Joomla 3.0.0 Released

The Joomla! Project is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Joomla 3.0.0. This is the next major release of the Joomla CMS in the Standard Term Support (STS) track. All 3.0 users will need to plan to update to the new versions available in the STS release cycle every six months until version 3.5 is released. These updates are expected to be simple and backwards compatible.

Who is this release for?

The standard-term releases are designed for users who need access to the new features. Most users with existing 2.5.x sites will not want to update to version 3.0. Users creating new sites can use either version 2.5 or 3.0, depending on which best suits their needs. Please consider the availability of third-party templates and extensions when deciding which Joomla version to use. Also, if you decide to use version 3.0, please be aware that you will need to update your site every six months (to 3.1, 3.2, and so on) until version 3.5 is available. These updates are expected to be simple and backwards compatible.

What is the status of Joomla! 2.5?

Version 2.5 of the Joomla! CMS is a Long Term Support (LTS) release and support for it will continue until shortly after the release of Joomla 3.5, scheduled for Spring 2014. Users on version 2.5 do not need to migrate to Joomla 3.0.

What is the status of Joomla! 1.5?

Support for Joomla 1.5 will end shortly after the release of Joomla 3.0. It is currently supported only for security issues.

Will I be able to update directly from 2.5 to Joomla! 3?

Yes. Any update issues will be a top priority and will likely be resolved early in the 3.x release train. However, it is likely that many templates and extensions for Joomla 2.5 will need modification to work with Joomla 3. Always test prior to migrating and consult with the developers of any extensions and templates you use. Be aware that the technical requirements for running Joomla 3.0 are different. In addition to requiring newer versions of software, certain settings that were once recommmened are now required such as requiring that magic quotes is off. See the Technical Requirements page for the specifications. See the Joomla 3.0.0 Post-Release FAQs for more detailed information about updating from 2.5 to 3.0.

What are the new features of Joomla! 3?

• Incorporation of Twitter Bootstrap into a jui media package.
• A new responsive, mobile device friendly administrator template--Isis-- and interface.
• A new front end template--Protostar-- built using Twitter Bootstrap.
• Updated accessible template called Beez3.
• A simplified 3-step installation process.
• PostgreSQL Driver. You will be able to run Joomla 3.0 sites using the PostgreSQL database.
• PHP Memcached Driver
• Use of JFeed for feed management rather than SimplePie
• Installation of language packages directly from the extension manager
• Guest user group present by default
• Saving blank articles allowed
• New administrator statistics module
• Update TinyMCE to version 3.5.6
• Continued clean up of older unused code, files and database fields and tables and improved standardization of tables.
• Improvements to Smart Search
• Extensive work on code style standardisation and consistency
• Unit testing in the CMS
• Updated system tests in the CMS 
• Custom active menu item for menu module
• Let the SEF plug-in add the canonical url to the head
• Version 12.2 of the Joomla Platform

This release also includes the current version (12.2) of the Joomla! Platform, which includes a large number of new and improved packages.  

Joomla 3.0.0 Released

jUpgrade v2.5.2 released

Download here:

Today marks the release and immediate availability of jUpgrade v2.5.2, the latest version of the popular Joomla! site migration tool.

One of the most significant improvements that has been made is the addition of lot of new 3rd party extensions and lot of bugs related with bad migration that causes the common [undefined] issue.

