How can I add more functionalities to my Joomla website? - joomla

I have a Joomla site, in which I configured the main sections categories and articles.
Now I need to have a slideshow widget, couple of list widgets in my website. Do I need to code it myself? I am very new to Joomla with first project in hand.

Well,
you can extend your basic joomla by installing and configuring various components, modules and plugins.
Here you can get a big collection of available extensions for joomla.
http://extensions.joomla.org

Related

Creating profile page for users in Joomla

I have been developing websites for some years. I know PHP. but I have never worked with a CMS before. I've been told to create a website with Joomla where there's a homepage and also new users may sign up and then they can have a profile page where they can upload their profile picture and write their résumé.
This is easy for me to implement this system if I start coding it by myself. but how can I do this in Joomla? is there a plug-in which I need? could someone please give me some resources?
No need to re-invent the wheel - there are tons of ready-built components at the Extensions Directory. Last I checked Community Builder and JomSocial were the most popular, but they might be overkill for your need, so it's worth having a look at the other choices there. If you're new to Joomla, you're probably interested in a Component, which is essentially a "sub-application" that installs under Joomla. They usually include Modules that can be displayed on the site, as well as Plugins that work with the core Joomla logic to perform specialized functions for the installed component.
There are many plugins, but the simple functionality of user profiles is implemented in Joomla. This question might help you.

Joomla Discussion - When to create a plugin, when to create a component?

I have been learning to develop my own plugins and components for joomla! 2.5.
After a couple of months of developing features for my site, I am starting to realise that some of the components I have created could have probably been just as effective if I'd developed them as a plugin for com_content or com_user.
My question is what's the best way to decided if a full component is needed and when is it ok to use one or multiple plugins to give the same functionality.
My feeling at the moment is that plugins are a much nicer way to go due to them being self contained. Maybe I've answered my own question, and components are needed when interaction between elements is more complicated, where as plugins can be used for very modular functions.
Anyone else have a view?
Components and Plugins are completely different types of extensions.
Components are applications/systems that will appear in the content area such as VirtueMart and where the articles are shown. Consider them as software for you computer.
Plugins are there to manipulate Joomla and/or there extensions it's using. They contains functions that are associated with trigger events. So in a nutshell, they are there to extend the functionality of an existing extension.
So so answer your question, have a think about what you are creating and if will be an aplication or something to extend functionality.
Hope this helps

What is Joomla /libraries/cms?

I had an issues with some joomla api. The issue was that I was using the latest version of joomla and couldn't find where a joomla class, that was being called in my code, was derived . I searched the joomla api docs and found nothing relating to the class I was looking for.
I then stumbled across the refactoring change log for joomla and noticed that the function i was after had actually been moved from /libraries/joomla/form to libraries/cms/form.
Why would this be the case? There doesn't seem to be any reference to /libraries/cms in the api docs. How are we suppose to know that there are classes living there? Very confusing.
Since Joomla! 1.6 the code has been progressively split into the Joomla! CMS and the Joomla! Platform. You can see this separation in the github repository - a good place to also keep track of changes that are committed to both the CMS and the Platform. The simplest way is fork each repository and keep track of them.
As classes are updated they may be migrated to the /libraries/cms directory if they apply specifically to the CMS application (e.g. html forms are an application level function not a platform level).
I find the best place to hear about changes under discussion are in the respective Google Groups - Joomla! Platform Development and Joomla! CMS Development
[Edit]
Documentation of class's is the hardest thing to find for Joomla! CMS - there doesn't appear to be a current api listing for it, unlike the Platform API reference. Often it is just easier to read through the code.
It's also worth keeping a watch on the developer sub-site.
If you want to define excellence in CMS without coding, Joomla is the right option for you.Joomla the most preferred content management system among developers is an easy-to-use open source solution.If you want to define excellence in CMS without coding, Joomla is the right option for you. In this post, you will find few of its features that make the website development easy and most preferred option for developers.

Guide, tutorial for Joomla and a bit more information

May I ask is there any tutorial, guide website or videos that can guide me with template/theme building from scratch for Virtuemart 2.0.8?
Also do you suggest using Joomla with Virtuemart or Zen Cart for making an e-commerce website and I mean making a template and theme from scratch using HTML, CSS and Jquery.
Also I'm planning to add a text file into my database automatically from a ftp server every 8 hours so as to update the product prices of the site automatically. I know with Virtuemart I can do this with CSVI but is there any similar for Zen Cart?
Thank you!
If you are not experienced with HTML, CSS and JQuery, then making your own template will be very hard. You would be better off using a free one or adapting it to suit your own needs.
As for your query about using Zen Cart or VirtueMart. I would recommend using VirtueMart as its fully integrated and however JVitals have made a bridge for those who would prefer to use Zen Cart which can be found here

Magento 1.4 extension development

HI
Magento introduced a new concept of widget in magento 1.4 , my question is whether to write a magento extension in magento 1.4 is useful or not
Thanks
Magento Extensions provide a variety of different features and enhancements to a Magento System.
Magento widgets prove a way for "less-technical-users" to add a Magento Blocks to a Magento CMS page.
So yes, writing an extension in 1.4 is still useful.
Magento widgets are easy to use. They are the features introduced in magento 1.4 and they can be added anywhere in the pages. Widgets also provide extensive functionalities to magento.
Think of a widget as another way to accomplish things in Magento. You can either make an extension or a widget. At the end of the day you will want to use the best tool for the job.
If you are looking to just add a small block of text to a page, then a widget is for you. If you need more functionality than that, an extension will probably suit you better.

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