Joomla review

Popular site building platform Joomla has gained a reputation for being user-friendly and versatile. 

Used by millions of individuals and organizations around the world, Joomla has proven to be a reliable choice for building everything from simple personal blogs to complex ecommerce sites. 

With a wide range of templates and extensions available, you can customize your website to suit your unique needs and preferences. 

This review will explore the various aspects of Joomla and see why it has become a popular choice among web developers and website owners alike.

What is Joomla CMS? 

Joomla CMS is an open-source content management system used to create and manage websites. It is written in PHP and relies on a MySQL database to store website content and configuration. 

Joomla provides a user-friendly interface that allows you to create, edit, and organize content, manage users and permissions, and customize the website's appearance. It also supports the use of extensions and plugins to extend the functionality of the CMS. 

Joomla is widely used for various types of websites, and its open-source nature enables you to modify and distribute its source code freely.

Features

As a user of Joomla, I'm really impressed with its range of features. One of the things I love is the frontend editing option. It allowed me to make changes to my test website directly from the front end, without having to go through the admin panel. 

This saves time and makes the editing process much more convenient. The content management feature is also fantastic. With the WYSIWYG editor, I can create and edit my test website's content easily. You don't need any technical knowledge or coding skills to make your website look professional and engaging.

Joomla's built-in search tool is a game-changer. It helps my visitors find the information they're looking for quickly and effortlessly. Managing contacts is a breeze with Joomla's contact management tool. You can add multiple contacts, departments, and categories to your site, making it easy for visitors to get in touch with you. It streamlines communication and enhances the user experience.

The media manager is a great asset for organizing and managing my test site media files and folders. I uploaded and organized images, videos, and other media effortlessly on my site. It also keeps websites visually appealing and well-structured.

Monetizing my website is simple thanks to Joomla's banner management feature. With this feature, you can easily add advertising and generate revenue from your website. It's a seamless way to turn your online presence into a profitable venture.

Joomla's multilingual support is outstanding. It's one of the most widely supported open-source multilingual CMS platforms available, offering support for over 70 languages. This feature allows you to reach a global audience and cater to different language preferences.

Joomla’s SEO feature is crucial for maximizing your website's visibility and attracting organic traffic. Also, it's mobile-friendly, ensuring that your website looks great and functions well on various devices.

The unlimited design options in Joomla are remarkable. I was able to customize my test website and created a visually stunning online presence. These gave me the freedom to unleash my creativity and design a website that truly stands out. Flexibility and extensibility are key strengths of Joomla. I was able to integrate third-party extensions and plugins to enhance the functionality of my test website. 

Managing user permissions is a breeze with Joomla's multi-user permission levels feature. I have full control over who can access and edit my website's content. It ensures that my website remains secure and that only authorized individuals can make changes.

Performance 

Joomla offers several extensions that can significantly enhance the performance of your website. One such extension is JCH Optimize, which optimizes the HTML page to improve web vitals like First Contentful Paint (FCP), Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Speed Index (SI), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) measured by PageSpeed Insights.

Another useful plugin I find useful is jQuery Easy, which helps resolve issues that may arise when using instances of jQuery alongside the Mootools libraries, ensuring smooth compatibility between different libraries.

JSpeed is a powerful Joomla performance plugin that automatically applies various improvements recommended by Google PageSpeed best practices. It implements unique technologies like Adaptive Contents, allowing the generation of a lightweight version of the website without sacrificing functionalities, thereby boosting the page speed score.

Cache Cleaner is a handy extension that I used to clean the cache of my test website with just one click, ensuring optimal performance by removing unnecessary cached data.

Mootools Enabler/Disabler is a plugin that allows saving up to 600KB per page load by selectively enabling or disabling the Mootools libraries based on your website's needs.

JS CSS Control, another useful extension, provides control over the loading of JS and CSS files globally and specifically in Joomla, allowing you to optimize the loading process and reduce unnecessary file requests.

For image optimization, ImageRecycle image optimizer offers automatic compression for both new and existing images and PDF files. It also allows you to run background optimization of all your images and notifies you when the process is completed.

JSLazyLoading is a lightweight and performance-oriented plugin that enables lazy loading and multi-serving of images. This technique improves website loading speed by loading images only when they are needed, reducing initial page load time.

These extensions, among others, contribute to optimizing the performance of your Joomla-powered website, allowing you to deliver a faster and more efficient user experience.

How easy is Joomla to use? 

Joomla is relatively easy to use as it provides a straightforward process for signing up and creating an account. On the Joomla website, you will find options such as "Download Joomla", "Launch Joomla," and "Use Joomla" These options give you various ways to access and utilize the platform.

