Glossary
These are terms that people use when talking about Joomla!, whether in this book, on the Joomla! forums, at a JUG meeting, or during a Joomla! Day. This glossary should help you understand better what people mean when they talk about Joomla!
3PD An acronym for “third-party developer,” someone who makes extensions for Joomla!
404 error An error that occurs when a user attempts to navigate to a Web page that does not exist. There are a number of situations where site administrators can unintentionally cause 404 errors, for example, moving a page without setting up a redirect. Another common error is creating a public menu link to items that are restricted to logged-in users.
accessibility Accessibility in a Web site refers to whether the site is usable for people with disabilities. For example, a blind person who uses a screen reader will be able to use a site if it is accessible. Similarly, if someone is color-blind and can’t distinguish certain colors (which is true for about 8 percent of all men), a site should still be accessible to them. Beez is a template designed to meet accessibility standards.
ACL An acronym for “Access Control Lists,” the system that controls who can see what and who can take what actions on a site. Joomla! 1.5 had a fixed list of user groups (Public, Registered, Author, Editor, Publisher, Manager, Administrator, and Super Administrator) and access levels (Public, Registered, and Special). Since the release of version 1.6, Joomla! has had a flexible system that administrators can make as simple or complex as needed.
Administrator (1) Users in the default Administrator group can log in to the back end and front end of Joomla! and perform all functions except for global configuration and can produce all kinds of content. For example, administrators can create new users, manage modules and plugins, and install and uninstall extensions. (2) One of the names used for the Joomla! back-end adminstration application.
alpha release Usually the first release of a new major version of software to a wider network of developers and experienced testers. Alpha releases are used for testing, acceptance, and stabilization of the basic functionality that has been implemented.
API An acronym for “Application Programming Interface.” An API lets one software application interact with another. The Joomla! framework provides an API. Many Joomla! extensions use APIs from other applications to include information from them in a Joomla! site.
ASCII American Standard Code for Information Interchange is the set of 128 characters based on American English. These characters are generally considered safe to use, although the number of situations in which you are limited to them has decreased markedly.
Author A user in the default Author group can create a new article or Web link in the Joomla! front end and edit that article in the future.
back end The administrator for a Joomla! site, found at http://domain.com/administrator. This is where a site is configured, menus are created, and other administrative functions are performed. You can also create content, install extensions, and carry out other site management tasks. The back end has a separate login from the front end, and only designated users can log in to it.
below the fold A term that comes from the newspaper world. Web site content is below the fold if a user needs to scroll down to see it. Content above the fold refers to content that appears on the screen when a page is rendered.
beta release Beta versions of software are usually feature complete, meaning that no major changes in features or functionality will be implemented during the remainder of the release cycle. This release is unstable and not suitable for live or production sites. However, this is the time for community members to participate by testing the software and identifying and helping to fix bugs.
Blog layout A multi-item layout that features only the introductory (“intro”) text (that before the “Read more” line) for articles. These are arranged in rows and columns.
Bootstrap A CSS and JavaScript framework introduced in Joomla! 3. It is used to define baseline user interface styles and elements. An extension or template is referred to as “bootstrapped” if the markup it contains in its layouts incorporates Bootstrap elements.
brochure site A Web site that simulates a printed brochure in that the information is static, and the only interactive element is the provision of contact information.
browser An application that is used to view Web pages or, as it is commonly phrased, browse the Internet. Some of the commonly used browsers are Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari, but there are dozens of others, including some specifically designed for mobile devices.
category Content (articles, contacts, Web links, news feeds, and banners) is grouped into categories. In Joomla! 1.5 categories had only one level. Since Joomla! 1.6 categories can have subcategories nested infinitely.
component Components are essentially mini applications that run within the Joomla! content management system. They are most commonly used to control the main part of a Web page.
configuration.php The file that contains your site’s basic configuration settings.
content management system A software application that manages the creation and presentation of various types of content on the Web.
CSS Cascading Style Sheets are the modern way to control the style elements for HTML. For example, CSS can control the color of text, the bullets used in a list, or the width of a region of a Web page.
database An organized collection of data. Joomla! 2.5 can use the MySQL, MySQLi, and SQLSRV relational database managers to store data and manage the data behind a site. Starting in Joomla! 3, PostgreSQL is also supported.
div Used in HTML to define an area of the page. Among other things it is commonly used to apply styles such as background colors or images, font sizes, and width. div tags are in the form <div></div>, and when troubleshooting, you may find that a div that is not closed, which is to say it lacks a </div>, is the cause of a problem.
domain name The name of a Web site. Joomla.org is the domain name for the Joomla! family of Web sites. Domain names are registered with a registrar. ICANN is the international organization that manages domain names.
domain name server The computer system that translates a domain’s human-readable name into an IP address.
drill-down What happens when you move from one layout to another layout. For example, when you have a linked list of contacts in a Category List layout and you click a specific contact name, you are drilling down. Similarly, if a contact name has a linked category name and you click it to go to the category list, you are drilling down.
