Preparing for Joomla 4.0

Great news for Joomla fans: Joomla 4 alpha has been released and the stable Joomla 4 would be released soon. Joomla 4 shows up with both user experience and code quality improvements such as: Framework 2.0, Bootstrap 4 integration, raise minimum supported PHP version to PHP 7, new media manager, back-end UI improvements, remove previously deprecated functionality and more is expected to give Joomla! large functionality improvements with limited backward compatibility breaks.

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Joomla 4 - a totally new version: Joomla 4 core is built with modern technologies to become a more powerful and easy-to-use CMS platform. Its goal is to simplify the upgrade process by having one-click upgrade for core, minimal backwards compatibility breaks for extensions. Joomla 4 will help developers do more things.

8 most exciting Joomla 4 new features:

• Bootstrap 4 Integration
• More friendly Back-end UI
• Coding improvements
• New front-end template and back-end template
• New Media manager
• Simplified installation process
• Faster page loading times
• Features to improve SEO

1. Bootstrap 4 Integration with Joomla 4

We all know that Bootstrap is the most popular HTML, CSS, and JS framework for building responsive, mobile-first projects on webs. Bootstrap 4 is a major rewrite of the entire project to make it even more powerful.

Joomla 4 and its later versions will stay up-to-date with the latest Bootstrap version to prevent conflict and backward compatibility issues.

2. More friendly Back-end UI

Joomla 4 back-end UI comes with lots of improvements to make it more friendly with users and easier to use.

The back-end navigation is on the sidebar now with a collapsed option. When users click on 1 menu, the main one will be collapsed with icons to give space for the sub-menu bar.

Joomla 4 back-end responsive is also improved, it works faster and looks cleaner.

3. Coding improvements

MVC layer improvement

Joomla 4 will restrict the duties of a component. So, a component is asked to only implement its own core functionality. Everything else is pulled out into the system. This is to help to make the extension more clean for coding. Developers will use “command bus” to oversimplify to extend the functionality where they have a single yet multitask controller.

Orthogonal Component Structure

There will be 2 kinds of components following the orthogonal system:

• Vertical: Weblinks, Contacts, Users, Content, ...
• Horizontal: Versioning, translating, tagging, commenting ...

This approach allows any component to take advantage of new capabilities that are designed to be used across extensions.

UI components using modern technologies

There will be a collection of components developed with the new W3C standard: custom elements. Each component uses plain and optimized java scripts for performance with clean and well-optimized HTML markup to give more benefit for developers.

4. New front-end template and back-end template

Joomla 4 introduced 1 new front-end template: cassiopeia and 1 new back-end template: atum. Both templates integrates Bootstrap 4 and responsive.

5. New Media manager

The new media manager will help users to manage their media files easier. They can structure the folder system and manage files easier. Users can also configure specific permissions for each user’s role.

6. Simplified installation process

Joomla 4 installation process is more simple and easier for a user to get it done. The sample data and multilingual installation is included in the "Customize installation" step.

There can be more options to be added to the installation process like:

• Ability to install extensions (at minimum core supported extensions)
• Rework sample data installation

Joomla 4 alpha installation - all steps

7. Faster page loading times

Joomla 4 focuses on improving coding quality, using modern technologies, removing previously deprecated functionality, new rewritten plugin system, Dependency Injection Containers to replace JFactory, Joomla framework to be used in more components, Code Namespacing and Depreciation and more will help to improve performance a lot.

8. Features to improve SEO

SEO is always one of the most important parts of web development, previous Joomla versions already supported lots of features to help improve SEO: Schema markup integration in most of the page types, heading structure, metadata fields, redirection ... In Joomla 4, it is indicated that SEO features is already listed on the to-do list and hopefully it will be ready in the stable version.

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Joomla 4 FAQs: all you need to know

Joomla 4 alpha download is available for testing. JoomlArt team have researched and got you some FAQs for your concerns about this new upgrades. We will keep posting new questions and answers frequently.

