Joomla Components, Modules, Plug-ins, Oh My!

Joomla Core Code Designed with extensibility in mind Database stores all content & most configuration Functionality depends on extensions Major changes in 1.5

Designed with extensibility in mind

Database stores all content & most configuration

Functionality depends on extensions

Major changes in 1.5

1.0 vs 1.5 1.0 Support ends July 22, 2009 Migration can be expensive 1.5 extensions still being developed Legacy mode Native Incompatibilities

1.0 Support ends July 22, 2009

Migration can be expensive

1.5 extensions still being developed

Legacy mode

Native Incompatibilities

1.5 Installed Extensions

1.0 Installed Extensions

Components Primary Content Front/Back aspects Menu items link to components Examples com_content com_contact

Primary Content

Front/Back aspects

Menu items link to components

Examples

com_content

com_contact

Modules Place content in ‘positions’ Can coordinate with components Assignable to menu items Different set for Site and Administrator Examples mod_search mod_newsflash mod_poll mod_menu

Place content in ‘positions’

Can coordinate with components

Assignable to menu items

Different set for Site and Administrator

Examples

mod_search

mod_newsflash

mod_poll

mod_menu

Plugins Can respond to events User login/logout Add/modify/delete users Prepare and before/after page display Can generate blocks of special purpose html Provide specialized services

Can respond to events

User login/logout

Add/modify/delete users

Prepare and before/after page display

Can generate blocks of special purpose html

Provide specialized services

Plugins - Authentication Authenticates users at login Joomla LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol) OpenID (See openid.net) GMail Non-Joomla not commonly used

Authenticates users at login

Joomla

LDAP (Lightweight Directory Access Protocol)

OpenID (See openid.net)

GMail

Non-Joomla not commonly used

Plugins - Content Invoked by only 2 Joomla core extensions com_content mod_newsflash Can provide html snippets in content 3 rd party extensions unlikely to invoke Examples Rating Email Cloaking Load Module

Invoked by only 2 Joomla core extensions

com_content

mod_newsflash

Can provide html snippets in content

3 rd party extensions unlikely to invoke

Examples

Rating

Email Cloaking

Load Module

Plugins – Editors/Editors-xtd Invokes defined text/wysiwyg editor Readmore/Image/Pagebreak buttons Default TinyMCE 2.0 No Editor (raw html) XStandard Lite 2.0 Popular favorites WysiwygPro (www.wysiwygpro.com) JCE Editor (www.joomlacontenteditor.net)

Invokes defined text/wysiwyg editor

Readmore/Image/Pagebreak buttons

Default TinyMCE 2.0

No Editor (raw html)

XStandard Lite 2.0

Popular favorites

WysiwygPro (www.wysiwygpro.com)

JCE Editor (www.joomlacontenteditor.net)

Plugins - Search Provides search services for specific extensions com_content (articles/categories/sections) com_weblinks com_contacts com_newsfeeds

Provides search services for specific extensions

com_content (articles/categories/sections)

com_weblinks

com_contacts

com_newsfeeds

Plugins - System More generalized/global effects SEF Legacy Debug

More generalized/global effects

SEF

Legacy

Debug

Plugins – The Rest Contact Not used in Joomla Hooks for coordination with com_contact User Login/logout and add/delete/modify users XMLRPC Provides XML services/feeds Must enable Web Services in configuration

Contact

Not used in Joomla

Hooks for coordination with com_contact

User

Login/logout and add/delete/modify users

XMLRPC

Provides XML services/feeds

Must enable Web Services in configuration

Templates & Languages Just more extension types! Language files can exist for any other type of extension

Just more extension types!

Language files can exist for any other type of extension

Popular Extensions Community Builder (early development) Docman (legacy?) MyBlog/JomComment (largely native) Mass Content (native) Fireboard (native with issues)

Community Builder (early development)

Docman (legacy?)

MyBlog/JomComment (largely native)

Mass Content (native)

Fireboard (native with issues)

Thanks!! Bill Tomczak [email_address] www.joomla4web.com/expo Other Useful Links: docs.joomla.org /Beginners docs.joomla.org/Joomla!_Extensions_Defined docs.joomla.org community.joomla.org/contributor-blogs/64-developer-team-blog/509-an-old-friend-comes-of-age.html And should you need it: odf-converter.sourceforge.net/download.html