Further fixes are listed in the changelog below: + Adding Banners clients and tracks migration ^ Fixing layout param on Article - Newsflash module + Adding Adsmanager plugin + Adding Avreloaded plugin + Adding CsvImproved plugin + Adding Docman plugin + Adding redTextLibrary plugin + Adding XMap plugin ^ Fix menu aliases generation where there was no reason to rename alias ^ Improve code readability on error handling (category, menu migration) ^ Fix fatal error when migrating categories (component only) ^ Fix htmlencoded strings which are escaped in J!2.5 ^ Fix legacy mode on new Joomla versions ^ Updating redComponents plugins + Adding FlippingBook plugin ^ Updating joomla sql file to v2.5.4 ^ Updating some 3rd party extensions plugin + Adding database driver to configuration ^ Better compatibility with joomla-platform 12.1 + Adding Akeeba Release System + Adding SobiPro plugin + Adding Highslide JS plugin + Adding FLEXIcontent plugin + Adding JComment plugin + Adding Ambra Suscriptions plugin + Adding AllEvents plugin + Adding aiContactSafe plugin + Adding AdminTools plugin + Adding AceSEF plugin ^ Fixing JCE migration ^ Fix #31: Category ID=1 gets lost during migration … ^ Fix #29 Uncategorized items (no category) get moved into wrong category … ^ Fix #23 Main Menu module looses its menu assigments ^ Fix category ordering to be the same as in Joomla 1.5 ^ Fix a bug in menus where page header was shown when show_page_heading=0 ^ Fix creating uncategorized categories if database prefix changed ^ Fixing root id on categories ^ Fixing broken categories + Adding uncategorized categories ^ Config formating ^ Keeping the categories id's + Skip core migration added to configuration

Grab the latest copy of jUpgrade v2.5.2 from the "Free Downloads" section. Remember that the jUpgrade online wiki documentation is available in case you need further information or run into trouble. The team are also available to help you migrate your site.


If you come across any bugs, please report them in the jUpgrade Tracker or the Support forums!

Download here:

Top 10 Joomla! Templates for 2011

Top 10 Joomla! Templates for 201

As the year comes to a close we have a chance to stop and look back at the awesome designs that some of the Joomla template providers have put together throughout 2011.

We’ve seen many pushing the boundaries as well as adopting trends in web design but most importantly embracing and supporting the new Joomla 1.6/1.7 release.

This list of templates is a personal list of favourites that we found to push design forward for Joomla as well as being inspirational. Hopefully these will also be inspirational to all other Joomla designers.

Migrating From Joomla 1.5 to 2.5

Are you ready to bring your site on par with the latest Joomla? If you are running Joomla 1.5 on your site, you will soon be faced with the decision to migrate to the most recent version of Joomla, or risk running software that is no longer maintained. That means no more bug fixes, security checks, or any updates. This is a risk you don't want to take!

In this session you will learn the best way to migrate to the latest copy of Joomla. We will walk through a real migration together (of my own site!), and discuss some of the 'gotchas' and common issues that might occur. Regardless if you are technically inclined, you can learn how to migrate your own site(s)!

by Jeremy Wilken

See here: Migrating From Joomla 1.5 to 2.5

Joomla 2.5 Beta2 Released

The Joomla Project is pleased to announce the availability of Joomla 2.5 Beta 2 for download. Version 2.5 is the second release made within the new six-month release cycle that started with the delivery of Joomla 1.6 in January 2011.

What is this release for?

There are several goals for this release:

1. To allow advance testing of sites and custom extensions so that site administrators and developers can report any problems before the final release.
2. To raise awareness that the end of the current development cycle is fast approaching.
3. To allow testing of the upgrade from version 1.7 to 2.5.0.

Click here to download.

What is this release NOT for?

This beta version of Joomla 2.5 Beta2 is not suitable for production sites. It should be used for testing only.

When is the final release due?

Joomla 2.5.0 GA (general availability) is due to be released on 24 January 2012. The planned milestone after this date are:

• 24 February 2012 - Joomla 1.7 reaches end of life and is no longer supported
• April 2012 - Joomla 1.5 reaches end of life
• September 2012 - Next version of Joomla is released

Please note that dates may be subject to change depending on availability of volunteers and circumstances beyond our control.

How do I upgrade to Joomla 2.5?

Upgrading from Joomla 1.7 to Joomla 2.5.0 will be very easy. Most users can use the automatic update or install the update archive using the Extension Manager: Install option.

If you are using Joomla 1.5 then you will still be required to migrate your site using the jUpgrade component.

Joomla 2.5 Beta2 Released

Nine Questions When Preparing Clients for Joomla 2.5

The conventional wisdom, since the release of Joomla 1.7, has been as follows:

• If your website is running in Joomla 1.5, and it's working well, keep it running in 1.5 for now. Move the site to Joomla 2.5 next year.
• If you're building a new website, build it in 1.7 if possible, so you'll have an easy migration to 2.5 next year.