DTD An acronym for “document type definition.” A DTD appears in a file to establish what set of rules the code in that file is following. For example, in the index.php file of the Beez template, you will see the following, which defines what set of standards the template is trying to meet:
<?php echo '<?xml version=1.0 encoding=utf-8?'.'>'; ?>
<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC -//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN
http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd>
<html xmlns=http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml xml:lang=<?php echo $this->language; ?>
lang=<?php echo $this->language; ?>
dir=<?php echo $this->direction; ?> >
Editor A user in the Editor user group can edit any article in the Joomla! front end. This applies in Joomla! 1.5 and is set by default in Joomla! 1.6.
environment The setup of a server, including PHP, MySQL, and server versions; the operating system; and the PHP extensions that are installed. For example, mod_security, SuPHP, and mod_zip are PHP extensions that can impact Joomla! performance in various ways. If you are asking for help on the Joomla! forums, you may be asked for your environment. Most of this information can be found in the System Information area (in Joomla! 1.5 find this in the Help menu; in Joomla! 1.6 or later it is linked from the Site menu).
extension Any software that extends Joomla! Extension types include components, modules, plugins, templates, and language packs.
Featured The name for a specific kind of view where certain items are designated as Featured and are displayed together. In Joomla! 1.5 this was called the Front Page view. The Featured designation is also extended to contacts, Web links, and news feeds, although only contacts and content are provided with layouts.
feature request A request for a new feature in software. Most feature requests are decided upon in the pre-alpha stages of a release cycle. If you want to request a feature, you will need to present it and make a strong argument about why it is needed. Each release cycle for Joomla! has a period in which feature requests are made. Be aware that what you may think of as a bug may actually be a request for a new feature.
framework The Joomla! framework is the former name for what is now called the Joomla! Platform. It is a set of libraries that provide the infrastructure for building the Joomla! CMS and extensions. The platform files can be found in the libraries/joomla folder of your Joomla! installation.
front end The Web site, found at yourdomain.com, as it displays to the public and to other end users of the site.
Front Page layout A blog-style layout of introductory text from a number of articles arranged in rows and columns. It includes those articles that have been designated Front Page in the Article Manager. This is renamed Featured in Joomla! 1.6.
GPL An acronym for “General Public License.” Joomla! is licensed using the GNU GPL. This is a free software license that allows you to use, study, modify, and share the software. The only restriction is that when you do share it, you must not remove the copyright and licensing information, and you must give the same rights to others.
host A company where the files for a Web site are actually located. Criteria for selecting a host are discussed in Chapter 2.
HTML HyperText Markup Language is the basic language for putting together the layout of Web pages. It consists of tags such as <p></p>. In this example, any text between the two tags would be defined as a single paragraph.
intranet A Web site that is developed for use inside an organization instead of for use by the public.
IP address The numerical representation of anything (including a domain) that is on the Internet. IP addresses are useful for a number of purposes. For example, if you identify a spammer, you can block the IP address from which the spam originates. IP addresses can also be used to give the geographic location of a computer in many cases, although this is not 100 percent accurate.
Issue Tracker The place where reports of problems in the Joomla! software are made. You should report an issue as a bug only if you are positive it is a bug. Before doing so, always seek help in the Joomla! forums.
item ID An item ID is associated with each menu item in Joomla! It controls which modules and template are used on a page linked from a menu.
JavaScript A scripting language used in Joomla! In the Joomla! core, it is largely used in the back end, but many extensions use it extensively, for example, for creating visual effects.
jQuery A JavaScript framework, elements of which are incorporated in Joomla! beginning in Joomla! 3.
JUGs An acronym for “Joomla! User Groups.” JUGs are groups of users in the same physical location who meet in person to talk about topics related to Joomla! You can find a listing of JUGs on the http://community.joomla.org Web site, and many JUGs also have groups on http://people.joomla.org.
