Using Joomla

Some Basic Terminology

In dealing with any new technology, becoming familiar with the lingo can be a frustrating process. This section will explain some of that lingo to you in plain English.

Frontend Versus Backend

If you’re not familiar with Joomla, you’ll quickly learn the difference between the frontend and backend. It is a very simple concept. The frontend is what visitors see when viewing your website. However, site administrators will have access to a control panel they can use to build and manage the website. This is called the backend or is sometimes referred to as the Administrator Backend.

The frontend and backend look completely different. To see what the frontend looks like, refer back to Figure 2-3. To see what the backend looks like, refer to Figure 2-5.

Figure 2-5. Joomla 1.5 backend

Extensions

Like most modern content management systems, Joomla allows the installation of add-ons to extend the basic functionality. In Joomla, users can extend the functionality to add features like a shopping cart, discussion forum, calendar, and lots more. These add-ons are collectively referred to as extensions.

There are five different types of extensions: components, modules, plug-ins, templates, and languages. Each of these extensions interact with Joomla in a unique way and offer tremendous flexibility in what a user will experience on the frontend of the website. Each extension ...