An overview of Joomla 3 as presented to the Joomla User Group Brisbane by Andrew Eddie on 19 September 2012. It covers topics such as the new features in Joomla 3, the new Bootstrap/LESS frameworks for templates, and guidance for upgrading from Joomla 1.5 and 2.5 (to 3.0).

1. Joomla! 3
Brisbane Joomla User Group - 19 September 2012
Andrew Eddie

3. Executive summary
3.0.0 due on or about 26 September 2012
Expect some change
‣ an increment in the first number of the version allows for breaking changes
‣ major changes are in the template markup
Upgrading the site from 2.5 will be [relatively] easy
‣ but migrating from 1.5 will still be hard
Stability comparable to 2.5
‣ but bugs will still be thrown in for free

4. New feature highlights

5. Bootstrap templates (protostar frontend template shown)

6. Some visual changes but minimal training difference for administrators
between 2.5 and 3.0

7. Refactored UI
Drag and drop ordering

8. Install accredited language packs from within the administrator

9. Unified global configuration and component options

10. More feature highlights
jQuery in the core sitting beside Mootools
Multiple sample data options
New Joomla Platform under the hood
‣ Version 12.2

11. Installation
3 simplified steps
PHP 5.3.1+
MySQL 5.1+ (InnoDB support required)

12. Step 1 - Site details and administrator settings

13. Step 2 - Database
Note that PostgreSQL is now an option

14. Step 3 - Install sample data, configuration summary

15. Step 3 - server checklist

16. As-you-go progress of the installation

17. The familiar “all is well” screen

18. Templates
Bootstrap
jQuery

19. Bootstrap
Grand vision
‣ A means to an end, but not the end itself
‣ Rich palette of standard UI elements - the visual DNA of a Joomla site
‣ Unifies the frontend and backend experience
Why Bootstrap
‣ Popular and widely adopted standard
‣ LESS is more
‣ Responsive grid
‣ Looks great of all the good browsers, oh, and makes IE behave too
‣ Looks and performs great on multiple devices
‣ Templates available outside the regular Joomla marketplaces

20. For designers
Possible to opt out
‣ All the jdoc: tags and PHP are still available
‣ Just need to skin all the styles yourself
Icomoon font based icons
‣ 715 possible vector icons that scale and colour easily
LESS CSS
‣ Core found in /media/jui
‣ Most customisation in *.less files
‣ Compile and compress your responsibility

21. For developers
Lots to Bootstrap cheat sheets around
No need to mess around with custom template styles
‣ For those that can’t help themselves, follow the conventions
‣ Push back changes to the core for others to use

22. jQuery and Mootools are not the same, but ...
Bootstrap runs natively with jQuery
‣ Version 1.8.1 included with Joomla 3
Mootools provided for backward compatibility
‣ Long term goal is to retire Mootools support

23. Shipped templates
Frontend
‣ Protostar (pure Bootstrap)
‣ Beez3
Backend
‣ Isis
‣ Hathor (revised)
‣ Bluestork “maybe” but not out of the gate

24. Developers
Platform upgrades from 11.4 to 12.2

25. A few gotcha’s
PHP 5.3 required for Joomla 3
‣ Platform updated to 12.2
‣ Old PHP 4 is starting to break
Use maximum error reporting
‣ Strict mode if possible, including testing installation of your extension
‣ Log deprecated API via the Debug plugin
Type hinting
Catching exceptions
‣ All database errors throw exceptions automatically

26. And a few more
JModel, JView, JController are now interfaces
‣ Use JModelLegacy, etc, instead
‣ Also supported in 2.5.6 to make dual-version components easier to build
Legacy and transitional issues
‣ *.toolbar.php (Joomla 1.0 style) no longer supported
‣ Module name must start with “mod_”
‣ Old plugin folder layout will no longer work
Session cookie not accessible via JavaScript anymore

27. Upgrading
From 2.5
From 1.6/1.7
From 1.5

28. Upgrade paths
From 2.5
‣ Upgrade automatically via Joomla! Update component
‣ Adjust “Update server” option

29. Upgrade paths
From 1.6, 1.7
‣ Why aren’t you on 2.5 already?
‣ Upgrade automatically through 2.5 using the Extension Manager

30. Upgrade paths
From Joomla 1.5
‣ No direct path to 3.0
‣ Must migrate through 2.5 using jUpgrade
‣ http://docs.joomla.org/Migrating_from_Joomla_1.5_to_Joomla_2.5

31. And what are you missing out on?
Joomla 1.6 (Jan 2011) Joomla 1.7 (July 2011)
‣ Released 10 January 2011 ‣ Automatic Joomla upgrades from 1.6
‣ Advanced access controls for viewing and ‣ Ajax installer
administrative actions
‣ Lots of multi-language improvements
‣ Customisable user groups
‣ Copy and move consistencies
‣ Nested categories
‣ Improved menu management
‣ Template styles
‣ Extension discovery and updates
‣ Time-based module publishing
‣ Save & New, Save to Copy ...

32. But wait, there’s more
Joomla 2.5 (January 2012) Joomla 2.5.4
‣ Smart search (aka Finder) ‣ Overhauled the Joomla updater (safer and
more reliable)
‣ Microsoft database support; fix database
tools Joomla 2.5.5
‣ Update notifications ‣ Copy a template
‣ CAPTCHA plugin ‣ Terms of service for user profile plugin
‣ Link a module for new menus ‣ Lock user login names
‣ Input filtering for custom groups ‣ Image preview for image parameters
‣ Manage language overrides ‣ Toggle buttons for each menu set in the
module manager
‣ User notes
‣ Multi-file upload

33. Do you upgrade?
It depends ...
‣ on if you need the features in the “next” version (be that 2.5 or 3)
‣ on if there are compatible extensions available for version 3
‣ on if you can get your template to work for 3

34. What’s next?

35. The release cycle continues
Joomla 3.x and beyond
‣ 3.1 - March 2013
‣ 3.2 - September 2013
‣ 3.5 + 4.0 - March 2014
Joomla 2.5
‣ Full bug support up to 3.0 release
‣ Full security support at least until June 2014
Joomla 1.5
‣ Technically reaches end-of-life with the release of 3.0
‣ Will phase out of JED as demand wanes (much like for 1.0)

36. Wants and needs
Volunteers
‣ Anyone can participate in the Joomla Bug Squad
‣ Developers and designers for CMS features
‣ People who can write system tests
Top feature ideas (from the ideas.joomla.org site)
‣ A code backup solution
‣ Content versioning
Documentation
‣ Great for casual contribution
‣ 2.5 help screens are not up to date
‣ New documentation needed for 3.0

37. Additional resources
community.joomla.org—1671-joomla-30-alpha-2-notes.html
kyleledbetter.com—jui
hwdmediashare.co.uk—228-bootstrap-jhtml-library-joomla-3-0
www.joomla.org—5460-joomla-3-0-beta1-released.html
lesscss.org
icomoon.io
docs.joomla.org—Potential_backward_compatibility_issues_in_Joomla_3.0

38. Questions?