Joomla!® Bible

Chapter 3. Taking a Look at Joomla!

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Introducing the front end

• Introducing the back end

If you worked through the previous chapter, you should have a complete Joomla! installation, ready to be explored. This chapter goes through Joomla's front-end and back-end interfaces and explains what you see on- screen. This chapter also provides a quick orientation and tour of the Joomla! system.

The references and figures in this chapter all refer to the default site with the sample data installed.

Introducing the Front End (The Public Interface)

The front end of your Joomla! installation is the interface that is seen by the visitors to the site. The front end is the target for your output and the place where your visitors access the site's content and functionality. By default, access to the front end of a Joomla! site is unrestricted; however, you can restrict the visibility of content and functionality to users who are registered and logged in to the system.

Visitors to the site should be able to see and use the front-end content and functionality with any of a wide range of browsers, both current and older editions. The site is also usable by most common mobile devices.

In terms of the structural functionality of the front end, the key elements you see on-screen, as shown in Figure 3.1 are:

• Template: The container for all the output on the page. This defines the look and feel of the page.

• Articles: Your content items.

• Modules: Provide output and functionality in secondary content ...