Apache or Apache HTTP server is a top-rated open source web server software, commonly used by hosting providers as their web servers to host WordPress, Joomla, Drupal and many other CMS. Whether you are a hosting provider, a site administrator, or an owner of a site, web server errors are bound to happen. 

Logs are records of transactions or events of a particular application commonly stored as plain text files known as log files. If you face any web server issues, a log file is probably the first place to understand further what has gone wrong and tracing its route cause. This blog will give you an overview of Apache log files, how to access and interpret them, and either solve the error on your own or hand it to your support team for further assistance.

Apache Access Log

An Apache Access log stores information on the events that occurred in your  web server. A web server administrator can gain the following information from the Apache Access log and use them to understand the behaviour of user requests for the site:

• Incoming requests to your web server
• Users viewing and accessing your site
• Status of requests
• Request response times 

Apache Error Log

Error logs are considered the most important log file. An Apache Error Log records any errors in the webserver during the processing of requests, such as missing files or invalid requests. It also records the runtime errors of the Apache web servers. Information in the error log helps support teams or developers diagnose errors quickly.

Apache Log File Location

Apache server log files are stored in a separate folder, and their location depends on the operating system or hosting account type you are currently using.

View and Download Apache Logs for Hosting Accounts

Let’s look at the ways to access the Apache logs for different hosting types. Examples here refer to A2 hosting services; however, this guide applies to hosting providers with similar setups.

 For more information on accessing Apache logs for different hosting accounts, refer to this article.

Access Apache Logs in Shared or Reseller Hosting 

To access the Apache logs from a shared hosting account, use the cPanel dashboard to retrieve the access or error logs. To access the Apache access log, first, you need to download the Raw access log. A raw access log contains information on your site’s visitors in a plain format used to analyze its traffic.

Read more about how to configure and download the Apache access log for shared hosting in this article. 

Next, access the Metrics section on cPanel and click on Errors to show the last 300 entries in your error log.

Access Apache Logs in Managed Dedicated and VPS Hosting

If you are a Managed, Dedicated, or VPS Hosting user, you can use your cPanel to access the apache log files in the following directory: /usr/local/apache/logs/access_log. You can also use the Metrics section on cPanel for a one click access to your error log:

Access Apache logs on a Dedicated (Unmanaged)  and VPS Hosting

With Dedicated or VPS hosting, you have root access, and this allows you to access and manage the Apache logs files. All Log files are stored in the var/log/ directory. 

• Use  SSH and type the following command to view the last 100 lines of the Access log file:
  sudo tail -100 /etc/httpd/logs/access_log
• Use  SSH and type the following command to view the last 100 lines of the Access log file:

sudo tail -100 /etc/httpd/logs/error_log

How to Read the Apache Access Log

Now that you’ve learned how to access the error logs; this section will give an overview of how to interpret some parts of the access log. Download the access log file and open it using a text editor. You may also choose to format the log file output for readability. In this example, the log file is using the Combined Log Format, where it gives additional information for debugging purposes. Here are the fields on a single line in the access log file:

10.xx.xx.xx – – [30/Jul/2021:00:38:46 -0400] “GET /Joomla2/administrator/index.php?option=com_ajax&format=json HTTP/1.1” 200 60 “http://sarojini-test.com/Joomla2/administrator/index.php?option=com_menus&view=item&client_id=0&menutype=mainmenu&layout=edit” “Mozilla/5.0 (Macintosh; Intel Mac OS X 10_15_7) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/92.0.4515.107 Safari/537.36”

The Files Decoded:

• 10.xx.xx.xx – IP address of the client that made the request
• 30/Jul/2021:00:38:46 -0400] – Date and time of request
• GET /Joomla2/administrator/index.php?option=com_ajax&format=json HTTP/1.1″  – request type and resource being requested
• 200 – request type and resource being requested
• 60 – size of the object returned to the client
• http://saaaai-test.com/Joomla2/administrator/index.php?option=com_menus&view=item&client_id=0&menutype=mainmenu&layout=edit: HTTP represents the address from which the request for the resource originated.
• “Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 10.0; Win64; x64) AppleWebKit/537.36 (KHTML, like Gecko) Chrome/78.0.3904.108 Safari/537.36” – The browser by client to access the resource access client request.