The reason Joomla 2.5 is so important is because it's a long-term release. By moving your website to this version of Joomla, you can keep Joomla's version constant for 18 months, without moving to new versions every 6 months or so. This long-term stability is important for most client businesses, who don't want to undergo a major upgrade and testing every 6 months. Since Joomla 1.5 will reach its end of life in April 2012, and since Joomla 2.5 is released in January 2012, it makes sense to move Joomla 1.5 sites directly to Joomla 2.5.

But what about moving those websites to Joomla 2.5? Have you stopped to consider a process for doing this, outside of the technical issues?

My company, 4Web, Inc., has roughly 80 sites we maintain which are currently running in Joomla 1.5. Most of these sites are quite complex, defined by several characteristics including third party extensions, custom templates, hundreds or thousands of pages, and custom extension development. We've recently discussed how we will manage moving these sites to Joomla 2.5 next year, and we've started to think about how the process might happen from a business perspective. Here are some of the questions we've been considering.

See all 9 here: Nine Questions When Preparing Clients for Joomla 2.5

Joomla 2.5 to be released Jan 24th 2012

The general availability of the official Joomla 2.5.0 release isdue on January 24, 2012. Also, in case you missed it, Beta 1 of Joomla 2.5 was released just as the holidays were getting in full swing. You can also expect another beta and a release candidate from the Joomla developers between now and Release 2.5.0.

Joomla 2.5 to be released Jan 24th

What's new in Joomla! 2.5?

Joomla! 2.5 will be released in January 2012 and it is the successor of Joomla! 1.5. It will be a so called long term release and it will be the Joomla! state of the art until July 2013. The versions 1.6 and 1.7 were short term releases and they paved the way to Joomla! 2.5.

What's new in Joomla! 2.5?:

'via Blog this'

Joomla 2.5 Beta1 Released

The Joomla Project is pleased to announce the availability of Joomla 2.5 Beta 1 for download. This is the second release made within the new six-month release cycle that started with the delivery of Joomla 1.6 in January 2011.

What is this release for?

There are several goals for this release:

1. To allow advance testing of sites and custom extensions so that site administrators and developers can report any problems before the final release.
2. To raise awareness that the end of the current development cycle is fast approaching.
3. To allow testing of the upgrade from version 1.7 to 2.5.0.

Click here to download.

What is this release NOT for?

This beta version of Joomla 2.5 Beta1 is not suitable for production sites. It should be used for testing only.

When is the final release due?

Joomla 2.5.0 GA (general availability) is due to be released on or about 10 January 2012. The planned milestone after this date are:

• 10 February 2012 - Joomla 1.7 reaches end of life and is no longer supported
• April 2012 - Joomla 1.5 reaches end of life
• July 2012 - Next version of Joomla is released

Please note that dates may be subject to change depending on availability of volunteers and circumstances beyond our control.

How do I upgrade to Joomla 2.5?

Upgrading from Joomla 1.7 to Joomla 2.5.0 will be very easy. Most users can use the automatic update or install the update archive using the Extension Manager: Install option.

If you are using Joomla 1.5 then you will still be required to migrate your site using the jUpgrade component.

Joomla 2.5 Beta1 Released:

'via Blog this'

Joomla! Day Chicago - Rehab for Joomla! - The Event of a Lifetime | Joomla! Community Portal

This is the story of how I met Joomla! and why I cannot break the addiction. I was introduced to Joomla! a long ago by a close friend of mine, Irfan Moosani. Irfan said that it was the "best stuff". I had tried other "good stuff" before like the WordPress, and it was pretty darn good, but I had never tried Joomla!.

 I wanted to try new things but I didn't want to try too much. Next thing I knew I was using Joomla! every day and night. I was hooked! Now, my addiction has spread from myself to my team, my family and even my friends now love Joomla!.

After a while of using the Enterprise CMS I could not take anymore of that fancy GUI and guessing; I had to look to get help with Joomla! I found many resources to help me learn my new found addiction. I quickly learned that there were many others like me, addicted to Joomla! In fact, there was a whole community of people addicted to Joomla!.

Joomla! Day Chicago - Rehab for Joomla! - The Event of a Lifetime