Joomla technologies and features

Being a CMS meant for website development and management, Joomla was created using the standard web technologies like PHP, MySQL, and Apache. In addition, it is built using the Model View Controller (MVC) design pattern that separates the view, allowing the developer to concentrate more on the logic and the data. Though built on the technologies mentioned above, Joomla will enable developers to use other databases and technologies like SQL Server, MS IIS, etc.

A stand-out is that Joomla allows creating responsive or mobile-first websites, which is a must for any business nowadays. It also supports features like accessibility, multilingual, extensibility, SEO optimization, easy customization, etc. All of these are equally important for companies to increase their reach and also maintain their user engagement. Moreover, the huge community of users keeps adding free templates to it every day, making it very attractive. 

Joomla also comes with more than 8000 extensions that can help increase a website’s functionality. It also comes with menu and cache management, apart from awesome design features. Using customized templates or creating your own, Joomla makes it all easy. Features like publishing tools, WYSIWYG editor, content versioning, article management, media manager, etc., make Joomla powerful, flexible and user-friendly. More importantly, it helps build secure websites and comes with performance-enhancing features as well.

Whether core updates or extensions update, Joomla makes CMS look like a child’s play; all this is made easy by the extensive documentation available. It also has an integrated help system that makes programming simpler, and the vast community makes it easy to find help for all issues. Joomla has multiple facets that interest web developers, and it provides avenues to explore challenging tasks.

Building blocks of Joomla development

There are four main building blocks to Joomla development, and a Joomla developer may work on any of these. These are components, plugins, modules, and templates. However, a developer must first set up the workstation for Joomla development and be familiar with Joomla’s secure coding guidelines and best practices. All these resources are easily found on the Joomla website and the large community of people associated with it. 

A component is a must-have element in Joomla development and allows creating a base that incorporates the application’s business logic. They are the main functional units that render the content on a specified template. Also, it helps with Joomla extensions to easily bring in a few functionalities later, if required. 

Plugins help react to events, if required in a custom manner, helping to enhance the functionality by sequentially defining a workflow. Joomla comes with a set of core plugin events. The plugins also offer Joomla developers a way to extend extensions by allowing customized responses to events.
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Modules are Joomla extensions that help render the content, often blocks or boxes arranged or assigned in different positions around a component. But it is not necessary that modules be linked to a component and may just represent plain HTML or text. Joomla modules are movable blocks with a placeholder in a template. A template designer can control the module position; the module just fetches the required output and displays it.

Templates provide the structure, layout, and presentation of the website. Joomla provides two kinds of templates to work with - front=end templates and backend templates. The front-end templates help control the presentation, and the backend templates control the way administrative tasks are presented to an administrator. While Joomla provides two front-end templates, Joomla developers are free to third-party front-end templates suiting their website requirements. Joomla also provides two backend templates, and these are rarely changed as they only provide the administrator interface.

Expertise Required 

Requirements - hard skills

• Proficient in the design and development of Joomla-based websites.
• Extensive experience in web technologies like HTML, CSS, JavaScript, PHP, and other Joomla technologies.
• Excellent knowledge of website design principles and guidelines, especially with responsive designs.
• Experience modifying Joomla components and a good understanding of the Joomla plugins and extensions and their usages.
• Good experience having coded, tested, and customized Joomla apps and components.
• Knowledge of Joomla templates and their implementation for the optimized rendering of the website content, focusing on clarity and visual appeal.
• A solid understanding of website security and its implementation using Joomla components and settings.
• In-depth understanding of backend services and integrating the same.
• Proficient with database programming concepts (SQL) and working knowledge of MySQL.
• Good knowledge of code versioning tools like Git, SVN, etc.
• A keen interest in emerging web technologies and trends.
• Well-versed in the software development lifecycle (SDLC), especially in an Agile environment.
• A keen team player with collaborative working, aiding timely deliveries, and contributing to project discussions.
• Ability to consistently deliver high-quality output with minimal guidance and monitoring.

Experience

Joomla developers fall into different categories based on the kind of work they do. For example, there could be Joomla developers who only concentrate on creating or customizing templates. Few others may use their extensive knowledge of Joomla extensions and templates to help build a website. Finally, some developers are mostly graphics-oriented and will help create the look and feel that the businesses desire. Such Joomla developers possess a little more skill and have the ability to create custom web designs. 

The most technical of the Joomla developers are the ones who fully understand the Joomla extensions. They use these extensions for certain functionalities or even create new ones to extend new functionalities to certain website events. The best of the Joomla developers are the ones who can easily club all these activities into one. Hence, the kind of work done by Joomla developers may be more related to their field of work rather than to only do with their experience. However, most Joomla developers gain a complete understanding of the whole ecosystem as they grow in their careers.

• Complete ownership of assigned project modules on all aspects, including design, development, testing, and implementation. 
• Guiding junior Joomla developers and ensuring timely delivery of the project.
• Stakeholder management, issue resolution, and status reporting.
• A good understanding of the brand’s vision and products and services and ensuring the same reflects its website content.

Salary Structure

The salary structure of a Joomla developer may depend on the nature of the work done and is usually available on an hourly rate basis. This means that an organization could hire full-time Joomla developers for their needs or choose to go with freelance Joomla developers. Junior Joomla developers may well look at working with templates only and then progress to more technical work. At higher levels, Joomla developers would understand the complete Joomla framework and contribute at all levels like - choice of template, components, plugins, modules, and essential customizations. We at Skuad can help you hire the best Joomla developer talent in the industry, tailored to meet your requirements.

Industry Expertise ‍

We cater to various sectors - Edutech, Fintech, Healthcare, Logistics & Transport, Retail & Ecommerce, Travel, Banking, Media, and more. From selecting to onboarding, invoicing, compliances, and taxation, we act as your local HR to manage the day-to-day operations related to your overseas employees.