internal representations of information from the ways that information is presented to or accepted from the user.
  • Joomla is SLOWER than its competitors. Although, with the implementation of new Solid State Device Hard Drives in Modern Website Host Servers, the slowness is becoming less noticeable.
  • The Image Editing abilities of the built in Media Manager are USELESS. WordPress is much better at built-in Image Editing.
  • The ability to either turn off or turn on, Automatic Menu Item Creation does NOT exist. WordPress is much better at that.
  • Sometimes, it seems like Joomla or its database becomes confused and\or Cache Build Up becomes a problem, and then the cache has to be cleaned out.
  • There is no built-in Automatic Cache Cleaning at configurable intervals.
  • The updating and upgrading process is easier than it ever has been, but it’s still not as flawless and as easygoing as WordPress.
  • NO Automatic Update abilities for Components, Modules, or Plugins.
  • Joomla is NOT nearly as popular or as used as WordPress.
  • Joomla lacks a comprehensive Preview ability. And there really isn't a good plugin for it. WordPress's Preview ability is far superior to both Joomla and Drupal.

Joomla! is very suitable and the best choice for medium to large sized organizations. For example a city government, county government, state government, a high school, college or university, a police department or a fire department. I do use Joomla! for small, medium, or large organizations or projects, but for some people it might be overkill. Just like any other piece of software, the developer and the administrator need to know how to use it.

I think a great use of Joomla! would be in the education sector. Joomla! has a wealth of Components, Modules, and Plugins.

Two of my favorites that I have been working with currently are:

1. Joomla’s: JomSocial http://www.jomsocial.com

2. Qontori Pte Ltd’s: Joomdle http://www.joomdle.com

The really awesome part about both is that Moodle and JomSocial can interconnect with each other providing an even more useful experience for students and staff in an Online Learning Environment.

In conclusion, I have had a great experience using Joomla and I will continue to use and implement it whenever I can.

Web Content Creation (8)
85%
8.5
WYSIWYG editor
80%
8.0
Code quality / cleanliness
90%
9.0
Admin section
90%
9.0
Page templates
90%
9.0
Library of website themes
90%
9.0
Mobile optimization / responsive design
100%
10.0
Publishing workflow
90%
9.0
Form generator
50%
5.0
Web Content Management (5)
98%
9.8
Content taxonomy
100%
10.0
SEO support
100%
10.0
Bulk management
100%
10.0
Availability / breadth of extensions
90%
9.0
Community / comment management
100%
10.0
Platform & Infrastructure (2)
100%
10.0
API
100%
10.0
Internationalization / multi-language
100%
10.0
Security (1)
100%
10.0
Role-based user permissions
100%
10.0
CMS programming language or framework
N/A
N/A
  • As far as overall business objectives, because of the ease of use of DIY websites now like: 1&1, SquareSpace, Shopify, Weebly, etc., business has not been good. But when it comes to implementing it into an organization, it has greatly and significantly reduced government business process congestion and optimized the way a government body can quickly deliver information to its citizens at an extremely low cost.
  • WordPress,Drupal

Before I settled in on using Joomla for the City of Pomona, I experimented with WordPress and Drupal, as being the right fit for the new website. Each time I went through the analysis, research and development, both WordPress and Drupal, came up short for quickly delivering a robust extendable and easy to use solution that had to be in place immediately.

Here's some frustrations that I encountered with WordPress and Drupal:

  • WordPress limits the number of links you could have in the Main Menu.
  • WordPress's Menu Manager is lacking many features that are standard in Joomla's.
  • WordPress has a useless Media Manager that does not allow for Folder Creation or custom built Hierarchical structures that reflect real life departments and organizations.
  • WordPress lacks the ACL that Joomla has.
  • Drupal also has a useless Media Manager that does not allow for Folder Creation or custom built Hierarchical structures that reflect real life departments and organizations.
  • Drupal was a time consuming headache that always had a dramatic problem popup every step of the way when trying to build the website, and frequently the whole operation would just implode.
  • Drupal wasted months of time because of its incompatibilities.
  • Drupal lacks the ACL that Joomla has.
  • Both Drupal and WordPress are NOT MVC or OOD.
1
In my organization: Jaymersun Website Services, I use Joomla to develop websites.
When I worked at the City of Pomona, I built the Public Internet Website, and the Internal Intranet Website for them, and there are about 20 users who use it. It has greatly de-congested Government Business Processes.
1
People with knowledge of HTML, CSS, a little PHP and a little JavaScript would be helpful in the more complicated situations that require extensive customization. But for the most part, that kind of extensive customization isn't necessary or common.

