Introduction
Joomla is another Content management system (CMS) framework based on the MVC framework created to build interactive websites.
Download
The first and foremost step is to download the setup:
Visit this link and get the setup for the latest version:
https://downloads.joomla.org/
Installation
After downloading the setup, install it on the whichever platform you are comfortable with, create the empty database and simply follow the installation steps that Joomla provides.
Steps are easy to follow and the setup can be installed with ease.
After the installation part is done, visit the URL and the default homepage can be seen.
Visit the administrator side by appending the URL with /administrator and use the credentials you mentioned in the installation process.
If you phase any issue, then you can visit these links for step-by-step tutorials.
- https://www.tutorialspoint.com/joomla/
- https://docs.joomla.org/Portal:Beginners
After you have successfully logged into the admin side, you can check global configuration settings in 'site->global configuration' on the top menu where you can check all the settings.
Mainly in the Joomla site, the first thing is Templates, which can be compared with the themes in WordPress.
From the top menu go to the Extensions->Template manager, here you will see the list of templates created.
For front side and admin side different layouts are assigned. Which is mentioned and those which have been set are shown with star symbol.
You can click and also edit the files according to your use and also can be accessed in the file listings.
Creating a template
First of all, study the existing templates and create a new one. Along with creating the folder, you have to create the templateDetails.xml file through which the template is installed. This file contains all the info about the template, including the folder and file names in the template. One more file which is important is the index.php file. This is called whenever the site is accessed.
Index.php file contains all the codes, which include the necessary CSS and JS files from the template and calling the data based on the position names. We can create our own positions and when put in the file, whichever modules are associated with the position is called and the data is printed.
After creating these files, make a zip and install the ZIP by going into the extension->extension manager and then activate it.
Extensions
In Joomla, we work with plugins, components, and modules, which we code and make the functionality work. The majority of times, we will be working with the modules and components.
After installation, the default ones are provided by Joomla and we can also download the other components provided by others. Go to 'Extensions->extension manager'. From here, we can install all the templates, plugins, modules, and components.
In the extension menu, you can see the 'module manager' which lists all the modules created by us to show on the front end. Each of them is assigned the position name. That position name is called in the template file and the data fetching is done.
Example
If m1 module is created with positions, then in the file it may have been called with something like this:
<jdoc:include type="modules" name="position1" style="xhtml"/>
Jdoc is used to call the modules based on the position names.
In the file structures, the modules can be accessed in the modules folder and components in the components folder.
It's the same as this for the plugins. They can be accessed in the 'extensions->plugins manager'.
Another item is language manager where we can install different languages and make our site dual language or more too.
Content
Just like we created the posts in the WordPress, we create the articles in Joomla.
This can be done in the content section 'content->article manager' from the top menu.
In the same way, categories can be created and can be assigned to the articles in 'content->category manager'
To insert the images, videos, docs, etc., we go to the media manager 'content->media manager.'
Menus
The main menu is by default created in the menu and in that Home menu item is created which is our main home page which is opened on our front side.
Both the main menu and home menu item is set as 'star' symbol. You can create more menu items and other menus and can call them by creating the modules and calling them using the positions specified.
Users
This lists out all the users that have been added to the site through registration.
We can assign the different access levels to the users and based on that we can restrict several users from accessing certain functionality.
Components
Components list all the components created. We can create our own components too by studying them and later build one using it. The same goes for the modules.
Since components may seem complex initially and the functionalities are vast then the basic components can be created with the use of one site. Without any hassle, this creates the component for you based on your requirements.
Here is the link: https://www.component-creator.com/en/
After this is done, then you can start your coding in it.
NOTE
Each module, component, and plugin is separate for the front end and admin side.
One component made can not be run for all, we have to make it different for both the admin and front side.
You can choose to simply make them either for admin or front side as well, which is managed in the XML file, created with the component file.
Modules
Modules are created for functionality, which we want to make according to our needs.
Study them and make one according to it step by step. Modules are relatively easier and smaller compared to components and for quick functionality modules are always preferred.
Modules are also created with XML files, which includes basic information about it. Based on this data and making the ZIP of it we install it in the extensions manager.
As a beginner go through all the settings and every menu item in the administrator side and the file structures and understand how it works. Once you have enough workaround with Joomla, go for creating the modules and components.
Firstly, make a simple blog site and make it interactive. Creating the blog will make you aware of most of the Joomla features at an intermediate level.
Study all the files of a particular template, module, and component to have awareness about the coding flow and try to make one of your own.
All the best!
Summary
In this article, we learned Joomla is another Content management system(CMS) framework.
I hope that you found this tutorial easy to follow and understand.