Once you have signed up and created an account, you can navigate to the Cloud Control Panel (CCP) dashboard. The dashboard offers a menu with different options to customize and set up your website with Joomla. Some of these menu items include CCP Home, Shop, Import Site, Support, Training, Billing, New Options, My Account, Development Services, Affiliate System, and Logout.

This menu provides you with a range of tools and resources to tailor your website to your specific needs and preferences. From managing your account settings and accessing support resources to exploring additional services and features, Joomla's menu options give you the flexibility to configure your website according to your requirements.

Pricing 

Joomla offers a range of pricing options to cater to different needs, starting with a free plan that allows you to try out the service, although it does come with certain limitations on the availability of features. 

If you are looking for more advanced features and support, Joomla offers premium plans including the Personal plan, priced at $99 per year, which provides access to all extensions, making it an ideal choice for personal websites. The business plan, priced at $199 per year, offers support for up to five Joomla websites, along with access to all extensions, Joomlatools Connect, Joomlatools Dashboard, and premium support, making it a suitable option for small businesses with multiple websites. For developers and integrators who require more extensive capabilities, the Agency plan is available at $399 per year, allowing unlimited Joomla websites, access to all extensions, Joomlatools Connect, Joomlatools Dashboard, VIP support. 

This plan is specifically designed for those reselling Joomla extensions to their customers, providing a comprehensive solution for their business needs. By offering these pricing options, Joomla aims to accommodate a wide range of users, from individuals to businesses and developers, ensuring that they can select the plan that aligns best with their requirements and budget.

Customer support 

Joomla, unfortunately, does not offer live chat, email, or phone support on its website. However, it provide alternative avenues for customer support through it extensive community resources, ticket and user guides.

One of the primary support options available is the Joomla Community Portal. This portal serves as a hub for Joomla you to connect, interact, and seek assistance from fellow users and experts. It provides a platform where you can ask questions, share knowledge, and engage in discussions related to Joomla and its various aspects.

Also, Joomla organizes events that bring together the Joomla community, including developers, designers, and users. These events offer an opportunity to network, learn, and get hands-on experience with the platform. Attending these events can be beneficial for users seeking support and guidance, as they can interact with experienced individuals who can provide valuable insights and solutions.

User groups are another valuable resource offered by Joomla. These groups consist of local communities of Joomla enthusiasts who meet regularly to discuss Joomla-related topics, share experiences, and provide support to each other. Joining a user group can be advantageous for you if prefer face-to-face interactions and personalized assistance.

Forums play a crucial role in the Joomla support ecosystem. Joomla's official forum allows you to post your queries, seek advice, and receive answers from the community. It serves as a platform for users to share their knowledge, troubleshoot issues collectively, and discover solutions to common problems. The forum is often monitored by knowledgeable individuals who actively participate in resolving user queries.

In addition to these interactive support channels, Joomla offers a comprehensive user guide and documentation. The user guide covers various topics, including installation, configuration, customization, and advanced features of the Joomla platform. It serves as a valuable resource for users seeking self-help and step-by-step instructions on using Joomla effectively.

Lastly, Joomla provides a ticket. The ticket support channel allows you to contact Joomla team of experts for assistance.

Is Joomla right for you? 

If you are considering whether Joomla is the right choice for you, it's important to consider several factors. Firstly, Joomla lacks traditional customer support options such as live chat, email, and phone support. However, it compensates for this by offering an extensive community support portal where you can find assistance and guidance from other users. It also offers ticket supports as well. 

One of the notable advantages of Joomla is that it is an open-source platform, meaning you have the freedom to modify and distribute code without worrying about licensing fees. This flexibility can be advantageous if you have specific customization needs or if you want to contribute to the development of the platform.

Joomla also provides several extensions allowing you to manage your products and content in a unified manner. If you are planning to create an ecommerce site, Joomla can be a suitable choice due to its available features and functionality in this area. When it comes to content and structure flexibility, Joomla offers an intuitive editing experience that resembles working with a Word document. This user-friendly approach can make it easier for you to update and manage your website's content without feeling overwhelmed.

However, it's worth noting that Joomla has a smaller module marketplace compared to WordPress. Finding and maintaining additional modules and add-ons for your site may be more challenging with Joomla. The limited availability of customization options in the marketplace can be a drawback if you require specific functionality that is not readily available. If you are a beginner in website designing, Joomla may not be right for you as it has steep learning curve. However, if you already have experience on website designing, then Joomla is right for you.

• Here's a list of the best free website builder services on the market