An average user who is familiar with Microsoft Word could use Joomla well.

  • The City Calendar needs to be updated.
  • Water and Utility rates need to be updated on the Water Dept section.
  • Planning needs to upload a PDF to the site so the public could get to it for downloading purposes.
  • Before I implemented Joomla in the City of Pomona, one particular dept had to print up thousands of pages and fax them over to other agencies that they work with. Now, they can simply list them on the website for the other agency to download.
  • City of Pomona has been able to submit one post to its news section of its front page, and then it automatically posts to the City's FaceBook page.
  • Citizens are able to subscribe to not only the RSS feed but also to the Calendar for updates of events.
  • You can use Joomla as an Intranet.
  • With the right component (JomSocial), you can create your own Private Social Network similar to FaceBook.
  • You could incorporate the Online Learning Management System: Moodle into your Joomla and into your JomSocial together.
  • With the Component Fabrik, you can build Software Applications with Joomla.
I would really rather use Joomla over WordPress and Drupal any day.
Yes
For the City of Pomona, they had an older antiquated (10-15 year old) php\html website. The website had been broken for some time before I arrived. It didn't have the modern CMS technological abilities that Joomla had. The users needed to be able to update\edit information quickly and they weren't able to do that.
  • Price
  • Product Features
  • Product Usability
  • Product Reputation
The price. Most Government agencies don't have the kind of budgets that the private sector has.
I wouldn't change it. I would still implement Joomla. However, if I had a budget to go along with the implementation, I would have chosen a much better Host (InMotion, SiteGround, etc.) to host it on, and I would have purchased a lot of high end plugins for Joomla.
  • Implemented in-house
Yes
Phase One was to set up a folder on the Host and install Joomla.
Phase Two was to copy all of the data from the older website, which was still up and running and publicly accessible a that time, into the new one and configure all the plugins.
Phase Three was to go live with the new site by putting it on the root of the "public_html" folder and replacing the old one in the Host.
Change management was a big part of the implementation and was well-handled
Because of how broken and un user friendly the old website was, the new website was a breath of fresh air. The users were able to navigate much easier and find the information that they needed as compared to before.
  • Bad low quality Web Host.
  • No budget for a better Template.
  • At that particular time, Joomla was jumping to different versions. This was a headache, but understandable because of its growing pains. Joomla is no longer going through those growing pains.
Joomla has gone through tremendous growing pains. It is now better than ever. But before, when it was going from 1.5-2.5, the templates and plugins would break over and over again. If you don't understand what Joomla was trying to do back then, you might have a bad attitude toward it. Today, those pains are over and things don't break like they used to during that time period.
Joomla is OpenSource and the support you get will come from a very helpful pleasant and responsive community of volunteers.
No
I've never actually tried to contact any support, but when things get complicated I just turn to the Joomla Forums for suggestions and ideas. They always have a great answer.
  • Adding a new Category.
  • Adding a new Article.
  • Adding a new Menu Item.
  • Implementing Title Meta Tags
  • Implementing Keyword Meta Tags
  • Implementing Description Meta Tags
Yes
Perfectly
Joomla lacks a few specific features that both WordPress and Drupal do a little better, but other than that it does everything else better than both of them.
Today's Modern Joomla performs very well and is robust and durable. The pages load faster than they ever did in the past and Modern Joomla's integration into other software or systems has become seamless. Modern Joomla sites will last long and will stay running forever.
Rita Lewis | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 10 out of 10
Vetted Review
Reseller
I am a freelance web designer and content strategist who uses Joomla! as my platform of choice to implement websites for small businesses and non-profits. These websites run the gamut from brochures, landing pages, e-commerce storefronts, to major information portals. Joomla! and its extensions handles all aspects of each of these types of sites.
  • Joomla! is a content management system based on a database so it creates web pages dynamically based on a single editor and keywords. This allows users to update the site themselves and let Joomla create the pages from their input in a familiar environment.
  • Joomla! is Open Source software managed by a non-profit organization called Open Source Matters. Because it's free under the GNU GPL license, there are millions of programmers worldwide working on the platform honing it and maintaining it. Open Source also means that there is a strong community of approximately 8 million users who cooperatively share this free software platform.
  • Joomla! is modular. You only use what you need for your particular project. Joomla! has an extremely strong value-added software community providing add-ons for security, editing, forms, newsletters, storefronts, payment gateways, SEO, and so forth.
  • Joomla! is currently split into a framework and kernel and because it is Open Source, programmers are using Joomla!'s framework to build enterprise-level content management systems and cloud-based systems such as Nooku. Joomla! complies with most standard modern software protocols and runs on LINUX/Apache/MySQL/PHP so it is highly secure and easy to set up.
  • Joomla!'s organization consists of a front-end and a backend (called the Administrator). The Administrator area is meant to be intuitive but falls short because of the complexity of its structure -- areas where you perform work. There is a strong learning curve to get used to modules, plug-ins, and components plus articles and categories and how they work together.
  • Joomla! has a rigid structure that allows only certain types of pages, namely blogs and lists of articles based on how you classify subjects. Everything in Joomla! is an article. You have to know content strategy to add appropriate keywords to ensure that your articles show up on the appropriate pages either with others tagged similarly, or by themselves. Navigation is based upon these keywords as well. You need to design the site before you jump in and add articles.
  • Joomla! is built using PHP and runs on an Apache server. As such, it is not totally secure from malicious attacks at the server level. Extra care has to be taken to set up passwords, roles, and permissions to ensure that spammers and hackers cannot touch the database or Administrator.
  • Joomla! is not meant to handle more than a medium- to small-sized website with up to one million concurrent users. It can be placed on the Cloud, such as Amazon Web Services, where instances of the platform can take more users, but it is not enterprise-level software.
In order to work with Joomla! you have to feel comfortable with software that is in perpetual beta testing. Joomla! is Open Source meaning that its programmers are volunteers and its maintenance is based on community support. You become part of that community of users when you use the platform. The various vendors create add-ons that cost for annual subscriptions for their support and updates. In fact, you also have to be comfortable with the idea that you don't own any of the software, rather you are leasing it under the Open Source license from these vendors who offer varying levels of help.

