If you’re looking for an open-source web development platform, Joomla is a solid bet. Its content management system is compatible with a variety of database types, and the platform overall is extremely mobile-friendly. This is particularly important today, as mobile Internet connectivity has long since exceeded PC connectivity. Many online service providers now actively favor mobile Internet connections.
Its friendliness and ease of use is part of what has Joomla standing firm as one of the most popular free content management platforms out there; only WordPress maintains a larger following. Still, despite being user-friendly, some aspects of Joomla can be difficult for the novice web developer to understand right away. Here are eight of the best Joomla tutorials that I could find, with a particular eye toward coverage of the platform’s installation and basic functions. Several of these tutorials are hosted by providers of Joomla web hosting, if that’s something you’re still looking for as well!
What Is Joomla? (RocketTheme.com)
RocketTheme.com offers expansive documentation regarding each of Joomla’s different features, as well as its initial installation. Its user-friendly interface presents information in a series of conveniently ordered tutorials which are easy to understand, with separate tutorials available for each of the different versions of the Joomla platform in use today. They even start you off with a convenient overview, including basic information about what Joomla is, what it can do for you, and who uses it.
The Basics (BuildaJoomlaWebsite.com)
This unmistakably named website offers an extremely comprehensive tutorials package. It’s a free, ad-supported enterprise, which includes eleven organized lessons and a 100-page workbook. The book itself is handy for referencing later, while the basic lessons are a thorough and comprehensive introduction to Joomla’s basic and intermediate features. For the academically oriented classroom learner, this could be one of the best tutorial websites available for the Joomla platform.
Joomla! Training and Tutorials (Lynda.com)
If we were to cite a single negative regarding Lynda.com’s tutorial presentations, it would be that this LinkedIn affiliate goes commercial after a 10-day free trial. That being said, their library of Joomla materials is quite impressive. As of this writing, Lynda offers eleven complete courses in the use of the Joomla platform. There are hundreds of individual video tutorials (more than 600, in fact) covering every aspect of Joomla’s installation and use. While the most popular tutorials are given prominent display, it may be somewhat time-consuming to find everything you’re looking for, but it’s definitely in there somewhere.
Joomla Tutorials (GreenGeeks.com)
GreenGeeks.com is a Joomla web hosting services provider. As part of their free content, they maintain a series of interactive tutorials covering the Joomla platform. GreenGeeks organizes their tutorial pages by broad category, including instructions on how to use the platform’s redirect function, how to customize the platform, and how to add extensions. GreenGeeks’ tutorial makes for an excellent reference guide as you work your way into Joomla’s intermediate-level features.
Joomla! Documentation (Joomla.org)
Joomla is an open source platform; anybody is free to contribute to its development. As a result, its available documentation online is extensive. If you’re looking for Joomla tutorials, chances are that you’re a relative novice with the platform; fortunately, much of Joomla’s documentation is aimed at users without a lot of experience. It offers beginners’ tutorials for installing and getting started with Joomla versions 3.x and 2.5. If you do happen to have a bit of experience, and you’re just looking for a refresher, the site lists topics on which they are currently seeking additional tutorials.
Joomla Tutorials (JoomlaTutorials.com)
JoomlaTutorials.com presents its Joomla documentation within a bright and cheerful interface, with a lot of animation. Some individuals find this to be helpful to the learning process; such people will certainly find the help they’re looking for at JoomlaTutorials.com. In addition to a strong presentation, the website’s tutorials are well ordered and conveniently presented by category. They offer instruction through a variety of media, as well as live online training for exceptionally fast results. Should such be desired, the company which maintains JoomlaTutorials also offers Joomla-based hosting services.
Joomla Tutorial (tutorialspoint.com)
At tutorialspoint.com, you’re offered a series of well-organized tutorials which are ordered in a slightly different manner from the way some other tutorial websites have theirs structured. Instead of being by Joomla version, or by function, tutorialspoint works primarily in stages of advancement. They focus on features and functions in the order in which many Joomla users first encounter them. They also present prerequisites for approaching Joomla, including a working knowledge of HTML and CSS, and they provide supporting tutorials to ensure familiarity with the basics of either. With a focus on simple and convenient learning, tutorialspoint.com has all the hallmarks of an excellent tutorials site for the complete web development beginner.
How to Build a Website with Joomla (WebsiteSetup.org)
WebsiteSetup offers a continuous, hand-in-hand style tutorial covering every step of the web development process. They begin with the download and installation of Joomla, and walk you through its setup and the basics of web design. Basic options are covered with exhaustive thoroughness in a smoothly conversational manner that’s easy to understand. Advance concepts are lacking; the author includes a list of additional resources, in the event that you would like to take your learning a little bit further. Another excellent tutorial series for beginners, though its organization is best suited to those with a solid attention span: it’s a continuous feed, without the usual collapsible index.
Build a Joomla Website in 1 Hour! (iLoveWebDev)
I avoided most individual videos while selecting the tutorials for this list. However, Michael from iLoveWebDev offers a series of high-quality video tutorials on his YouTube channel, including some in multiple language versions. His Joomla tutorial video is a continuous instructional that is designed to play as you build your site; it’s a little over an hour long, and it promises to help you get started in a similar amount of time. This tutorial video is an excellent way to get rolling quickly, before going back later to approach Joomla’s more advanced functions with a little more patience.
Enjoy Joomla!
These eight tutorials comprise the best instruction I could find for the Joomla content management platform. For further information, or to cover a particular issue quickly and without searching through lengthy tutorial indexes, you might try a YouTube search for specific videos covering the feature or function that’s giving you trouble. Good luck, and enjoy your new Joomla website!