Joomla as the most preferred content management system (CMS) has several attributes which stand it in good stead in the gamut of open source software. With SEO friendly features and easily available extensions, Joomla becomes a perfect base for developing your website.
What is this thing called Joomla? That might be the question storming your brain since you started to scout the web for a platform for your website. Well…Joomla is a popular content management system (CMS) that delivers simple website creation, dynamic content, database functionality, and multiple levels of user content access.
1. Why to Use Joomla
Joomla is the first choice of web developers who turn to use open source CMS products. There are several reasons for this trend:
* Free Source Code
An open source software, Joomla is fully free for personal and commercial use. As its source code is freely available on its own website, there is no fear about malicious coding and deadly viruses. People with adequate technical knowledge can download the source code and modify it according to their needs.
* Real Time Menus
Joomla menus are created in real time. This means that menu items can be added or removed using a standard text editor such as notepad and pasting the changes into the Joomla editor. Once modified in Joomla Editor, changes are reflected in all related web pages. Images and other objects in Joomla CMS are also real time.
* Support for External Modules
Availability of external modules makes Joomla software much more useful. With thousands of dedicated programmers on the global scale, the CMS has an array of templates, plug-ins and extensions ready for downloading. Most of these are free, and even if there is a cost, it is much less than regular commercial offers.
* Control Panel
Joomla interface is user friendly and any necessary assistance is easily available at the user forum. Joomla control panel makes it easy to modify content.
* Large User Base
Large user base is in itself a big attribute of Joomla. This ensures huge base of user forums, free code, advice, feedbacks, bug fixes, and templates. Every time you visit the forums, you get something new.
2. Joomla and SEO
Search engine friendliness is an essential factor of any quality CMS today. Joomla factors in all required SEO friendly components. It generates on-the-fly search engine friendly URLs and ads keywords. With no need to invest time in meta tags, this makes things simple. You can easily easily ping your Joomla articles to blogging sites. Availability of RSS Feed Link option ensures generation of article feed which the users can bookmark to social networking sites.
3. Joomla and Web Hosting
Joomla can be installed with a single click on servers which support PHP & MYSQL. Since most servers support PHP, administering Joomla websites becomes an easy task. Even the shopping cart can be easily integrated with Joomla CMS. However, the caveat is that the shopping cart software must be written in PHP.
4. Popular Joomla Extensions
Phoca Gallery – image gallery with slideshow presentation
AllVideos – media management solution for Joomla users
ccNewsletter – newsletter component
!JoomlaComment – enabling Comment feature for articles, blogs
Frontpage SlideShow – impressive home page slide show
You could scout for several service providers online who could help develop and operate your Joomla website. However, while deciding on your service provider, discuss prior the level of assistance and respond time.