LAMP stack This is shorthand for the combination of Linux operating system, Apache server, MySQL database, and PHP that the majority of Joomla! sites are found on. In reality, only the MySQL (or MySQLi) and PHP are actually required.
language pack Contains the common words from Joomla! (such as Save, Menu, or Article) that are used in the operation of Joomla! but not in content. The pack contains the terms in a specific language. You can install as many language packs as you would like in your site.
layout Refers to how the content of a component or module is arranged on a page. Layouts are typically controlled by the PHP and XML files found in the /tmpl folders in a component. For example, the layout files for a content archive view can be found in this folder on your server: components/com_content/views/archive. Core layouts can be overridden in the template, enabling you to make your Web pages display in a customized way.
List layout A layout that features a linked list of content items in a category or category items in a section. When clicked, these links send the user to the specific item or the specific Category list.
loadposition A plugin that loads the modules in a specific position into a content item, such as an article.
maintenance release A release of stable software with minor changes or security fixes. Joomla! has maintenance releases approximately every eight weeks, although the schedule is not fixed.
Manager Users in the Manager user group can log in to the Joomla! back end and perform a limited set of functions focused on creating, editing, and publishing content (including articles, Web links, news feeds, contacts, and categories) and menu items. This applies in Joomla! 1.5 and is set by default in Joomla! 1.6.
modules The boxes of content that are displayed in addition to the main body of a page. Usually these are around the edges, but they can also be put inside content items.
MooTools The JavaScript framework used in the core of Joomla! 1.5 and 2.5.
MVC Model-View-Controller is the architectural pattern used to create Joomla! components and modules.
MySQL Joomla! uses a MySQL database to store a site’s content and configuration options. Queries are used to retrieve, store, and modify the data. Data is stored in tables, which are made up of rows and columns. For example, each article is stored in one row with columns such as Title, Alias, and Intro Text.
navigation The system on a Web site that allows users to move from page to page.
Open Source Matters The nonprofit organization that provides legal, financial, and organizational support to the Joomla! Project.
override An override in Joomla! lets you replace code that is in the Joomla! core with other code. The most common type of override replaces core layouts. You can see examples of these in the html folder of the Beez template.
parameter An option that you may set, though most parameters have default values. For example, you may use parameters in a Blog layout to decide how many items to display on a single page.
PHP The computer programming language in which most of Joomla! is written.
phpMyAdmin Software that is commonly provided by hosts to manage MySQL databases.
Platform The Joomla! Platform is the main library that is used to build the Joomla! CMS as well as other applications. You can find a copy of the platform in the libraries/joomla folder of your site.
plugin A relatively small piece of code that is executed when specific events, such as rendering a page or creating a user, take place. System plugins run every time a page is rendered. Search plugins run only when pages from com_search are rendered.
position In Joomla!, positions are areas in a Web page defined by a template. Each position has a specific name. Modules are assigned to specific positions and will show in the named positions on selected pages.
Public The user group and user level for site visitors who are not logged in.
Publisher Users in the default Publisher group can change an article to Published or Unpublished in the Joomla! front end. This applies in Joomla! 1.5 and is set by default in Joomla! 2.5 and 3.
query Code that is used to act on a database. Commands such as SELECT, ORDERBY, and INSERT are used to retrieve information, sort records, and create new records in a database.
redirect Sending users who enter one URL into their browser to a different URL. An example of when you would need to do this is when you move content from one category to another category.
Registered A user in the Registered group is one who can log in to the front end of a Joomla! site. Users in the Registered group can view content (such as articles or contacts) that is designated Registered. They can also view everything that a Public (non-logged-in) user can see. This applies in Joomla! 1.5 and is set by default in Joomla! 2.5 and 3.
release candidate A version of software that may be the stable or general availability version if no new problems are identified. It may be used on live sites but usually by so-called early adopters. We recommend that beginners do not install release candidates on their live sites, but for active community members this is an important time for testing and reporting issues.
render The process of a browser producing a page from HTML, CSS, images, and other pieces is called rendering. A page renders correctly when it appears as intended.
responsive design An approach to Web design that allows Web pages to dynamically adjust to the hardware on which they are rendered, whether smartphones, tablets, or large screens.
RSS An acronym for “Really Simple Syndication.” RSS applications send content from one site to other locations. For example, in Joomla! a site can have RSS feeds that send the most recent content items to a news reader that someone has set up in a Yahoo! or Google account. With the Joomla! News Feeds component, an RSS feed from one site can be displayed on another.
section In the Content Manager of Joomla! 1.5, categories are nested in sections. Articles are nested in categories. Joomla! 2.5 and later versions do not have sections.
security release A software release that is similar to a maintenance release but focused on security issues. You should always upgrade when there is a security release.
