In a world where technology often feels cold and competitive, Joomla proves that software can be human.

In a digital world often dominated by celebrity developers, closed ecosystems, and competition for attention, Joomla stands out as refreshingly human. It is more than a content management system; it is a living community shaped by collaboration, shared values, and a collective drive to create something meaningful. Joomla succeeds because it is built on “us,” not “I”.

Community Over Individual Achievement

Open-source history is full of myths about lone geniuses shaping entire platforms. Joomla’s experience shows that real progress comes from teams, not heroes. Leadership in this community is measured not by individual accomplishments, but by how effectively one empowers others. This approach creates space for contributors of all kinds to participate meaningfully whether they are coders, testers, writers, translators or designers.

By lowering barriers and encouraging new voices, Joomla ensures that no single person becomes indispensable. In a landscape where burnout is common and projects often hinge on a few individuals, shared ownership is not just collaborative, it is sustainable.

Diversity Makes Us Stronger

Joomla does not seek uniformity. The project thrives because community members bring diverse experiences, skills, motivations, and perspectives. Diversity is a practical strength, not just a slogan. When ideas are debated and refined by people who think differently, the result is more resilient and creative than anything built in isolation.

Being “together, not the same” keeps Joomla adaptable, global, and open to innovation, while ensuring that no single viewpoint dominates.

Curiosity as a Driving Force

Curiosity drives open-source contributions. The urge to explore, ask questions, experiment, and understand how things work defines Joomla’s culture. This mindset motivates contributors to learn new technologies, challenge assumptions, and discover better solutions.

Curiosity also encourages people to step beyond their usual roles. Documentation writers experiment with development, developers explore accessibility, and translators try design. This spirit keeps the community flexible, innovative, and enjoyable.

Humility Builds Better Software

Ego can hinder collaboration. Joomla values humility: the understanding that no single individual owns the project, and that contributions are valuable regardless of who made them. By removing vanity from the process, Joomla fosters constructive feedback, supportive collaboration, and long-term engagement.

Humility also strengthens trust. Contributors who feel respected and valued participate more deeply, which in turn reinforces the community.

Permission to Fail: A Culture of Learning

Innovation requires experimentation, and experimentation sometimes means failure. Joomla encourages trying, breaking, fixing, learning, and improving. This culture of learning is a powerful antidote to perfectionism, which can discourage newcomers or stall progress.

In Joomla, mistakes are not setbacks but lessons. This mindset builds confidence and opens the door to new ideas that would not emerge in an environment afraid of failure.

Open Source as a Force for Good

Joomla’s mission extends beyond software. It empowers individuals, non-profits, educators, small businesses, volunteers, and communities worldwide to create their own voices on the web, free from corporate control or restrictive platforms. The project’s commitment to openness, transparency, privacy, and user freedom supports a healthier digital ecosystem.

Joomla is not just a CMS; it is part of a broader digital civilization built on shared values, empowerment, and the belief that technology should serve everyone.

The Big Idea: “Us”

When curiosity, humility, diversity, shared ownership, and the freedom to experiment come together, individuals form a community. That community becomes a movement, and that movement creates software that endures.

Joomla thrives because its foundation is not code, but people. People who collaborate. People who care. People who believe in something bigger than themselves. The project succeeds because the community lives its values every day.

Ultimately, Joomla teaches us that the real question is not “What can I build?” but “What can we build together?”

Read More

Recently, through a series of personal essays on my blog, I’ve been reflecting on what truly keeps Joomla moving forward.

• The Glass Is Refillable Optimism and possibility.
• Open Source Software Development Works Best When… Collaboration over heroics.
• Driven by Curiosity Curiosity as motivation.
• Be Together, Not the Same Strength in diversity.
• No Vanity Here Ego-free contribution.
• Joomla: Doing Good Digitally Technology for good.
• Think Big: Ideas, Not Individuals Ideas over personalities.
• Who Owns Your CMS? Ownership and freedom.
• Permission to Fail Failure as growth.
• There’s No “I” in Team Shared contribution.
• Digital Civilization The web we build.
• Leading in Open Source Leadership through empowerment.