Summary: This module gives an overview of the technical concept used in the Joomla content management system. It includes some hints how Joomla can be tailored to organization specific needs.
Joomla is a web content management system. It helps technical and nontechnical users to produce and manage potentially huge web sites. The name 'Joomla' is the English spelling of the Swahili word jumla meaning 'all together'.
This module describes the technical concepts of Joomla for all users. It is currently a draft.
The front end is what the general public sees, the web page as such. The upper left of the figure above shows the general public. The lower left shows how people who have an user account (i.e. they can "log in" to the system", they are registered users) perceive the system. Both groups of people approach the front end of the CMS (Content management system).
The right hand side in the diagram above shows how system administrators and media managers perceive the CMS. They use functions to add users, media (pictures, PDF files, sounds, video clips, flash files) and templates. Below you see the control panel which is the main part of the backend entry page.
The diagram above shows the "inside view" of the system. The most important parts are shown and described below.
First of all there is the collection of texts. In Joomla terminology they are called "Articles". With the article manager function articles are made visible to the general public or only be visible to people who have a user account on the CMS. An article has to be assigned to a 'category' which in turn is assigned to a 'section'. The screen shot below shows how a new article is edited with a word processor like interface directly in the web browser.
The menu definition is independent of the article collection. The menu entries point to a particular article. The menu system may be changed without any need to change the articles.
The media manager looks like a file explorer with folders and files. The media collection includes most prominently pictures which may appear (beeing linked into) different articles. Here reside as well PDF files which people may download.
The template governs how the web site is presented. This includes the layout, the size of the fonts and pictures, the icons and colors. The type and the position of the menu (vertical on the left hand side or horizontal on top) is defined by the template as well. It may be exchanged without touching the content (i.e. the articles and the media). There is a showcase list of sites which categorizes over 2000 Joomla webpages using different layouts.
The user records keep track of registered users. They include information what the user can do with the web site. Let's take the example of the 'author' role. An author first has to login into the system. Then there is a user friendly word processor type entry screen where he or she can change the text of an existing article and format the text in bold, italic etc and create links to pictures.
The following pictures shows an entry screen for a new user. It is part of the backend. Note the different roles to choose from for a user.
Modules are small boxes in the layout which display things like links to recently added articles, most popular articles, news and similar things.
Table 1 gives a list of the activities needed for a setup of a Joomla web site.
| 1 | Install Joomla | Super Administrator | (may be done by the provider) |
| 2 | Choose a template and adapt it. | Super Administrator | One of the many ready made templates may be used and adapted slightly (labels) |
| 3 | Set up registered user accounts and assign editing rights | Administrator | |
| 4 | Create basic collection of articles | Manager | |
| 5 | Create initial collection of media | Manager | |
| 6 | Set up initial menu structure and link to articles. | Manager |
Table 2 shows the typical maintenance and extension activities.
| 7 | Edit existing article | Manager/Author/Editor | |
| 8 | Add article | Manager | |
| 9 | Upload additional media | Manager | (Images / PDF files) |
| 10 | Extend menu and link it to new article | Manager |
Main Joomla web site http://www.joomla.org/. A demo site site is available where you can try out administering Joomla.
Glossary of Joomla terms
More about this module: Metadata | Downloads | Version History
This work is licensed by Hannes Hirzel under a Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 3.0), and is an Open Educational Resource.
Last edited by Hannes Hirzel on Apr 1, 2011 7:00 am -0500.
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