Joomla! is best used for projects that are stand-alone and created by developers who are used to the Open Source LAMP (LINUX/Apache/MySQL/PHP) environment as well as working in the browser rather than an organization structured around an IT department and its software development protocols. You build the site on your computer inside your browser and test it on the Internet. When your users are happy, you move the site to its home on the host server. You can also build the site directly on the host but hide it until it is built, but the bottom line is that Joomla! can be created by a single person or a small team but is not appropriate for an Enterprise organization.

Joomla! requires a hosting service that offers access to their root and provides high priority to the servers, high memory allocation, and the ability to display and upload large files. It is very I/O intensive. Always purchase a business-class hosting service with plenty of storage and bandwidth. Most Joomla! designers (vs. programmers) like to use a host that offers CPanel as its graphical user interface to the server.
Web Content Creation (6)
66.66666666666667%
6.7
WYSIWYG editor
30%
3.0
Code quality / cleanliness
70%
7.0
Admin section
100%
10.0
Page templates
100%
10.0
Mobile optimization / responsive design
100%
10.0
Publishing workflow
N/A
N/A
Web Content Management (5)
96%
9.6
Content taxonomy
100%
10.0
SEO support
100%
10.0
Bulk management
80%
8.0
Availability / breadth of extensions
100%
10.0
Community / comment management
100%
10.0
Platform & Infrastructure (2)
100%
10.0
API
100%
10.0
Internationalization / multi-language
100%
10.0
Security (1)
100%
10.0
Role-based user permissions
100%
10.0
CMS programming language or framework
N/A
N/A
  • Joomla! allows users to update the website without programming knowledge. This increases the efficiency of a team and allows the website to be updated on a timely basis, increasing its marketability.
  • Joomla!'s ability to integrate fully with social media leads to faster lead conversion because you bring Facebook and Twitter and other social media into the website in a modular fashion, centralizing access by visitors.
  • Joomla! is a platform that can be used to create many different types of websites, from simple brochures to complex portals with secure areas of access. This versatility saves companies money because the platform is free and only the add-ons cost and that cost is relatively minor (under $500 for a complex site and less for a simpler site).
WordPress is not a content management system in that it is based upon the concept of blogging where articles are displayed in a linear fashion based on their date of publication. You can make WordPress a CMS through hard work and twisting its navigation system and widgets to fit multiple pages other purposes than blogging, but if you want a medium-sized website for millions of concurrent users, Joomla! is much more versatile and easier to setup and use. WordPress is good for small projects but it also has fewer add-ons (called plug-ins) and they require some coding to work. Joomla! is more fleshed out and usable "out of the box."

