Having no exposure to Joomla before arriving at Atomic DC, I didn’t have any opinions one way or the other about it. What I have discovered is that Joomla is a lot like Dreamweaver, but it has a lot more to offer. Joomla is an open source content management system that enables the construction of websites and powerful online applications, and it also does a really good job of helping to keep your content organized.

Joomla has five types of extensions: Components, Modules, Plug-ins, Templates, and Languages.

Components are Joomla’s main functional units. Joomla comes preloaded with some core components such as JCE editor (WYSIWYG editor), news feeds, contacts, and messaging. You can check them out at Joomla! Extensions Directory.

Module positions are where you put all of the other functions of your Joomla site. Modules such as breadcrumbs, menus, news, and header and footer can be added to your Joomla site as needed or desired.

Plug-ins are triggered by different events. Some cool plug-ins that you may want to try for your website are forms, Google Maps, event calendars, and slideshows. More info on plug-ins can be found on Joomla’s website.

Templates dominate the overall look and layout of a site. There are dozens to choose from available at Joomla Bamboo . You can even edit Joomla templates in Dreamweaver if you want to. Is that cool or what?

Languages enables the translation of your website into the other languages.

One of the best things about Joomla is its price – it’s free! All you have to do is install Joomla on your web hosting space. After that, you have the ability to use it whenever you want.

I’ve really enjoyed learning how to use Joomla, and I think you will as well.

Happy Joomlaing!