Conclusion

In summary, Apache log files are essential for a web administrator to understand events on their website and gain insights on visitor requests or runtime errors on Apache servers. More often than not, the error logs are commonly used and deemed vital as they can be used to understand the root cause of an error and help the support team resolve them quickly to avoid site downtime. There are many resources available on error logging, and if you are using cPanel, refer to this link to understand further on logging features using cPanel.

The post How to View and Analyze Apache Logs on Hosting Accounts appeared first on The A2 Posting.

The new version of Joomla was released this year, but what’s the big deal about the new Joomla 4 dashboard?

With this upgrade to Joomla 4 users will get a redesign, new functions, greater speed, and better security. This new Joomla experience is built to give a more modern user experience, a meaningful new look, and to create an environment that is much easier to use. With this upgrade came a refresh of the Joomla Control Panel. Keep reading for a guide on the new changes to this tool!

New Features

Joomla 4’s new dashboard has quick access icon modules such as Site, System, Notifications, Last Actions, and more. These modules are customizable so you can control the quick access icons that you want to display on your dashboard and make the organization of your dashboard fit your needs.

The main menu is on the right side, with functions similar to Joomla 3:

• Content: Article management, Category management, Featured Articles, Fields, Media, Site Modules, Administrator Modules
• Menus: Administration of Menu Items, Control of menu positions
• Components: Administration of installed components
• Users: User manager and user groups, access levels, and others

One of the most notable changes is that by clicking on System, you will have access to everything including Global Configuration, Installation of Extensions and languages, template management, maintenance, information, updates, user permissions, and other functions.

Excited about the new look and feel of this dashboard and want to know how to update your site to Joomla 4? Check out our related blogs below!

Related Resources

Tips for Migrating to Joomla 4

Pre-update Checklist and How to Update Joomla 3.10.X to Joomla 4.0 

September Liaison Spotlight: Milton Parada, A2’s Joomla Expert

The post Learn More About the New Joomla 4 Home Dashboard appeared first on The A2 Posting.

While migrating from Joomla 3.10.X to Joomla 4 is considered a minor migration, the Joomla Core Extensions will be updated through the “one-click update” process. If you have any third-party extensions it is necessary to verify case by case, if these extensions are compatible with Joomla 4.

Before Migrating to Joomla 4

• To begin with, it is always wise to keep a backup copy, before these types of updates.
• Update your website to version 3.10.X
• A2Hosting complies with the necessary requirements to run Joomla 4, for this reason, feel sure that your server will work without problems.
• Make a summary of the third-party extensions that you use, plugins, modules, components, languages, and templates.
• In the summary of third-party extensions, previously created, notate which most used, barely used, and not used at all. 
• Use the Pre-Update Check component, which is available in Joomla 3.10.X, to determine if the extensions you have installed are compatible with Joomla 4.

• The opportunity to migrate to this newest version gives you a great chance to clean up your site. Take this time to look at your site Categories to determine if they are necessary or not. This way you only end up migrating content you truly need.
• If you are using the Protostar template, you will no longer be able to use it in Joomla 4, it will be removed after migration to Joomla 4. As a substitute, Joomla presents Cassiopeia Template. 

• If you have purchased an alternative template, make sure it is compatible with Joomla 4 before you update.

By following these above tips you should have a great update! Below are some related resources that will also help you with this process. If you’re currently looking for a web hosting company that is compatible with Joomla, look no further. With 99.9% uptime, 24/7, and up to 20x faster turbo speeds, A2 Hosting is a great option! Check out our plans today and feel free to contact our sales team with any further questions.

More Information

Pre-Update Checklist and How to Update Joomla 3.10.X to Joomla 4

September Liaison Spotlight: Milton Parada, A2’s Joomla Expert

How to Create Control Panel Icons on the Joomla Administration Dashboard

How to Add Keyboard Shortcuts to Manage Joomla Sites

The post Tips for Migrating to Joomla 4 appeared first on The A2 Posting.

Your Pre-Update Checklist

One of the latest features Joomla 3.10.X added is an enhancement to Joomla! Update Component. The Pre-Update Check allows an analysis of Required PHP and Database settings, PHP Settings, and Extensions Check so you can make sure your update is seamless.

