When setting up a new website there are a lot of factors to consider, like your design and domain name, but the most important of all is choosing the right platform. This is crucial and not a decision to be taken lightly. There are a number of factors that need to be taken into account, such as cost, time, quality, flexibility and control. There is only one award-winning content management system used by millions around the world, including some of the most respected corporations, that meets all of these needs: Joomla. The debate about which is better, WordPress or Joomla, has raged for too long. In this post I will outline the reasons why Joomla reigns supreme and rightly sits atop the Iron Throne of CMSs. By the time you finish reading this post you will be convinced of the need to immediately uninstall your worthless WordPress install and make the switch to Joomla. Your business – and your web cred – depends on it. TL;DR: If you’re scratching your head at this post, don’t worry – it’s just part of our new Friday Funnies :)
1. 2.8% of the World’s Websites Use Joomla
You can’t argue with 35 million downloads and counting, or as the Joomla website says, one download every 2.5 seconds. Impressive stuff. Joomla powers the websites of some of the world’s most well-known and much-loved brands like Pizza Hut and Kelloggs and even the websites for Leonardo Di Caprio and Gorillaz! When you buy an ÄLVROS armchair from the Kuwaiti IKEA website, you can thank Joomla for your smooth transaction. With WordPress now the backbone of more than 20 per cent of websites, Joomla can quietly go about being the best CMS available without the added pressure of being the most popular. A brilliant business strategy.
2. Joomla Has More Than 6000 Extensions
What WordPress folk refer to as “plugins”, Joomla developers refer to as “extensions”. The 12,000+ plugins available to WordPress users is way too much. It’s overkill. I mean, who needs to rainbowify, unicornify or catify their site? There’s no need for all that junk. There’s no need to add even more clutter to Joomla’s already beautiful templates.
3. Some of the Biggest and Most Respected Companies in the World Use Joomla
Pizza Hut, the UK Ministry of Defence, the Greek Government, the High Court of Australia and MTV in Greece are just some of Joomla’s biggest fans. And did I mention that Leonardo Di Caprio uses Joomla? Pretty cool, huh? But what you might not know is that McDonalds is also a convert. That is, McDonalds in Bahrain. If you have a craving for McArabia Chicken or a McRoyale Burger, the local McDonalds website has you covered. Joomla powers the restaurant’s website for the Arabian Peninsula, ensuring information is easily on hand for budding burger flippers with stars in their eyes wanting to find out more about the region’s Hamburger University.
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4. The Admin Area Inspires Greatness
The Joomla admin area makes me so happy!
Just as Muhammad Ali was the greatest, so too is Joomla and its stunning and simple to use admin area. Joomla’s endless lists of text that seem to go on and on and on, the multiple sets of navigation and the fact is calls me a “Super User” like I’m some sort of web wunderkind who controls the interwebs from the admin area that in no way at all looking bland and boring. I’m in love. Logging in conjures up images of riding a unicorn over a sea of rainbows and joy balloons. Yes, I love the admin area. It doesn’t make me want to smash my head on my keyboard at all.
5. The Default Templates are Simply Stunning
Joomla comes with two gorgeous default templates.
I mean Protostar, doesn’t it knock your socks off with its pretty blue flower and all the… other stuff? And don’t get me started on Beez3 with it big blue banner and boxes. There’s no need to download any of the hundreds (not thousands) of fancy new templates when two high quality templates are already installed for free. And when you get tired of one template (which is highly unlikely) you can just switch to the other template.
Conclusion
Joomla is by far the best CMS available and way better than WordPress. It’s just a matter of time before it dominates the market place. Just a matter of time. You wait and see…
If you're doing custom design and development with Joomla! you need all of the tips and tricks you can get your hands on to streamline your development process and make sure you're doing things the correct way. Here are a few tips & tricks for my Joomla! developer friends.
