Review: Joomla 3.6
Introduction
Joomla 3.6, released in July 2016, marked another important milestone in the development of the popular content management system (CMS). As part of the Joomla 3.x series, this release brought a number of significant improvements and new features aimed at increasing the system's usability, flexibility and security. The release underscored Joomla's commitment to providing a powerful yet easy-to-use tool for developers, designers and end users alike. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the key new features and improvements introduced in Joomla 3.6 and highlights their impact on the broader Joomla community.
New features and improvements
User experience (UX) improvements
Joomla 3.6 placed a particular focus on improving user experience (UX). An outstanding feature was the overhaul of the administration area, which is now more intuitive and user-friendly. The improvements in navigation and the clearer structure of the menus enable administrators and content managers to access important functions more quickly and efficiently. These changes significantly helped reduce onboarding time for new users and increase overall satisfaction with the CMS.
New function
Joomla 3.6 brought a variety of new features that simplified content management and website administration. One of the most notable innovations was the improved update process, allowing users to perform updates with fewer clicks, reducing the maintenance burden on websites. Also added was the Joomla! Update System plugin that allows extension developers to integrate update notifications directly into Joomla, contributing to improved security and timeliness of websites. Additionally, the new feature of creating menu items directly from the categories section made content organization easier and improved site design efficiency.
Improvements for developers
Expanding API access
For developers, Joomla 3.6 brought expanded API access, making it easier to integrate with external applications and services. These improvements opened up new opportunities for customized solutions and extensions that further enrich the Joomla experience for end users.
Improvements in template development
Significant progress has also been made in template development. Joomla 3.6 introduced new features and options that allowed designers and developers to create even more flexible and customizable templates. These improvements helped further refine the visual appearance and user experience of Joomla websites.
Security and performance improvements
Security improvements
Security is a key concern for any CMS, and Joomla 3.6 addressed this issue with a number of security patches and improvements. These measures strengthened the resilience of Joomla websites against various security threats and ensured a safer environment for users and administrators.
Performance improvements
In addition to security improvements, Joomla 3.6 also introduced optimizations that increased the speed and efficiency of the system. These performance improvements made pages load faster and improved the overall user experience on Joomla-based websites.
Criticism and community feedback
Despite the many positive changes, there was also criticism and mixed feedback from the Joomla community. Some users expressed concerns about the learning curve for new features and compatibility with existing extensions. Joomla's development team took this feedback seriously and continually worked to improve and adapt the CMS to meet the needs of its user base.
Conclusion
Joomla 3.6 represented a significant step forward by introducing numerous improvements and new features that improved the usability, flexibility and security of the CMS. By focusing on the needs of both end users and developers, Joomla managed to further consolidate its position as one of the leading content management systems. The continuous development and commitment of the Joomla community helps ensure that the CMS remains relevant and powerful in the future.