To check your technical specifications in your website powered by Joomla, follow these steps:

1. First, you must log in as an administrator:
2. Then in the main menu, click on Components -> Joomla! Update
3. Click on the Pre-Update Check tab, if you don’t see this tab, click the Check for Updates button:

4. This tab will show you your website information: Required PHP & Database Settings, PHP Settings and Extensions check. Green indicates that it is correct, yellow is a warning, and red means that your current website is non-compliant:

If everything is green and your website is ready then it’s time to upgrade! Check out our step-by-step instructions below.

How to Upgrade from 3.10.X to Joomla 4

Joomla allows an easy and safe update to its latest version, Joomla 4. Through Joomla! Update Component and its many options, you can update your site in just a few clicks.

Before starting, you must create a full backup of your website. This is an important step in the off chance that any part of your update goes wrong. You should always be creating back-ups of your website regularly, whether you are updating or not, to ensure that you don’t lose it. Once you have made your backups check and make sure you are on the latest Joomla 3.10.X version. Finally, check and see if your technical specifications meet the new requirements. Read our blog below for a step-by-step guide on how to do this.

Starting Your Update

1. After saving your website’s complete backups, you must check if it meets the requirements to update. To do this you can Pre-Update Check. To navigate to here click on Components -> Joomla! Update:

2. Then click Options and change the Update Channel and select Joomla Next:

3. On the Live Update tab, a summary shows the details of the update. To install click Install the Update to start the update:

4. After a short wait, it will show a message indicating that the update was completed successfully.

Now your site is completely updated and you’re ready to begin working on more optimizations and improvements to get your site ready for Q4 and the holiday traffic!

If you’re looking for a good host for your updated Joomla site take a second to look at our plans here at A2 Hosting! With 24/7/365 guru crew support, 99.9% uptime, and turbo speeds, we’re ready to help you thrive online this year! Feel free to ask contact our sales team today with any questions!

Related Resources

Joomla Extensions for A2 Hosting Customers

Configuring and Optimizing Joomla

How to Change Control Panel Template in Joomla

The post Pre-Update List and How to Update Joomla 3.10.X to Joomla 4.0 appeared first on The A2 Posting.

Milton has two favorite forums for Joomla users looking for advice:

• forum.joomla.org
• joomla.stackexchange.com.

Some of his most helpful Knowledge Base articles are:

• How to Change Database Settings in Joomla

• How to Change the Control Panel Template in Joomla

• How to Add Keyboard Shortcuts to Manage Joomla Sites

• How to Create Control Panel Icons on the Joomla Administration Dashboard

With the new Joomla update, Milton has written some amazing posts on tips on what to expect and how to have a seamless upgrade. Keep your eyes on our blog this week as we share them with you!

The post September Liaison Spotlight: Milton Parada, A2’s Joomla Expert appeared first on The A2 Posting.

Domain Redirect is a plugin that loads at Joomla startup and checks if the domain used in the URL matches the one specified in the parameters. If it does not, the plugin gracefully redirects the visitor to the exact same URL, replacing the domain with the preferred one. 

The functions offered by this plugin will be useful in maintaining your site, redirecting domains that are no longer in operation or simply redirecting to a specific page within your website.

Configure Domain Redirect Plugin

To install and configure the Domain Redirect Plugin, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Joomla site as the administrator.
2. On the top menu bar, click on Extensions -> Manage -> Install
3. Select the “Install from Web” tab; search and install the “Domain redirect”:
4. After installing, you must activate the plugin. Click Extensions -> Plugins. Search it and edit:  
5. In the settings, you can add the target domain to which it will be redirected, you can also establish the link to a landing page if you want. Change the status to Enabled and click Save:
6. And that ‘s it! An easy to configure plugin that will help you with processes such as maintenance on your website to redirect or in different cases.

More information

For more information about the Domain Redirect Plugin, please visit https://extensions.joomla.org/extension/domain-redirect/

The post Redirect Domain for Joomla appeared first on The A2 Posting.

Fortunately, there are many tools and tutorials to guide you through the process of learning this particular CMS, and to help you decide if it’s the right fit for you. You can even try out Joomla! without making any commitments or purchases. What’s more, you’ll find that it’s both a beginner-friendly and powerful option for building your website.

