Joomla Developer Reference

Introduction

An introduction to the best online developer documentation for Joomla.

• Example Source Code (free sample)
• Coding Styles
• The Extended Framework (free sample)
• Preparing Your Joomla Environment
• Having a Security Focused Mindset

The Joomla Framework

This section introduces the Joomla Framework, the foundation on which the Joomla CMS rests.

• Joomla and Third-Party Framework Overview
• Applications
• Database Tables
• Filtering Request Input
• Sessions
• Storing and Displaying Dates
• Logging to Files (free sample)
• Sending Emails
• Profiling Execution

Components

This section outlines how to build and deploy Joomla components.

• Starting a Component (free sample)
• MVC - Models, Views and Controllers
• Dispatchers and Controllers

Plugins

This section outlines how to design and deploy the various types of built-in plugins and how to creating your own groups of plugins.

• Plugin Overview
• Plugin Localisation
• Handling Errors in Plugins

Templates

This section looks at the architectural information a developer should be aware of when dealing with Joomla templates.  It is especially written to gently guide you through how the PHP and XML markup is used if you have no experience with them.

• Starting a Template (free sample)
• The System Template
• The Master Template File
• The Popup Template File (free sample)
• The Template Meta XML File
• The Template Language File
• Using Template Parameters
• MVC for Template Designers
• Component Layout Overrides
• Module Layout Overrides
• Module Chrome
• Pagination Link Overrides
• Customising the Error Page
• Customising the Offline Page

Appendix: Events

This appendix outlines the execution order of various parts of the framework with paricular reference to events that are triggered.

• Site and Administrator Application Execution
• Login Event Execution

Appendix: Problem Solving

This appendix attempts to address the causes of, and potential solutions where possible for common and not-so-common problems.

• Query variables disappear when routed