Ambush Marketing

At its core, ambush marketing is simple: one organisation pays to create attention, and another steps in and captures that attention without paying for the privilege.

When Technical Debt Isn’t Technical Debt

As software projects mature, the challenge is not only managing technical debt, but also preserving the understanding behind the decisions that shaped the code in the first place.

Ecommerce Without Reinventing Joomla

For years, one of the biggest problems with ecommerce in Joomla has not been features. It has been philosophy.

New Abbr Buttons in TinyMCE

With Joomla 6.1, a small but powerful enhancement was added to the TinyMCE editor: dedicated buttons for inserting, editing and removing the HTML <abbr> element.

Introducing Audio, Video & Document Custom Fields in Joomla 6.1

In Joomla 6.1, custom fields just got significantly more flexible. Until now, the Media custom field type only let you select images but thanks to a core enhancement in Joomla 6.1, you now have dedicated field types for audio, video, and documents in addition to images. (github)

Paying It Forward: Rethinking Contribution in the Joomla Community

Open source does not work by accident. It works because people show up. We often describe that effort as "giving back". It’s a useful idea, but it may also be limiting how we think about contribution.

Who Will Stand Up? The Next President of Open Source Matters

Joomla is calling for a new President of Open Source Matters and it’s not just about having a title. It’s about empowering the community, lifting others up, and helping Joomla move forward together.

Joomla World Conference 2026 - Be Part of It!

The Joomla World Conference 2026 is coming — and this is your opportunity to be part of it.

Using Joomla as a Headless CMS

When most people think of Joomla, they think of a traditional content management system that handles everything: storing content, managing users, rendering templates, positioning modules, and outputting complete HTML pages. For the vast majority of websites, that integrated approach makes perfect sense.

No Badges Required

You don’t need a badge to polish to contribute to Joomla. You just need to roll up your sleeves and do it.

Native Accordions in Joomla: Accessible, Semantic, and Bootstrap-Friendly

Joomla 5.2 quietly introduced a powerful new content feature: native accordions in TinyMCE, powered by standard HTML rather than JavaScript. This gives content creators an easy way to add collapsible sections while keeping markup clean, accessible, and future-proof.

Making Joomla Blog Layouts Work Harder: Using Full Images for Leading Articles

Small layout changes can make a big difference to how content is perceived. One of the most effective improvements you can make to a category blog layout is to treat the leading article differently from the rest — visually signalling that it matters more.

Adding Custom Fields to the Joomla Contact Form

This tutorial explains how to add extra fields to the Joomla Contact form using Custom Fields. The process uses core Joomla functionality, requires no third-party extensions, and is fully upgrade-safe.

You’ll learn how to create a field, configure permissions correctly, control where it appears on the form, and ensure submitted values are included in the contact email.

Restricting Full Articles to Registered Users While Showing an Intro

Joomla’s built-in access control system is one of its strongest features and restricting content in this way is a very common requirement for membership sites, magazines, online courses.

The Spirit of “Us”: How Joomla Builds Community Beyond Code

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

Blog Roll module

On my site I want to have a module listing all the blog posts sorted by date. We can do this out of the box using the new mod_articles (since Joomla 5.2) module.

George Orwell’s Six Rules of Writing Can Help You Create Bookmark-Worthy Joomla Content

Why do some Joomla posts get shared and ranked, while others disappear online? The secret isn’t better SEO or more plugins. It’s better writing.

The 404 That Could: Why Your Joomla Site Deserves a Brilliant Error Page

We’ve all been there, clicking a link full of promise, only to land face-first in the dreaded “404 Not Found.” It’s like opening a door and finding a brick wall. For your visitors, it’s a frustrating dead end. For you, the site owner, it’s an opportunity.

Mastering Joomla Content Versioning: How to Track, Compare, and Restore Article Changes

When managing a website, content changes are inevitable. Articles get updated, pages evolve, and information needs to stay current. But what happens when you need to undo a change or review who edited what? That’s where content versioning in Joomla comes in.

Laragon: The Effortless, High-Performance AMP Server for Windows

Setting up a local web development environment on Windows has long been a chore. Traditional AMP stacks like XAMPP or WAMP can feel clunky, slow, or outdated. Enter Laragon — a sleek, modern, and lightning-fast local server environment designed to make web development effortless.