1. Add CSS stylesheet into the <head> from your template override
JHTML::stylesheet('PATH/TO/STYLESHEET.css');
Ever needed to add a stylesheet from a template override? Probably often, right? The code above will insert a <link> to your stylesheet. You can also link to stylesheets that don't live on your server (e.g., files hosted on a CDN).
2. Add a JavaScript file into the <head> from your template override
JHTML::script('PATH/TO/JAVASCRIPT_FILE.js');
Like stylesheets, you may run into instances where you'll need to add an external JavaScript file to the <head> from within a template override (or custom component view). NOTE: Make sure to take a look at your source code to see if items are ordered correctly. Many times, you'll need to place a call to the JavaScript Framework that your script depends on just before the call to your script. For example, if the script that I am including depends on the jQuery framework, my code might look like this:
Don't worry if you've called the jQuery framework elsewhere in your code, Joomla! will only render it once.
3. Add JavaScript frameworks via JHTML
Joomla! 3.2 has added a bunch of JavaScript Frameworks that you can include in your template. We'll use some of these directly in our index.php file of our template if we know that every page will need it. Otherwise, you can include these in your custom modules and components—also in any of your template overrides!
//Bootstrap Framework (This will also automatically enable the jQuery Framework in noConflict mode) JHtml::_('bootstrap.framework')
//jQuery Framework in noConflict mode JHtml::_('jquery.framework');
//jQuery in normal mode JHtml::_('jquery.framework', false);
//jQuery UI framework JHtml::_('jquery.ui');
//jQuery UI with sortable enabled JHtml::_('jquery.ui', array('core', 'sortable'));
//MooTools More framework JHtml::_('behavior.framework', 'More');
There are a slew of other frameworks that you have access to through Jhtml, check out the Joomla! Docs for more.
4. Display a relative date with JhtmlDate::relative
JHtmlDate::relative($this->item->created);
You'll use this when you want to display a relative time instead of the standard date format. There are two optional arguments that you can pass in (unit and time)—check out the Joomla! API Documentation for additional info.
5. Standard Joomla! form field types
Bookmark this page! This list comes in handy when you're building that custom module or component. I reference this page a ton.
6. Things to know when upgrading your Joomla! site
Bookmark this page, too! Ever since Joomla! released version 3, we've been updating our clients' sites. A very tedious task when a site has a ton of custom extensions. The above page will help you transition your old Joomla! site to a beautiful Joomla! 3 site. I find myself referencing this page constantly during an update. And as always, BE SURE TO BACKUP YOUR SITE BEFORE UPDATING.
7. Joomla! Component Creator
http://www.component-creator.com/en/ If you haven't already, you need to give this generator a try. This thing will get you building your new component, literally, in seconds. This has helped us skip all of the legwork that comes with building a template and lets us get into the meat of the development. Trust me, this tool will help you get started on building a component a million times faster.
tags : joomla : cms : webdev : jquery : tutorial : mootools : dev with mtycks
Joomla is one of the most popular Content Management Systems (CMS) in the world, used in over 30 million sites, with over 200,000 community users and endless amounts of extensions. There are extensions for almost every purpose: social networking, advanced comment services, checkout services, easy-to-setup photo albums, the list is endless. So how do you sort through all of them to find those that can really improve your visitors’ experience? Here are some of the free Joomla extensions you shouldn’t be without.
Stalker – Social Network Mod
Most people nowadays use social networks to publicize their ideas and to bring in new visitors to their sites, so having an easy way for people to connect to you is becoming a “must have” for most sites. That’s where this perfectly named extension can be handy.
Stalker is the easiest Joomla extension to display links to all your social networks on your Joomla. It uses an attractive interface that is bound to attract your visitors. Stalker comes with approximately 45 social networks ready to go but you can add any new network you wish. It is easy to install and configure, comes with attractive icons and can be easily modified.
Acajoom – Mailing List Software
There are a lot of paid mailing services around but if you are just starting out, you might not need one just yet. Acajoom is the perfect Joomla extension for people who want to start expanding their list without the costs of paying for a mailing list website to host it for them. Acajoom allows you to personalize your newsletters, import subscribers from other newsletter systems and maintain a public archive.