In this article we’ll go over Joomla’s history, discuss how to decide whether it fits your needs, and walk you through the steps you can take to launch your first Joomla! website. Let’s jump right in!

A Brief History of Joomla!

Joomla! started as an offshoot of Mambo, an open-source CMS (i.e. a platform that enables you to create content and publish it online). The team that would go on to create Joomla! felt that parts of the new structure went against the principles of open-source, so forked Mambo to develop their own CMS.

Therefore, the team launched Joomla! in 2005, as an already fully-developed CMS, with a dedicated community supporting it. Although its user base is small when compared to a giant like WordPress, it’s still the second-most popular CMS, and there are over 2 million active Joomla! websites online.

The Pros and Cons of Using Joomla! for Your Website

Today, Joomla! is a complex and flexible CMS capable of creating sites with plenty of advanced features. At the same time, it’s still relatively easy for beginners to pick up. It occupies a middle ground between WordPress and Drupal when it comes to both functionality and ease of use.

Along with the basics, such as enabling you to create a website full of multimedia content, some of Joomla!’s unique features include:

• Portals: You can create advanced user portals, such as for medical institutions or use in sales.
• Advanced e-commerce: You’ll be able to integrate useful e-commerce functions, such as customer accounts, directly into your website
• Directories: Joomla! streamlines the process of creating complex directories, such as this film festival website with multiple ways to search and filter its films.

However, the platform also has some drawbacks. The learning curve is a bit steeper than with WordPress or a website builder, for example. If you’re new to website design, and you want to implement complex functionality, you may end up needing to hire a web developer. Also, the Joomla! community is somewhat small, which means it has fewer ready-made tools available than WordPress does. Again, this means you may end up needing to hire a web developer to build you some custom solutions.

Joomla! is ideal for websites that need the advanced features it offers, and have the budget for a web developer to get the ball rolling. Once the features you want are in place, you can easily learn how to update and add content yourself. Of course, if you’re dedicated, you can also learn to use Joomla! effectively yourself (without needing to hire outside help).

How to Get Started with Joomla! (In 4 Steps)

If you’re interested in trying out Joomla!, the first thing you’ll need to do is set up your website. Let’s walk though how to do that in just four steps.

Step 1: Purchase a Hosting Plan and Domain Name

Joomla! provides practically all of the tools you’ll need to build your site, but you’ll still need a place to host it online. If you’re not ready to make that commitment yet, you can try out a free 24-hour Joomla! demo to see for yourself how the software works – and whether you feel comfortable with it.

You’ll also need to purchase a hosting plan for your new site:

As a beginner, it’s best to pick your hosting provider carefully. Installing a CMS manually can be somewhat complicated. You can avoid having to do this by opting for a hosting plan that supports Joomla!, and offers an easy-installation option.

In addition, you’ll also need to secure a domain name. You can purchase a new name, use a free subdomain, or even transfer a domain name you already own.

Once you have your hosting and domain in place, you can get your site up and running. Exactly how you do that will depend on your chosen host. If you opt for an A2 Hosting plan, Joomla! will be pre-installed and configured for optimal speed. That means you can start designing your site immediately!

Step 2: Choose a Template for Your Site

Once you have a home for your site, you can start making changes and adding content. The best way to learn this platform is to plunge right in and start experimenting. You can set up your site using a default template, and update text and images from there to customize it further.

First, log into your site’s admin area. Under Configuration in the left-hand menu, select Templates. On the next page, you’ll see a small selection of default templates:

Simply select the star icon next to a template’s name, in order to make it active on your site. You can always change this selection later, and you can download additional options from the Joomla website and other directories online.

Step 3: Install Extensions to Customize Your Site

Extensions are what really sets Joomla! apart from other CMSs. This platform offers a wide array of these add-ons, which can be installed on your site to provide you with new features and options. Extensions enable you to do practically anything, such as creating a forum or managing user profiles.

You can explore Joomla!’s extension library to see many of the possibilities. To add an extension to your site, go to Extensions > Manage in your dashboard. Click on the Install from Web button. Then you can search for any extension you like, using the search feature or the list of categories:

When you find an extension you want to use, click on it for more information. Then select the green Install button to add it to your site. You’ll be asked to confirm the installation, and Joomla! will get it up and running right away.

