Joomla 5.1 and 4.4.4 Released: A Leap Forward in Open-Source CMS

Details

The Joomla Project proudly announces the release of Joomla 5.1, alongside Joomla 4.4.4. This minor version update marks six months of dedicated work by our volunteer community, bringing a host of new features, security enhancements, and performance improvements.

Key Highlights of Joomla 5.1:

  1. Enhanced User Experience:
    • Implemented TUF updater for improved security
    • Significant improvements to dark mode, including backend switch
    • New Welcome Tour feature
    • Upgraded FontAwesome to 6.5.1 and TinyMCE to 6.8.3

  2. SEO Enhancements:
    • Added trailing slash behavior option
    • Improved URL handling with index.php
    • Enhanced schema.org support with Generic and Article types

  3. Developer-Friendly Updates:
    • Converted multiple modules to service providers
    • Improved CLI commands for core updates and extension checks
    • Enhanced webservices functionality

  4. Accessibility and Design:
    • Updated Jooa11y Accessibility Checker Plugin
    • Improved Guided Tours with new features
    • Added support for subcategory levels in contacts category view

  5. Backend Improvements:
    • Replaced bootstrap modal with new dialog in various components
    • Added rebuild button in Tags
    • Implemented sorting functionality for subform rows

Upgrading to Joomla 5.1:

Users can upgrade from Joomla 4.4.x to 5.x without migration. Most extensions will work with the new Backward Compatibility Plugin enabled. Detailed upgrade instructions are available on the Joomla documentation site.

Joomla 4.4.4 Update:

While Joomla 4.4.4 doesn't introduce new features, it includes updates to ensure a smoother upgrade path to Joomla 5.x.

Download and Resources:

  • New installations and upgrades: Visit the Downloads section on Joomla.org
  • Try before you install: Test Joomla 5.1 at launch.joomla.org

Community Involvement:

Joomla thrives on community participation. Developers, integrators, and users can contribute through:

Extension developers can find migration resources at manual.joomla.org and are encouraged to join the extension developer channel on Mattermost.

Acknowledgments:

The Joomla Project extends heartfelt thanks to all 41+ contributors, including 4 new contributors, who merged over 317 Pull Requests. Special recognition goes to the release managers and various teams involved in development, maintenance, documentation, and marketing.

Joomla continues to be a preferred CMS for web agencies, businesses, bloggers, and various organizations worldwide. Its robust nature and continuous improvement reflect the dedication of its user-developer community.

For more information and full release details, visit Joomla.org or check the GitHub repository. Join the celebration using #Joomla5 on social media!