Community Builder allows you to create your own social networking community. With features such as user profiles, image upload, PMS, Newsletter, Forum and Galleries and a huge number of third party extensions that add even more features to this great component, Community Builder is the easiest way to create an environment that your visitors can personalize and use to share ideas.
Expose Flash Gallery – Photo Album Plugin
Expose is a classy and capable Joomla extension for displaying your images. It is not the simplest one to use, but its small learning curve is certainly worth the effort. It has a very small footprint for a Flash gallery and allows you to create several separate albums.
If you would like to integrate a complete shopping cart to your Joomla, you should seriously consider Virtuemart. It has most features you can find in stand alone shopping cart such as order history for the customers, confirmation email, product ratings, downloadable products and 128-bit encryption. It also works with most payment gateways such as Paypal, Authorize.net and 2Checkout.
Make your site more interactive and gather more information about your visitors by allowing them to comment on your articles and products. JComments allows them to participate while giving you full moderation control and encourages people to register. JComments includes anti-spam features and integration with many third-party extensions.
Anyone who has tried adding JavaScript, custom PHP or HTML to Joomla has had to struggle getting it to work. Jumi is a great Joomla extension to integrate and create new components, customize plugins and run Javascript easily. It’s a great platform that allows you to try simple script files and to include extra banners, develop forms and include static html pages into module positions without any fuss. It’s perfect for the more advanced user who wants to expand Joomla’s capabilities.
In this tough economy, it’s important to be able to monetize one’s site and help create some added income. Google Adsense is a great way to do that, but it’s difficult to integrate it within Joomla’s modules and place the ads where you want to display them. Phoca Google Adsense Easy offers an easy solution to that problem, allowing you to simply copy and paste the Adsense code and place it wherever you want into the site. It can also be used to add the Google Calendar and Google Search code.
Joomla Pack allows you to create a site backup that can be restored on any Joomla!-capable server. It creates a full backup of your site in a single archive. It can be used to move your site to a different host or simply as a safety back up that can be used to restore the site in case of problems or server timeouts.
As many of you might have noticed, Joomla’s page editor is limited and awkward at times. JCE adds many formatting features that are missing from the original editor, such as background color, fonts and styles and better multimedia control. A great time saver for those who can edit the page code by hand and a must have for those who can’t.
With over almost 4000 extensions, Joomla has the support of the open source community and the constant influx of creative minds willing to offer their software for free. Try out the ten suggested here then go back and explore all the other tantalizing extensions you can find. You are sure to find one for almost every need you have. Have we left out your favourite Joomla extensions? Share them with us in the comments!
The Joomla! Framework™ is a new PHP framework (a collection of software libraries/packages) for writing web and command line applications in PHP, without the features and corresponding overhead found in the Joomla! Content Management System (CMS). It provides a structurally sound foundation, which is easy to adapt and easy to extend. The Joomla! Framework is free and open source software, distributed under the GNU General Public License version 2 or later; and is comprised of code originally developed for the Joomla! CMS™. The Joomla! Framework should not be confused with the hugely popular Joomla! CMS. It is important to remember that you do not need to install the Joomla! Framework to use the CMS, nor do you need to install the Joomla! CMS to use the Framework.
Getting Started
The new Joomla! Framework is now available to install via Composer and you can find the list of packages on Packagist.org. There are plenty of avenues you can explore to get started on working with the Framework. For the official docs, check out the README.md file found in each package. You can also review the Joomla! Framework organization on GitHub.
Get the Sample Application
The easiest way to get to know the Joomla! Framework is to start with the sample app.
Separating the framework from the CMS was a big deal, and in retrospect, a smart decision. By separating the two code bases Joomla!® can now offer the stability the CMS requires while still taking advantage of current and modern trends in PHP development.
What is the Framework good for?
