Joomla is an open-source CMS that strikes a balance between ease of use and advanced functionality. Launched in 2005 as a fork of the Mambo project, Joomla is ideal for a range of websites, from personal blogs to complex business platforms.
Written in PHP and compatible with databases like MySQL and PostgreSQL, Joomla supports a highly modular architecture, making it easy to extend functionality through plugins, templates, and extensions. Joomla includes features such as multi-language support, built-in caching, and advanced user permissions, making it a solid choice for businesses, nonprofits, and community sites.
With a global community of developers and contributors, Joomla provides extensive documentation and support. While not as widely adopted as WordPress, Joomla offers more flexibility for intermediate users and developers who want to balance customization with user-friendly tools.
Starting with Joomla is straightforward if you choose a hosting provider with one-click installations. However, users may need some technical skills to fully leverage its features.
TL;DR list of pros/cons
Pros:
- Balanced mix of user-friendliness and flexibility.
- Strong multi-language support out of the box.
- Advanced user permissions and access control features.
- Open-source and free, with a wide range of templates and extensions.
- Great for community sites, business websites, and nonprofits.
Cons:
- Less beginner-friendly than WordPress or Wix.
- Fewer themes and plugins compared to WordPress.
- Updates and compatibility issues can occur with third-party extensions.
- Requires some technical knowledge for advanced customization (coding skills required).