SEF URL An acronym for “search-engine-friendly URL.” This is the type of URL that is believed to make it easier for search engines to search a site. Most commonly, this means using words in the URL and not dynamic URLs like http://index.php?options=com_content&view=article&id=13. You can enable SEF URLs in the Joomla! Global Configuration section.
SEO An acronym for “search engine optimization.” This means developing your site with the conscious goal of making it appear among the top results when a user searches using words related to the content of your site. The techniques used in these approaches are known as SEO.
server A Web server is both the computer on which a site is located and the software it uses. A shared server is a computer on which many Web sites are located. Server can also refer to the software used to present content to the Web. Joomla! is most commonly found on Apache and IIS servers, both of which are officially supported. However, there are a number of server applications, such as lighttpd, nginx, and GlassFish, that can be used for Joomla!, but they are not officially supported.
Special An access level that includes all users who are in the Author, Editor, Publisher, Manager, Administrator, and Super Administrator user groups. This applies in Joomla! 1.5 and is set by default in Joomla! 1.6 except that Super Administrator has been renamed Super User.
stable release Also known as a general availability release, this type of release is stable and suitable for use on live and production sites. All major issues have been resolved.
string A series of characters such as abcd. The term string is used in many different ways in software, but most often when end users in Joomla! talk about strings, they are referring to the strings in code that need to be put into human-readable and translatable format. An untranslated string is a string that is not translated in the appropriate language file. If you come across one, it may not be readable or is readable only in English.
style sheet A file with the extension .css (such as template.css) that contains the instructions for the use of various style elements. These are usually found in the template/templatename/css folder, although they are sometimes also found in the folder for a third-party extension.
Super Administrator A user in the Super Administrator group can perform all functions in the Joomla! front end and back end, including changing the Global Configuration. This applies in Joomla! 1.5 and is set by default in Joomla! 2.5 and 3.
template A template controls the design of a site, including layout, colors, and typography. It may include other elements such as JavaScript and layout overrides.
third-party developer Someone who creates extensions that can be added to Joomla! but are not part of the Joomla! core distribution. Most extensions made by third-party developers can be found in the Joomla! Extensions Directory.
TinyMCE The editor that installs with Joomla! and is used by default.
Uncategorised category The core Joomla! components that use the category system by default include a category called Uncategorised.
update The process of installing a maintenance or security release. There should be no visible changes in functionality except for a reduction in bugs, but it is important to read the release notes for an update to make sure that you make any necessary adjustments. To differentiate from an upgrade, going from version 1.5.20 to 1.5.21 would be an update, while moving from 1.5 to 1.6 would be an upgrade.
upgrade Moving from one release to another, such as from Joomla! 1.5 to Joomla! 2.5 or 2.5 to 3. This may involve database and other important changes (such as removing the Polls extensions in Joomla! 1.6) and is therefore potentially challenging. An upgrade path is the script or set of steps used to upgrade your site from one version to another.
URL An acronym for “uniform resource locator.” A URL is how a browser knows where to find a page. For example, http://forum.community.org is a URL.
usability Refers to how hard or easy it is for visitors and users to navigate and use the features of a site. Usability testing is done to assess this.
user interface Everything that a site presents to users, with a particular focus on the interactive elements, such as the use of forms, uploading files, and similar items. Commonly called UI.
UTF-8 A set of characters that includes all characters found in most of the world’s languages. Joomla! is designed to work with UTF-8 in most contexts. An exception is that in Joomla! 1.5 only ASCII characters can be used in URLs, while in Joomla! 1.6 UTF-8 characters can also be used.
validation A way of making sure that a site markup (HTML and CSS) complies with established standards for Web design. The validator at http://validator.w3.org/ is most commonly used for testing whether a site validates.
vulnerable extensions list A list of extensions for Joomla! that have unresolved reported security issues. You should always check this list before installing an extension and periodically review it for extensions you have installed. It is found at http://docs.joomla.org/Vulnerable_Extensions_List.
Web services A general term for the kind of machine-to-machine communication that makes doing things like displaying and interacting with a Google map on your Web site possible.
WYSIWYG editor An acronym for What You See Is What You Get in an editor. TinyMCE is a WYSIWYG editor because it does not show the HTML for content but instead shows how the content will display. This is in contrast to a text editor.
XML Extensible Markup Language is used in Joomla! to store certain kinds of information, for example, the definitions of parameters in extensions.