Step 4: Get in Touch with the Community

As you continue to work on your new Joomla site, you’re likely to have plenty of questions. Fortunately, the Joomla! forum is an excellent resource for basic support:

You can also search Joomla!’s tutorials for answers to specific questions, as well as how-to guides. If you find yourself in over your head at any point, you can also consider hiring a programmer, or perhaps taking a class. The more you use Joomla!, the easier it should get. It’s okay to need some help, however, especially in the beginning.

Joomla Conclusion

Joomla! is a powerful platform, which is nonetheless fairly intuitive to use. Setting up a basic site and creating some content can be a quick process. Some of the platform’s more advanced features can get complex, but there are many online tools and resources to help you move past the basics.

To build your first site using Joomla, you’ll want to:

1. Purchase a hosting plan with Joomla! pre-installed (as well as a domain name).
2. Use a default template for a quick launch.
3. Add extensions to grow and customize your site.
4. Reach out for help as needed.

Image credit: Pexels.

The post Joomla: What Is It & How To Get Started? appeared first on The A2 Posting.

Joomla.com provides all the same basic publishing features as Joomla.org. However, as you might expect, it does comes with some limitations. Taking the key pros and cons of each into consideration will help you come to a more informed decision.

In this article, we’ll discuss Joomla.org and Joomla.com in more detail, and explore the differences between them. We’ll also talk you through how to decide which platform is right for you. Let’s jump in!

An Introduction to Joomla!

When you’re creating a website, there are a number of factors you’ll need to consider right at the beginning. Deciding which Content Management System (CMS) you’re going to use is one of the most important yet challenging decisions. There are a lot of options out there, and Joomla! is one of the most popular.

Joomla! is a free and open-source CMS that’s designed for publishing web content. The software is written in PHP, and uses a MySQL database to store content. It’s also considered fairly easy for beginners to pick up – thanks in part to the helpful online community the platform attracts.

Building a site with Joomla.org provides you with several benefits. Perhaps most notably, you’ll get an incredible level of control over your site. Sourcing a suitable hosting plan and domain is the responsibility of the user, enabling you to take full advantage of some of the great services out there.

This also means that general site maintenance and updates are also in the hands of the user. While this may be daunting for first-time site owners, many hosts will carry out these tasks as a part of their base service, particularly when you’re using a plan that’s optimized specifically for the platform.

In addition, with Joomla.org there are no limitations placed on the extensions and templates you can install to customize your site, and mailing functionality is unlimited. The level of overall freedom offered by this platform is hard for many of the alternative options on the market to match – including Joomla.com.

Joomla.org vs Joomla.com

In 2015, the developers of Joomla! introduced Joomla.com, a modified and simpler version of the original software. There are a number of key differences between the two platforms, and the easiest way to understand them is through a direct comparison.

Let’s start by checking out some of the benefits Joomla.com has to offer:

• With Joomla.com, everything is a part of the base service. You’ll receive hosting and a domain for free (making this a ‘hosted’ platform rather than a ‘self-hosted’ one like Joomla.org).
• Getting your site off the ground comes with a lower price tag. You can get a basic site up and running without spending a cent.
• Many site maintenance tasks, such as updates and installations, are automatic. Furthermore, Joomla.com comes with all of the platform’s 50+ languages pre-installed.

A site created with Joomla.com does have certain restrictions, especially when it comes to extensions. The service comes with just five pre-installed extensions, as opposed to the unlimited capabilities offered by the self-hosted version.

Mailing functionality is similarly limited. However, it’s important to mention that the core functionality provided by the Joomla.com service is exactly the same as it is for Joomla.org users.

In contrast, let’s quickly recap the pros of using Joomla.org:

• You have a greater level of freedom in regards to your hosting plan, meaning you are able to choose an option that better fits the needs of your site.
• There’s no limit on the extensions and templates you can use.
• With Joomla.org, you can directly edit your template files – this isn’t possible on the Joomla.com service. In a more general sense, your options for customization are far more open.

