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Review: Joomla 3.3

updated 21 October 2026

Joomla 3.3 focused on security and speed: better password hashing, microdata, a faster router – and at least PHP 5.3.10. For this review we installed Joomla 3.3.6 of 1 October 2014, the last version of this line, and photographed it.

Series "Joomla history" · minor version · part of the series: Review: Joomla 3.0 · back to Review: Joomla 3.2 · next: Review: Joomla 3.4

Released30 April 2014 (Joomla 3.3.0)
Last version3.3.6 of 1 October 2014 (7 versions)
Followed byJoomla 3.4 on 24 February 2015
RequirementsPHP from 5.3.10
TemplatesProtostar (default), Beez3; Isis in the backend, Hathor
Included in the installation137 extensions
End of supportEnd of Life: Joomla 3.x

What was new in Joomla 3.3

According to the Joomla 3.3 announcement:

  • Improved password hashing.
  • Microdata for structured information.
  • A faster routing system and further conversion from MooTools to jQuery.
  • At least PHP 5.3.10; sites on older PHP stayed on 3.2.4.
  • More than 115 bugs fixed by more than 40 volunteers.
Joomla 3.3: System information
System information.

The installation

Joomla 3.3 installer: step 1
Step 1: site name and login.
Joomla 3.3 installer: step 2
Step 2: the database.
Joomla 3.3 installer: step 3
Step 3: the overview with sample data and server check.
Joomla 3.3 installer: step 4
Step 4: done.

The website

Joomla 3.3: home page
The freshly installed website with the sample data.
Joomla 3.3: Sample Sites
The page "Sample Sites".
Joomla 3.3: Getting Started
The page "Getting Started".
Joomla 3.3: Using Joomla!
The page "Using Joomla!".
Joomla 3.3: The Joomla! Project
The page "The Joomla! Project".
Joomla 3.3: The Joomla! Community
The page "The Joomla! Community".
Joomla 3.3: Site Map
The page "Site Map".
Joomla 3.3: Home
The home page on a smartphone.

The backend

Joomla 3.3: The backend login
The backend login.
Joomla 3.3: The control panel
The control panel.
Joomla 3.3: The
The "Content" menu.
Joomla 3.3: The article list
The article list.
Joomla 3.3: Editing an article with TinyMCE 4.1
Editing an article with TinyMCE 4.1.
Joomla 3.3: The categories
The categories.
Joomla 3.3: The items of a menu
The items of a menu.
Joomla 3.3: The modules of the website
The modules of the website.
Joomla 3.3: The plugins
The plugins.
Joomla 3.3: 137 extensions in a fresh installation
137 extensions in a fresh installation.
Joomla 3.3: The template styles
The template styles.
Joomla 3.3: The global configuration
The global configuration.
Joomla 3.3: The user groups
The user groups.
Joomla 3.3: The Media Manager
The Media Manager.
Joomla 3.3: Joomla Update
Joomla Update.

2014 and today

For comparison: the same views in a fresh Joomla 6.2.

Joomla 3.3.
2014Joomla 3.3.
Joomla 6.2.
2026Joomla 6.2.
Editing an article in 3.3.
2014Editing an article in 3.3.
Editing an article in 6.2.
2026Editing an article in 6.2.

All 7 versions of Joomla 3.3

According to the Joomla downloads:

  1. 3.3.030 Apr 2014
  2. 3.3.111 Jun 2014
  3. 3.3.224 Jul 2014
  4. 3.3.325 Jul 2014
  5. 3.3.423 Sep 2014
  6. 3.3.530 Sep 2014
  7. 3.3.61 Oct 2014

Joomla 3 at a glance

VersionFirst releaseLast releaseVersions
Joomla 3.027 Sep 20123.0.4 · 23 Apr 20135
Joomla 3.123 Apr 20133.1.6 · 6 Nov 20137
Joomla 3.26 Nov 20133.2.7 · 1 Oct 20148
Joomla 3.330 Apr 20143.3.6 · 1 Oct 20147
Joomla 3.424 Feb 20153.4.8 · 24 Dec 20159
Joomla 3.521 Mar 20163.5.1 · 5 Apr 20162
Joomla 3.612 Jul 20163.6.5 · 13 Dec 20166
Joomla 3.725 Apr 20173.7.5 · 17 Aug 20176
Joomla 3.818 Sep 20173.8.13 · 9 Oct 201814
Joomla 3.930 Oct 20183.9.28 · 6 Jul 202129
Joomla 3.1017 Aug 20213.10.12 · 11 Jul 202313

Still running a website on Joomla 3?

It gets no security updates any more. We bring it to Joomla 6 – we name the effort after an inventory.

See Joomla update and migration

How we did it: Joomla 3.3.6 in the original package from downloads.joomla.org, locally in Docker with PHP 5.6 and MySQL 5.5, reachable only on our own machine, files unchanged, with the "Learn Joomla" sample data. PHP error display is switched off so that notices about outdated functions do not cover the pictures.

Sources: Joomla 3.3 announcement, Joomla downloads and our own screenshots. As of 21 October 2026.

All versions of Joomla 3

All parts of the series "Joomla history"

  1. Part 1: Joomla 1.0 (2005)
  2. Part 2: Joomla 1.5 (2008)
  3. Part 3: Joomla 2.5 (2012)
  4. Part 4: Joomla 3.0 (2012)
  5. Part 5: Joomla 4.0 (2021)
  6. Part 6: Joomla 5.0 (2023)
  7. Part 7: Joomla 6.0 (2025)
Ufuk Avcu

Owner and developer of the Joomla Agency. Has been building and looking after Joomla websites since 2009.

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