1. Vision and direction for the release of Joomla 4 comes from?

1.1 Deprecated code:

It's been 5 years ago we started using Joomla 3.0 and on regular interval of time we have updates for Joomla 3.0 to 3.8 till now, There is changes in the PHP version as well. In This 3.x series update for Joomla there are alot of code changes has been done, There is 1000 of deprecated classes, functions are found in Joomla 3.8.x that becomes a problem for developers to work on development for Joomla with legacy code and outdated documentations.

1.2 Responsive Joomla user interface:

In 2012 a new Joomla interface is introduced. It's the first Responsive CMS backend. Nowadays all CMS offers the responsive backend and Joomla needs to improve its backend more stylish and responsive to increase the flexibility and stability, The Integration of Bootstrap 4 in Joomla will give it a new look, before Joomla is using Bootstrap 2 .The new Media manager in Joomla 4 is purely based on JavaScript framework with a lot of new Features.

2. The release of Joomla 4 Alpha and development status

2.1 What is Joomla 4 Alpha released for?

Joomla Alpha version is released for testing only and to help extension developers test their extensions on the new Joomla version, report all the bugs and get them fixed well before the final version release.

2.2 What is this version NOT for?

Joomla 4 alpha release is for testing ONLY. Not suitable for production sites as there will be lots of changes in coming versions.

2.3 How can you help Joomla development?

Believe it or not, you don’t have to be a developer to help build Joomla. As long as you could help with sorting bug reports, coding patches and testing solutions, definitely the Joomla Bug Squad always welcome you in the Joomla development process. Furthermore, it’s a great way for enhancing your working knowledge of Joomla, and also a nice way to network with new people from all walk of life.

2.4 When Joomla 4 stable is available?

There is no fixed date for stable version release. Joomla 4 is still being actively developed and will be released soon down the line.

1.5 What is Roadmap for Joomla 4 release ?

Currently Joomla 4 development is under process to implement new features, New Media manager has been already completed.The focus is going on the further development in the Joomla 4 backend development to make it fully ready for bootstrap 4 . There is no specific date to release yet, we are expecting stable Joomla 4 release in 2019.

Want to get more information?

If you are an extension developer, you can subscribe to Joomla's general developer mailing list, a place for extension development discussion, to get the latest update. Useful news and information will be posted here frequently.

3. Joomla 4 New Features

3.1 What are the main benefits in Joomla 4?

Joomla 4 comes with a lot of improvements and new features. The main benefits for the users A new flexible Admin dashboard, New media Manager, New Joomla front end and backend template and Accessibility support. On the other hand it's also helpful for developers as Bootstrap 4 integration will allow developers to create new designs.

3.2 What’s new in Joomla 4.0 so far?

There are lots of new features introduced in the Joomla 4 beta. Here is list of Joomla 4 main features:

• Bootstrap 4 Integration
• More friendly Back-end UI
• Coding improvements
• New front-end template and back-end template
• New Media manager
• Simplified installation process
• Faster page loading times
• Features to improve SEO

Checkout more details about Joomla 4 new features:

• See more 9 exciting new features here in an infographic
• 8 most exciting Joomla 4 new features

3.3 What improvement is in the Joomla 4 front-end?

Joomla 4 introduced 1 new front-end template: cassiopeia, the template integrates Bootstrap 4 and responsive.

Joomla 4 template layout structure

3.4 What improvement is in Joomla 4 back-end?

Joomla 4 introduced 1 new back-end template: atum with Bootstrap 4 integration, improved user interface, responsive and working better in mobile.

3.5 What are Joomla 4 key features?

After trying Joomla 4 Alpha 2, here're the key features of Joomla 4 that I want to share with you!

New Media Manager

The rebuilt Media Manager in Joomla 4 comes with more friendly user interface and more advanced features:

• Multiple files drag and drop uploading
• More tools. to manage files: edit name, file preview, file properties
• Built-in image edition tool: crop images, resize image, rotate images

Simplified and fresh installer

Joomla 4 installation processs will be improved to be clean and simpler with 6 simple steps, the sample data and multilingual installation are included in the "Customize Installation" panel.