Drupal is a programmer platform with modules that require coding to fit together into a very flexible array of purposes. It is meant for larger projects but its aesthetics are lacking and you need to get in and code HTML and CSS to customize its look and layout. Joomla!'s community has created thousands of easily-customizable themes to change the look and feel of a website, or you can create a custom theme based on solid frameworks that provide an underlying HTML and CSS structure as well as the ability to customize using the Administrator vs. programming. I choose Joomla! over Drupal even for larger endeavors because it is easier to develop and has a larger user community and more add-ons.
1
Freelance web design and content management representing all business functions since I am a self-employed sole proprietor of a small boutique web design company called Words To Web, Inc.
1
Writers, editors, web designer, webmaster can be a single person or a Team Lead who manages the content submitted by writers and editors. You need to be proficient at HTML and CSS and understand PHP and Javascript to set up Joomla! but do not need to know programming to update content on an existing website.
  • A client wants a medium-sized brochure or informational website set up for under five million concurrent users.
  • A client wants an e-commerce site with payment gateway with an email newsletter.
  • A client wants a photo portfolio or video portfolio website.
  • A client wishes to sell e-books or other downloadable documents or restrict access using roles and permissions.
  • A social networking site for sharing videos of amateur sporting events as well as the capability to comment on them.
  • A convention registration site with payment gateway.
  • A brochure site for an independent movie with video snippets and blog.
  • A full-scale e-commerce solution with multiple payment gateways and easy product management and inventory controls.
  • A Facebook-like social networking site.
  • A secure site for employees to gain information or download forms plus a public area for information and forms such as a medical practice requires.
Joomla! is currently being overhauled at version 3.2 but has many users also running version 2.5.18 which is still maintained by its community of programmers. The shear size of its user base tells me that it will be supported and grow for long years to come. The constant modernizing of the platform and the dedication of its vast add-on community tells me that it will continue to spread as the content management platform of choice for medium-sized projects.

Companies are looking for ways to save money and Joomla!'s Open Source license makes it a strong candidate for websites. It is inexpensive to run and efficiently updated by users. It can be cloned on the Cloud for high numbers of users. A small team can set up a Joomla! site in a week.
  • Implemented in-house
No
Change management was minimal
Most implementations of Joomla that I've done have been for small businesses or creative organizations where I end up also maintaining the site and serving as content manager and administrator. Thus, no change management was apparent.
  • When upgrading and moving Joomla from one host to another, the most difficult part is getting all the extensions upgraded along with the platform.
  • The client has to provide passwords to their domain registrar and their web host in order to perform the work. This can slow down the process.
  • The client has to provide any new content and organization they wish to upgrade and often they are not aware of the new developments within Joomla and must be educated before suggesting features they can add.
Make sure that PHP.ini is set to at least 60 ms for computer priority, 60MB for maximum downloads and 128MB for uploads. This is the minimum. It is best to run Joomla on a business host if you are using a shared hosting environment so that there are fewer accounts on the server. Make sure you have access to the root on CPanel. Be sure to point the DNS to the host and set up all zones prior to implementation and run your new version in a sub-domain hidden from the live version until you are ready to cut over.
  • Entering content because the addition of an extension such as Joomla Content Editor (JCE) provides plugins that allow you to edit multimedia as well as manage styles and formats. Most templates come with web fonts that are easy to implement via the Template manager.
  • Adding extensions to enhance functionality is a matter of searching the embedded Joomla Extension Directory or simply installing copies of editors, form managers, photo galleries, social media managers. value-added extensions, CCKs such as K2, multi-person blogging, newsletters, and so forth.
  • Updating software is very easy because Joomla comes with an updater that if supported by the extension, will allow you to perform the update within the platform's backend.
Joomla! 3.x is easily installed either manually or via a script provided by your host. It contains most of the tools needed to begin creating websites right from the start. Those features that it doesn't have are easily installed via links and buttons from the thousands of extensions available in the community.
Lately, Joomla! 3.4.4 has slowed down enormously unless I set up PHP.ini with extensive computer priority and memory which my host does not like. I think it can be streamlined especially since Google now gives a ding to slower web loading. I noticed the performance hit when I upgraded to the latest version. I run very few extensions except Akeeba, JCE, anti-spam, RSForm and some sort of photogallery. I mostly use Joomla51 templates.
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