Power to the Press Release - How to Announce your Joomla News to the World

Organising a Joomla event? Launching a new Joomla extension? Starting a business partnership with another Joomla company? If you have Joomla news that is timely, relevant and valuable, and you want to share it with the world, a press release might help shape the narrative. In this article you'll find 7 steps to make sure your message is clear, complete and credible.

Wrapping Text Around Irregular Shapes in Joomla

Long blocks of text can be difficult to read, especially on a screen. Readers are more likely to stay engaged when text is broken up with images, spacing, or other design elements.

Long blocks of text can be difficult to read, especially on a screen. Readers are more likely to stay engaged when text is broken up with images, spacing, or other design elements.

Back to the Future: 20 Years of Joomla!

Great Scott! It's August 17th, 2025, and Joomla is turning 20! Time to fire up the DeLorean and take a wild ride through the spacetime continuum of open-source history…

How Joomla Volunteers Built a Digital Relief Center After Hurricane Katrina

In the chaotic aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, while floodwaters surged and communications failed, a different kind of rescue operation began online. Not by emergency responders - but by coders, designers, and open-source advocates from around the globe.

From Star-Lord to CMS Superstar: six degrees of Joomla

You might think Hollywood heartthrob Chris Pratt and the open-source content management system Joomla have absolutely nothing in common. One blasts aliens across galaxies; the other powers websites across the internet. But hold onto your mixtapes, because the universe is smaller (and nerdier) than you think.

What is the Joomla Community?

In today’s digital world, community means more than just a group of people. It is about connection, support, and shared goals. Joomla, the open-source content management system (CMS), shows us how technology can bring people together in meaningful and productive ways. It is more than a platform; it is a living community. Here is what Joomla can teach us about building strong digital spaces.

Building a Better Web with Joomla!

What Joomla Teaches Us About Digital Civilization

In a world shaped by digital experiences, Joomla is more than just software. It is a movement rooted in collaboration, community, and a shared responsibility to create a better web.

Leading in Open Source: It’s Not About Doing Everything Yourself

In the world of open source, leadership is less about authority and more about influence. It is not defined by job titles or organizational charts. It is about creating the conditions for others to succeed. One of the most important lessons for any open source leader to learn is this:

Being a leader is not about doing everything yourself.

It is tempting to try, especially if you care deeply about quality or feel responsible for the project's reputation. But leadership is not about being the sole engine of progress. It is about building trust, communicating clearly, and knowing when to step aside so others can lead.

The Pink Elephant Paradox: Why Joomla Can't Just 'Not Be' Something

Have you ever been told, "Don’t think about a pink elephant”? Odds are, a pink elephant popped into your mind instantly.

The Unexpected Joy of a Familiar Footprint

There’s a unique kind of joy, quiet, yet deeply satisfying, that comes when I stumble across a website on my digital wanderings and instantly recognise the fingerprints of Joomla beneath the surface.

How to minimise downtime when transferring a domain

Transferring a domain to a new host with minimal downtime requires careful planning. Here’s the best approach:

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About a Disaster Recovery Plan But Were Afraid to Ask

 In today’s digital landscape, ensuring business continuity is more than just a good idea - it's a necessity.

Lost Your Work? Here's How TinyMCE Can Save the Day

We've all been there: you're working on an article in Joomla and close it without saving. Gone is your work - or isn't it? Brian Teeman explains how to retrieve an article you hadn't saved yet.

Floating Labels and how to use them in your Joomla website

You may have seen them in form fields: labels that seem to float above the field as you're typing. Can you make those in your Joomla website as well? Yes you can! Brian Teeman explains how. 

Managing Template Overrides in Joomla

Joomla's template override functionality allows users to customize the default layout of components, modules, and views, providing extensive flexibility for creating unique designs. Managing template overrides effectively will minimize maintenance challenges on updates.

How to share a page on Facebook

Have you ever shared a link on Facebook only to find the thumbnail was missing, or there was a different picture than you expected? If you don't explicitly tell Facebook what image to use then it makes a guess.

How to give your Joomla template a native app look

In this tutorial I will be building on the full screen home page design that I demonstrated in last month's tutorial How to create a full screen photograph home page to create a more native app look to the template.

How to create a full screen photograph home page

Everything I am going to show here could have been done by creating my own template but as I wanted to ensure that it would be future proof I have done it with CSS, a tiny bit of javascript, and existing Cassiopeia template options. 