Building a RESTful web services platform
Building both simple and complex command line tools
The Joomla! Framework has also been designed for maximum flexibility. Breaking the Framework into isolated modular packages allows each package to evolve more easily than if all packages are tied to a single, large package release. Gone are the days when a PHP framework must offer anything and everything a developer needs to complete a project. The current and widely adopted modern practice is to employ lightweight independent feature-specific packages. The Framework is distributed with Composer, and as such, allows you to include any other PHP code packages that you can install using Composer. And that's a LOT! Take a look at Packagist.org to see the kind and quality of code which becomes available when using Composer for dependency management.
What does the Joomla! Framework mean for you?
Whether you are a Joomla! extension developer looking to spread your wings & delve into developing standalone applications or a PHP coder looking for a stable lightweight framework for your next app, the Framework provides benefits for everyone.
I am already developing Extensions for the Joomla! CMS. Why should I consider using the Joomla! Framework?
You have invested significant time & effort in learning the Joomla! way of doing things & writing extensions. You can now apply this same knowledge within a non-CMS environment because the Joomla! Framework maintains a similar set of function, class, and method names. It's important to keep in mind other situations, such as what happens when you land a project that needs a different type of application. Or when something doesn't really fit into the website or CMS box, or the CMS is simply too much overhead. There may be times when you need a simple tool to migrate data from one Business Intelligence system to another or a lightweight RESTful service to talk to a mobile application. These are all cases when a framework-based application will prove much more beneficial. These are only a few of the many situations where a framework based solution would work far better than attempting to shoehorn a solution into the Joomla! CMS. The Joomla! Framework allows you to leverage all that Joomla! knowledge to build apps without the overhead of the CMS.
I know PHP already. Why should I use this framework?
If you are a strong coder looking for a lightweight framework that is easy to adapt and extend, you are in the right place. The Joomla! Framework is available using Composer. This allows you to build projects from the many packages included in the Joomla! Framework as well as packages that best fit your needs from any of the other PHP frameworks that use Composer.
I am a Joomla! CMS User. How will I be affected?
The Joomla! CMS and the Joomla! Framework are currently developed independently and, thus, the Framework's launch will not have an immediate impact for you. However, there are already parts of the Framework integrated into the CMS (e.g. the Dependency Injection package, added in Joomla! 3.2), and more is coming. Expect to see some great extensions made available to you, built using the Framework! The Joomla! Framework aims at getting the latest in PHP developments and features into Joomla! at the framework level. This allows the CMS to better focus its aims on providing the best features for its end users and staying ahead of the game. Bottom line, you can rest assured that your favorite CMS will continue to have a strong, up-to-date and robust base that can evolve with the web.
Get Involved
Support
The Joomla! Framework incorporated support in a simple step-by-step process. You can quickly determine the best way to get help by following one of the options below:
First Option: Just Fix it
Developers are encouraged to take an active approach with the Framework, including future updates and development. If you find a problem or bug and can fix the issue directly, then you can fix the issue and submit a pull request against the repository. Not sure how to get started with submitting a pull request? You can view pull request tutorials in the Joomla! documents site.
Second Option: Report it
If you find an issue in a Framework package and cannot fix the issue directly, then the next step is to report the problem. Issues can be reported on the Joomla! Framework organization under the appropriate package. Submitting an issue here will help everyone track issues in a central location. Please be available to add comments and respond to questions related to your issue as other developers begin assisting in writing code to fix the issue. More information regarding reporting issues can be found here.
Other Option: Learn it
Perhaps as you're working with the Framework you find a feature or an issue that you are simply unsure about how to use it. In this case, it would not be appropriate to attempt either of the steps listed above. You can take advantage of the Joomla! Framework mailing list where you can get help from other developers. Be respectful and courteous in the mailing list and you will receive quick helpful feedback to help you better utilize the Framework to its full potential.
A Clock will be displayed showing changing time with Hour , minutes and seconds.
User should able to use time picker to select three fields - hour , minutes and seconds. Each field will have one up and one down button to set the value. Hour field can be set between 0 - 23, minutes can be set from 0-59 and seconds can be set to 0-59.
