Joomla has proved to be the best content management system for websites all over the world. It has proved to be ideal in organizing and keeping track of communities. There are several Joomla extensions that are being used widely. Let’s take a closer look at the popular extensions.
1. JoomlaXplorer: This is a Joomla component that works as a file manger within the system. If you working on a website with feature list and price then nothing works better than this extension, not even an external FTP program. In fact chances are that this extension may be integrated in Joomla in the future because of the functions it serves. Commercial site makers can create wonders out of this extension. The number of features along with ease of use and quality and the Joomla integration makes this a popular extension. Knowledge is required to explore the possibilities and avoid damage to the install.
2. Fireboard: This latest Joomla extension has come in to the market recently and has been made full use of in terms of its potential. This creates a rock solid forum the same as SMF with a bridge used to minus the hassles. This even makes the use of Joomlaboard unnecessary. This extension is easy to set up with easy maintenance with a clean appearance and high speed. The user simply appreciates the number of features that this has.
3. Smmoothgallery and Lightbox: This Joomla extension works too well and looks fabulous when set up. In fact it can be customized quite well according to requirements. The extension makes use of AJAX libraries but the issues are workable. This easily integrates in the Joomla content with plenty of options and transitioning effects and is a great support for the developer. It may prove to be bit difficult to be worked by a client and has a few issues of frontpage display. However, the benefits are too many and too good.
4. SH404SEF: This is a wonderful Joomla extension that can help yu to integrate SEO tools in your website. Of course, SEO is the ebst thing to have when you are targeting your market audience. A site without SEO is considered to be quite meaningless. There are other SEO components but this particular one is easy to use and works just great on the site. It affords many options that an user finds very helpful along with ease of setting up and providing great support. A novice may find the several options offered a bit overwhelming though.
5. Community Builder: This Joomla extension is mainly used for social networking sites but has uses beyond that as well. The features are amazing and several in number. This extension takes a bit of time for setting up as there are quite a few steps involved. Once it is ready and going, it is a great extension to have. This extension has many other extensions that take it beyond the basic use. This extension gives a greater control to the user with plenty of support from other extensions with lots of options. It can be a bit difficult for novice users to handle and a few compatibility issues with Joomla version 1.0.13 have been reported.
6. MiniFrontPage: This free Joomla extension is simply wonderful in its features. This has the ability to display the latest in content additions in the form of a module. This works best for news sites and or sites that keep posting updates. The latest content is displayed as a snippet with an image to go with it and has a customized link that prompts the visitor to read more. One can even find other related content along with this content. The ease with which the custom content can be integrated is indeed very convenient and the module position of the new content looks simply great. The layout options are plenty with several features. The setup involved is quite minor too and can be easily done.
7. JoomlaStats: This Joomla extension is for keeping track of statistics. Of course, Google Analytics is still the tool to use, but this works well for Joomla integration in the website. This works well in keeping a track of visitors to your site and also referrals. This extension is easy to install and use and has a variety of add-on modules. The database and pageloads may be increased a bit along with page loads when you use this extension but the benefits outweigh that.
8. Jombackup: This is a Joomla extension that provides backup support. It is a simple database that backs up the Joomla database automatically and emails to you. This is an easy way to keep track too. The convenience of use makes it even better. If the site is slow then this extension may not work as conveniently as a manual one.
9. Virtuemart: This is a set of free Joomla extensions that help one appreciate the dynamism of Joomla. The Virtuemart is great for online sellers who have shopping cart. This is easily an extension that works out of the box and makes your site easy to maneuver. This is a great e-commerce solution and a must extension for online sellers to use. The documentation facility and shopping cart make the extension excellent. One may have limited developer support at times.
10. Extended Menu: If you require CSS dropdown menus in your site then nothing can beat this Joomla extension. The functionality of the dropdown menus is great. A novice may find it a bit difficult to set up, especially those unfamiliar with CSS. For developers, This extension can be a base to build customized menu systems that can be integrated with other Joomla menus. The versatile Joomla extension has a range of customizable options.
Joomla extensions have made the websites very easy to customize with ease of set up and use. The range of possibilities with these extensions are varied and of great use to the developer. One can appreciate the Joomla extensions after using them to the fullest and trying out the possibilities. There are many extensions available and can be integrated according to requirements.