Of course, there are some disadvantages to consider – cost being the primary factor. The expense of hosting and domain registration can add up, although there are affordable options that will be easy on your budget.

The level of maintenance required when running a site with Joomla.org is also considerably higher. This includes the initial installation, future updates, and the addition of extra tools as needed. You don’t need to be a technical wizard, but you will have to take some time learning the ins and outs of the platform.

How to Select the Right Platform for Your Site

As we’ve seen, both Joomla.org and Joomla.com have some compelling advantages. At the same time, they’re different enough that each platform is better suited to a distinct kind of site and user. By considering the factors listed above, you can begin to decide which option meets your specific needs.

The additional level of support with site maintenance and upgrades means that Joomla.com is generally well-suited to smaller businesses and first-time site owners. It’s a useful option if you lack the time, resources, and/or knowledge to learn the platform and maintain your site.

The fact that you’re provided with hosting and a domain can also free up some resources – less research is required, for example. This means that more time can go into creating great content and marketing it. If you need to create a website but lack any kind of budget, Joomla.com is worth a look.

Those who desire complete control over their websites, however, may find Joomla.org a more attractive option. It’s extremely customizable, and you get access to limitless template and extension downloads. As a result, you can put together a site that looks and acts exactly the way you want.

What’s more, Joomla.org gives you the freedom to select a high-quality web host. This is a particularly strong draw for many users, as it enables you to choose a hosting provider and plan that match the needs of your business.

All-in-all, Joomla.org is a great choice for larger businesses and experienced website owners. If you have the time and resources to carry out the manual maintenance that’s required, you’ll reap the benefits of an extremely powerful platform.

Conclusion

Joomla! is one of the world’s most popular CMSs, and the addition of Joomla.com only cements its position further. As we’ve discussed, both platforms have some clear advantages and drawbacks. Therefore, it’s essential to assess the individual needs of your site, to determine which option will work best for you.

In a general sense, Joomla.com is better suited to those who require an extra level of support, and have little-to-no budget to work with. On the other hand, site owners who require a greater level of freedom, and who want to choose their own hosting plan and domain, are better off opting for Joomla.org.

Image credit: Max Pixel.

The post Joomla.org vs Joomla.com: Which One Should You Use for Your Website? appeared first on The A2 Posting.

To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of four Joomla extensions that just about any site can benefit from. These tools offer powerful features that can help you more easily manage your site, as well as make improvements to its functionality.

In this post, we’ll review some of the most popular Joomla extensions, and explain how they can help you grow your site. Let’s get to work!

What Joomla Extensions Are (And Why They’re Important)

If you have a Joomla website, it’s important to understand what extensions are. Joomla is an open-source Content Management System (CMS), which means that anyone can modify and expand its base code. Developers can also create extensions, which are individual pieces of code that add on to the core platform and offer new or improved features:

You might be wondering why extensions don’t simply get integrated into Joomla as a whole, if they’re so useful. However, the more extensive your website’s code is, the slower your site will often load. Since every extra second of loading time makes visitors more likely to abandon your site, it’s imperative to keep the source code from getting bloated.

With millions of installs on all different types of sites, the needs of Joomla users are vast and diverse. Extensions are a way for individual users to download and install exactly the features they want, without unwanted functionality slowing down the code. In other words, extensions enable you to customize how your Joomla site works.

Over time, the most essential extensions are occasionally integrated into Joomla itself. However there are still many useful tools that you’ll need to download separately. Let’s talk about how that process works.

How to Install Joomla Extensions

Before you can use extensions to improve your site, you’ll need to know how to install them. There are two major ways to do that – manually or automatically.

To perform an automatic install, you’ll first want to find the extension you need in the Joomla directory. On the extension’s individual page, download its .zip file to your computer:

Then, visit your site’s admin panel and select Extensions > Manage > Install:

Click on the browse button, and choose the extension’s .zip file. Then, select Upload File and Install:

After that, you can visit Extensions > Manage, and enable the tool you just installed by selecting the checkbox next to it:

That’s all you need to do to get the extension up and running!

In some cases, you may need (or want) to perform a manual installation instead. If so, you can find instructions on how to do this in the Joomla knowledge base. However, the automatic installation process will be sufficient for most users.