User can directly enter the value in respective fields without using the buttons.
Displaying the alarm set value.
While selecting the data for the alarm we will display the values for user. While setting the data we will keep the background colour of the display as Yellow. Once the alarm is set we will display Green color background. Once time is over the background color we will change to red.
After fixing all the values user has to use Set Alarm button to activate the alarm.
How the Alarm Clock Script work
To set the alarm we will have three fields ( hour , minutes, Seconds ). Each field will have one pair of buttons, one for incrementing value and other for decrementing value. Each click of this button will carry two parameters to a function update_alarm(). One is type of button ( Hour , Minutes or Seconds ) , other one is direction ( Up, Down ).
Here is one sample button used for incrementing minutes field (type=m, direction = Up)
Inside the function update_alarm() we will use one switch function to execute different code blocks for each field. First we will read the data from the respective field after converting to integer by using parseInt() function.
var h =parseInt(document.getElementById('h1').value);
Based on the type of button pressed ( up or down ) we will add or subtract 1 from the value we read. We will keep one upper limit and lower limit for the value.
if(direction =='up' && h < 24){ h=h+1;} if(direction =='down' && h > 0){ h=h-1;}
If the user directly enteres the value in hour field then we have to check and restrict the data between 0 & 23
if(h >24){h=24;} if(h <0){h=0;}
While displaying we will have to add 0 before single digit values. For example we have to display 5 hours as 05 and not like 5. So we will convert the data to string and then based on the length we will add one 0 before it.
h=h.toString(); if(h.length < 2){ var h='0'+h; }
Finally we will store the formatted output in the field.
document.getElementById('h1').value = h; break;
Same way we will store Minutes and seconds value in the field.
How to set the Alarm
After selecting the time components user will click the button saying ‘Set Alarm’. This will trigger the function set_alarm() Inside the function set_alarm() we will read the Hour, minutes and seconds from the time picker ( selection ) and using this a new date & time object is created.
function set_alarm(){ var dt_alarm= new Date(); dt_alarm.setHours(parseInt(document.getElementById('h1').value)); dt_alarm.setMinutes(parseInt(document.getElementById('m1').value)); dt_alarm.setSeconds(parseInt(document.getElementById('s1').value)); ....
Then we will collect the getTime() value of this date object ( our alarm set values) and store it in a global variable we declared earlier.
Now our Alarm clock time is set so background color of our Alarm display is set to green.
Matching time with Clock
In our displaying clock tutorial you have seen how a clock is displayed. Here we are using a refreshing rate of 1 second. The function display_ct() runs in every second and it display the changing clock showing time and date. Then we calculate the getTime() value of present time and compare it with getTime() value alarm set value calculated earlier and stored in a global variable. If the alarm set value is more, then it is time to give the alarm, we can change the background color of displayed alarm clock and give one alert message saying time is over. Otherwise continue to show the clock by displaying changing time. Each second the cycle repeats and new date object getTime() value is compared with alarm set value.
function display_ct() { var dt = new Date(); document.getElementById('ct4').innerHTML = dt; if((dt.getTime() >= global_dt_alarm_sec) && (global_dt_alarm_sec > 1000)){ document.getElementById('ct3').style.background='#f00040'; global_dt_alarm_sec=0; alert('Time over'); } tt=display_c(); }
This is the only PHP script that I wrote and use nearly everyday but never published! My stopwatch / timer script… I use it to test, benchmark most of the other scripts I write. Sometimes webmasters use something similar to show you Page Generation times at the bottom of a web page; not unlike what I have done myself at the bottom of this page e.g.
1
Vilitas.com created this page in 0.105253 seconds.
So, not only is this Timer / Stopwatch code good for figuring out how efficiently your code runs, it also helps to add to your page content!
PHP Page Generation / Timer script
Copy the entire code below and save it as stopwatch.php if you want to use it as a benchmarking tool while you test your different PHP scripts.