AI generated Alt text

There is a place and a time for everything. The current trend is to use Generative AI and LLM (large language models) for everything, but we're not there yet. Although technically inaccurate I will refer to this as AI throughout this article.

Creating full width Joomla modules inside content

Over the last few weeks I have been rebuilding a joomla website that was built with a pagebuilder using just core Joomla and the core Cassiopeia template. This wasn't for a client, it was just as an exercise to satisfy my own belief that you don't need a pagebuilder.

Content Templates - the Joomla Page Builder you didn't know you already had

Why are you using a so-called page builder when Joomla has everything you probably need right in the box? Don't know what I am talking about? Well it's a fairly hidden feature of the TinyMCE editor called Content Templates.

The Pitfalls of Web Fonts: Embracing the Benefits of System Fonts for Web Design

Choosing the right typeface is a critical decision that influences a website's aesthetics, readability, and overall user experience. While web fonts are popular for their versatility and creative possibilities, they come with their fair share of disadvantages. In this post, we'll explore the drawbacks of using web fonts and showcase a new feature in Joomla 5 to make better use of system fonts.

In cyberspace where dangers creep

In cyberspace where dangers creep,
Your secrets kept are not that deep,
Beware the hackers, lurking near,
They'll steal your data, and cause you fear.

Template Overrides - Recycle and reuse

Template overrides are, for me, the most powerful feature of Joomla. I use them a lot and they are what makes the difference between a good looking website and a great one. They can be as simple as moving the intro image above the article title to something more complex, including CSS and JavaScript changes, such as creating a photo gallery from a category of articles or creating a set of buttons to filter the content.

If you build it they will come (or: the 90-9-1 principle of user engagement)

If you are a movie buff then you will have recognised the title of this article as a quotation from the Kevin Costner movie, Field of Dreams. But like all great quotations, that everyone knows, it is never said in the movie. The actual line is "If they build it he will come".

Joomla 5 - It really brings your web site alive

Looking back, looking forward

This week I stumbled across a copy of a keynote presentation given by Paul Delbar at JoomlaDagen 2012 all about Joomla 5 (although he was a bit trendy and used the Roman Numeral V).

Google Analytics - What is it good for?

Last week I visited a website and saw something that I hadn’t seen for what seems like over a decade - a counter telling me I was the 3619th visitor to the site.

Where is this image from and how can I change it?

When a link to your site is posted on social media you will typically see an image as well as the link. Depending on the social media platform you may also see additional information such as a summary of the content.

A Web Without Barriers

Over the last four years I'be been on a journey to learn more about accessibility and to share that knowledge and experience. I've been fortunate to have had some amazing mentors who have given their time (in exchange for the occasional beer and curry) to nudge me in the right direction and answer my queries. When we help each other and work together we can achieve so much more than when we stay marooned on our own islands. Read more …

My First Joomla 4 Website

I don't build many websites. Most of my work is in training and advising people to build their own websites. So when I do need to build a new website I get the opportunity to put my ideas into practice.

Over the last few months I have been working on producing https://www.learnjoomla4.com - a free video course to teach people how to build their first Joomla 4 website.

An image is worth a thousand words

How many times have we heard this phrase but is it really true? Most content creators will spend a long time selecting the perfect photo to illustrate their article. The key word is illustrate. The image should be used to enhance the content. Perhaps to set the mood of the article or to illustrate an example in the text such as a product shot.

JoomlaDay UK - recap

Standing in front of an audience of 167 (including an 11 day old baby) and not seeing a single empty seat when the event began was an awesome feeling. It was only then that I knew we had succeeded in rebooting JoomlaDay UK and proving that we have a large community.

Volunteer Syndrome - Part One

How many times have you heard a person referred to as "just a volunteer" as though "Justa" were a first name?

JoomlaDay UK 2016

JoomlaDay UK is back on Saturday 13th February, right in the heart of London, just 250 yards from Buckingham Palace. Will we have a special guest? Will you be there? During J and Beyond 2015, a group of Brits met up to reboot the event and make JoomlaDay 2016 a real community event.

Did they fix it yet?

Joomla 3.4.4 is scheduled for release on Monday 7th September and a release candidate is available for testing. Each time there is a new release, whether its a bug fix release or a new feature release, you will always find people asking "have they fixed this yet?" or complaining that "this bug that has been there for years" has still not been fixed.