4 Joomla Extensions You Should Be Using on Your Site

Now that you know how to install a Joomla extension, you can start expanding your site’s functionality. There are many excellent options out there, and we’d encourage you to spend some time browsing the directory.

Many of your extension choices will depend on your site’s niche and purpose. However, the following four Joomla extensions are especially versatile, and can be useful on almost any website. Let’s take a look at each in turn.

1. Akeeba Backup

It’s crucial to perform regular backups on your site, so you have a copy to restore in case something goes wrong. You can never predict when your site may be hacked, for example, or someone working on it might make a mistake and delete an important element.

There’s no way to perform automatic backups in Joomla by default, but you can do so using the Akeeba Backup extension. With it, you can create one-click backups and download them to your own hard drive or a cloud service. These backups can be used to restore your site, and also to transfer or copy it if needed.

What’s more, Akeeba Backup is free to use. There is a charge for opening a support ticket, but the developers also have a large library of free troubleshooting resources available online.

2. ARK Editor

It can be somewhat difficult to edit text in Joomla without knowing any code. However, with ARK Editor, anyone can manage website content easily. This is especially useful for teams with varying degrees of technical expertise.

Formerly known as the JCK Editor, this extension provides a very intuitive way to edit content in Joomla. ARK Editor is a ‘What You See Is What You Get’ (WYSIWYG) tool, which means you can type directly into a visual editor, with no HTML or code necessary. If you do have a bit more technical know-how, on the other hand, you can still add and edit code directly in a separate view.

The free version of ARK Editor is very useful, but there are a few features reserved for the pro version. For instance, you’ll get a syntax highlighter that checks your code as you go, and a media manager for photos and videos.

3. EasyBlog

Blogs are an excellent way to improve your site’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and advance your brand. However, Joomla does not have an easy built-in tool for blogging.

That’s where the EasyBlog extension comes in, offering an intuitive way to add blog posts to your site. It includes a drag-and-drop editor, with customizable content blocks that help you build posts using text, images, videos, and custom HTML code. You can even add a Google Map to your blog, which is also helpful for SEO.

The base version of EasyBlog is free, and its premium plans start at $80 per year (which includes unlimited installations and 14 blog themes). There’s also a developer plan for $199 a year, which includes 21 blog themes to choose from.

4. Breezing Forms

Forms are a way to solicit and store information from your website visitors, using specific input fields of your choosing. You can use online forms for a variety of purposes: collecting contact information, running surveys, or even inviting clients to ask questions.

If you want to create a form in Joomla without coding it by hand, you’ll need an extension like Breezing Forms. The base version is free, and will get the job done. However, the pro version is also worth a look, as it comes with additional features such as integration with services like Dropbox.

Conclusion

Joomla is a useful CMS to start with, but its features can also be greatly expanded using the right extensions. Of course, every extension you install adds at least a little bulk to your site’s code, and can potentially slow things down. Therefore, it’s important to choose the extensions you’ll use carefully.

Joomla’s most popular extensions are well-known for a reason – they provide crucial features that the platform is lacking by default. The four extensions we think almost any Joomla site can benefit from include:

1. Akeeba Backup: A useful tool to perform automatic site backups, so you can restore, clone, or transfer your site.
2. ARK Editor: A ‘What You See Is What You Get’ (WYSIWYG) editor, which enables anyone to edit content in Joomla without needing to know code.
3. EasyBlog: A tool for creating blog posts in Joomla, along with an easy-to-use content builder.
4. Breezing Forms: A form generator that you can use to create customized forms, and place them on your site.

Image source: Pexels.

The post 4 Joomla Extensions You Should Know About & Be Using appeared first on The A2 Posting.

Fortunately, there are some excellent templates out there, if you know where to find them. Investing in a high-quality template can take your Joomla site’s look to the next level, without much work required on your end. Plus, many of the best options can be surprisingly affordable.

In this article, we’ll introduce a few templates that can help you customize your Joomla site’s appearance. Before that, however, let’s talk about what templates are and why they matter!

An Introduction to Joomla Templates

As you probably know, Joomla is a Content Management System (CMS). This is a type of software that helps you manage a website and all its content, including text, images, and video. Most also give you access to additional tools, such a template or theme you can use to control your site’s appearance.