High coding quality

Joomla 4 will have clean codebase and high coding quality, over 1000 deprecated classes and functions in Joomla 3.8.

3.6 PHP support: Why Joomla 4 supports minimum PHP 7?

PHP 7 was a major release for the PHP language used for developing websites and online applications. It is estimated that over 80% of websites relies on some version of PHP, fully or to some extent. Look at the comparisons:

• PHP 7 can outpace PHP 5.6 roughly twice as fast
• Request Execution: When Joomla 4 runs on PHP 7, it can execute twice as many requests per second compared to Joomla 3 running on PHP 5.6.
• PHP 7 runs more efficiently requiring less resources. That in turn can lower maintenance costs and even reduce energy consumption

3.7 How're Joomla 3 features compared to Joomla 4 features?

Here're 15 new things to take note for the comparison:

• Bootstrap 2 vs. Bootstrap 4
• LESS vs. SASS
• Responsive vs. mobile-first
• More simplified installation process
• Media manager: fully rebuilt Media Manager
• Default Front-end template: 2 vs. 1
• Default Back-end template: 2 vs. 1
• Mootools and NO Mootools
• Minimum PHP version require: PHP 5.3 and PHP 7
• Back-end navigation: horizontal vs vertical collapse menu
• Responsive Back-end UI: compatible and mobile-first
• Performance / loading time: Good vs. better
• Technologies: outdated vs. latest
• Coding quality: clean and well optimized
• Security features: More features added

3.9 What in Joomla 4 can be improved?

Media Manager

Joomla 4 new media manager will be improved to make it even better: restyling the media form field, adding file downloads and moving/copying files.

Backend Template

The style of the new Joomla 4 back-end template will be improved (style and workflow) and it will be compliant with Level AA of WCAG 2.0

Codebase and performance

As mentioned, the focus of Joomla 4 is coding quality and performance, the Joomla team is working hard to optimize codebase and improve performance so we can expect that, stable version will work much better.

4. Upgrade Information

4.1 What users should expect when upgrading from 3.x to 4?

Upgrading Joomla from one version to another becomes hard for users when the extensions were not supported with Joomla version, In the Joomla 4, developers have alpha version already out to test the extensions on it. In Joomla 3.9 there is also an feature that will allow developers to check the compatibility of extension with Joomla 4. The upgrade to Joomla 4 will give a new flexible system with bootstrap 4 that is fast,stable and has less amount of code.

4.2 Should I plan to upgrade to Joomla 4.0?

Joomla 4.0 is major version so Joomla team will release Joomla 3.9 together with Joomla 4 with the last minor release of Joomla 3 and from Joomla 3.9, user can upgrade to Joomla 4. Joomla 3.9 will be supported for 2 years so you will have quite lots of time to plan for migration to Joomla 4 and update your extensions to Joomla 4.

4.3 How to upgrade to Joomla 4?

The procedure is quite simple, you need to upgrade your Joomla site to Joomla 3.9 (Joomla 3.9 will be released toghether with Joomla 4) and from Joomla 3.9, you can upgrade your site to Joomla 4. A note that you have to make sure template and extensions in your site are compatible with Joomla 4.

4.4 What if I can't upgrade?

An important thing to remember is that Joomla! 3.9, the last scheduled 3.x release, will be supported for two years after its release. Similarly for Joomla! Framework users, the Framework 1.x packages will be supported for roughly the same timeframe (especially as the CMS has inbuilt dependencies to many Framework packages). Again, assuming Joomla! 4.0 releases in 2019, this means you can run your Joomla! 3 site comfortably until 2021. By 2021, you should upgrade your Joomla version as soon as possible as not only will your Joomla version no longer be supported, but most PHP versions that will run Joomla! 3 will be unsupported, as will many server software packages and distributions.

Wednesday, February 6, 2019

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