Celebrate Joomla's 10th Birthday

On August 17th Joomla will be 10 years old. That's a truly amazing achievement for any open source project especially one that is 100% community run without any corporate overlord or backer. 10 years of a global community working together motivated not by money or personal gain but solely to create something that the world can use freely. As I look back to the events of August 2005 and the decision we made to leave the comfort of Mambo and start this journey it is hard for me to believe what we have achieved in that time.

Préparation pour parler lors d'une conférence

Ne laissez personne vous dire que vous êtes trop inexpérimenté pour parler lors d'une conférence – tout le monde a quelque chose à partager. Pensez-vous vraiment que certaines personnes naissent orateurs – tout le monde doit parler une première fois. L'idée de parler devant une audience peut être très effrayant, même pour les orateurs expérimentés. Cela requiert beaucoup d'organisation, de préparation et d'entrainement – ne laissez personne vous dire le contraire.

El tiempo nunca alcanza - La paradoja de los voluntarios

Escuchando la presentación de Tessa sobre voluntariado en el JoomlaDay de Israel me golpeó una idea. Si el voluntariado es genial, y yo pienso que lo es y lo he hecho toda mi vida, por qué no todo el mundo lo hace y por qué los que ya lo practicamos no hacemos más? He viajado por todo el mundo y he conocido muchas personas con fantástica pasión y conocimientos sobre Joomla, pero nunca los he visto contribuyendo. Por qué es así? Cuál es el problema con nosotros? Es un problema que podríamos y deberíamos solucionar? Hay tantas maneras diferentes de ayudar voluntariamente al proyecto Joomla, qué es lo que frena a algunas personas para ofrecer algo de su tiempo?

Preparing to Speak at a Conference

Don't let anyone tell you that you are too inexperienced to speak at a conference – everyone has something to share. Do you really think that people were born as speakers – everyone has to speak for the first time. The thought of speaking in front of an audience can be scary even for experienced speakers. It requires a lot of planning, preparation and practice – don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

Golden Times Ahead at J and Beyond 2015

With our theme "Golden times ahead - this is where the future of Joomla happens!" J and Beyond is the International conference for Joomla Developers and site integrators from around the world.

Golden Times Ahead au J and Beyond 2015

Sur le thème "Golden times ahead - this is where the future of Joomla happens!" (que l'on pourrait traduire par "L'age d'or est à venir - c'est ici que le futur de Joomla! se met en place"), J and Beyond est la conférence internationale pour les développeurs et intégrateurs en provenance du monde entier.

Впереди золотые времена - вот где происходит само будущее Joomla!

С нашей темой "Впереди золотые времена - вот где просходит само будущее Joomla!", "J and Beyond" - это международная коференция для разработчиков и интеграторов [системы] Joomla! со всего мира.

There is Never Enough Time - The Volunteer Paradox

Listening to Tessa's keynote on Volunteering at JoomlaDay Israel a thought struck me. If volunteering is so great, and I think it is and I have done it all my life, then why doesn't everyone do it and why don't those of us that do volunteer do it more. I have travelled the world and met so many people with amazing passion and skills for Joomla and yet I never see them contributing. Why is that? Is the problem with us? Is this a problem we can and should be solving? There are so many different ways that people can volunteer to help the Joomla project, so what is stopping some people from giving their time?

Joomla's Got Talent - Have you got the J Factor?

From May 30 to June 1st near Frankfurt, Germany the Joomla community from across the world will be gathering at J and Beyond for 3 days of "Investing in our Future". This is the 5th year of J and Beyond and each time we try to do something a little different. This year is no exception.

Joomla! a un incroyable talent - Avez vous le J Factor ?

Du 30 mai au 1^er juin près de Francfort, en Allemagne, la communauté Joomla! du monde entier va se réunir au J and Beyond pour 3 jours "d'Investissement sur le Futur". C'est la cinquième année pour le J and Beyond, à chaque fois nous essayons de faire quelque chose de légèrement différent et cette fois encore nous ne dérogerons pas à la règle.

A Spy in the Camp

Last week, together with Robert Deutz, I attended the European leg of DrupalCon in Munich Germany. Although I had been invited to speak at the conference I was also interested to observe the Drupal Community and how they run their events. After receiving my invitation to speak there were a few hurdles to clear and I am grateful to OpenSourceMatters for supporting me in "Spreading the Joomla Love" and helping me to share our own unique experiences.