However, templates don’t just affect the way your site looks. They play a role in its Search Engine Optimization (SEO), mobile optimization, and page speed as well. That’s one reason it’s so important to get a template from a reputable source, and to review your options carefully.

When adding a template to your site, you can either buy a ready-made solution or hire a developer to build one for you. Of course, buying a template is usually a much cheaper and simpler choice. If you can find a template that’s close enough to what you want, you can even hire a developer to tweak it, for a lot less than it would cost to build one from scratch.

Either way, you’ll want to put plenty of time into choosing a template, since it can have a huge impact on the rest of your site. Let’s talk more about why that is.

Why Your Site’s Template Matters

Humans are visual creatures, and we tend to make snap judgments based on appearance. The more appealing your site looks, the more time visitors will want to spend on its pages. This is crucial, as longer dwell times can increase your SEO.

Your site’s look isn’t just about aesthetics, either. The template also helps to determine your site’s hierarchy of information, which affects how easily your visitors will be able to find what they need. A disorganized, chaotic-looking site may drive them away in frustration.

Finally, some templates are niche-specific, which will help you create a layout and style that’s optimized for your exact type of site. For example, if you have a corporate business website, you might want it to look spare and simple. On the other hand, a site for a jewelry business might need a more warm and artistic aesthetic.

4 Joomla Templates to Help You Build a Better-Looking Website

Now we’ve discussed why templates are so important, all that’s left is to find the right one for your site. To help you get started, here are four Joomla templates that you might want to consider using.

1. Brewery Responsive

The perfect theme for brewers and bars, this niche template offers a classic look. Brewery Responsive’s features include:

• Responsive design: This template will automatically adjust for smaller screens, which is crucial since 51% of all web traffic now comes from mobile devices.
• Page templates: You’ll get access to 14 ready-made pages, including FAQ, testimonial, and contact demos.
• Google Maps: You can easily add a Google Map to your Joomla website with this template. This is especially important for businesses such as bars, because it improves local SEO and helps potential customers get quick directions to your location.

Pricing: Brewery Responsive costs $75 for one license.

2. TopDog

A clean, business-like theme, TopDog is perfect for professional sites. The template’s features include:

• Drag-and-drop page builder: This feature enables you to build custom layouts by dragging and dropping pre-built elements onto a page, then arranging and customizing them.
• Parallax scrolling: Adding parallax scrolling to your home page is an excellent way to make it look more appealing and professional.
• SEO-optimization: This theme is optimized for better placement in search engines, and there’s an SEO plugin available for purchase that generates meta tags to go with your content.

Pricing: The cost for TopDog starts at $75 for one license.

3. Cleanliness

This next template is very sleek and minimalistic. All of this developer’s templates are built with Bootstrap, which means that Cleanliness‘ pages are very adjustable. Its features include:

• ‘Quickstart’ easy install: You can get a fully-working demo site up and running quickly, and then customize it to suit your needs.
• Mobile-friendly design: This template offers a light framework, which will load quickly on mobile devices.
• Customization potential: If you’re familiar with coding, it’s fairly easy to learn how to customize Bootstrap templates.

Pricing: A license for Cleanliness will cost you 49 euros.

4. High Fashion

Perfect for designers and visual artists, this template comes with a gorgeous image gallery. High Fashion’s additional features include:

• Parallax and animations: Parallax scrolling and subtle animations give this template an attention-grabbing look.
• Template color switcher: You can easily switch your site’s color palette from the template options.
• ‘MegaMenu’: This feature helps you design clear and prominent navigation, organize it into categories, and even feature certain content.

Pricing: A one-site license for High Fashion is $75.

Conclusion

If you want to build a strong online presence, it’s important to have a website that looks as professional as possible. Your site’s template can help with this. Plus, the right template can have a positive effect on many aspects of your site, such as its loading speeds and how it looks on mobile devices.

To find the right template for your site, we’d recommend browsing for highly-rated options from reputable sources such as TemplateMonster. To get you started, four templates you might want to check out include:

1. Brewery Responsive
2. TopDog
3. Cleanliness
4. High Fashion

Image source: Pexels.

The post 4 Joomla Templates to Help You Build a Better-Looking Website appeared first on The A2 Posting.