Today marks a milestone for the Joomla! Project as we celebrate two years of dedication and hard work from our volunteers. Their vision to deliver a major new version every two years has culminated in the release of Joomla 5.0 and Joomla 4.4. After extensive discussions, code sprints, and bug fixes, we’re thrilled to unveil our latest major version.
What is Joomla 5?
Joomla 5 is a significant update packed with new features, security enhancements, and performance improvements. The platform has been entirely redesigned and optimized to leverage the latest server technologies. Unlike a migration, upgrading from Joomla 4.4.x to 5.x is a smooth upgrade, designed to grow with you and your business.
Joomla 5 caters to everyone, from individuals and bloggers to charities, web agencies, and multinational corporations.
Discover how Joomla 5 can benefit you at joomla.org/5.
New Features in Joomla 5
- Dark Mode for Administrators: Enjoy a refined dark mode experience, now available for administrators as well.
- Enhanced Web Assets and Caching: Improved web asset caching for better performance.
- Schema.org Integration: Automatic activation of Schema.org data for better SEO.
- Code Optimization: Speed improvements through automatic source code optimization with the phpcs fixer.
- Updated PHP & Bootstrap: Enhanced compatibility with PHP 8+ and updated to Bootstrap 5.3.2.
- User Interface Enhancements: Improved dark mode for the Atum administrator template and a new Joomla modal window for select buttons.
- Tools & Plugins: Updated TinyMCE editor to version 6.7 with new image alignment features and improved system performance with scheduler plugins.
- Media Management: Added AVIF support and improved smart search indexing by excluding archived content.
- Menu Sorting: Customizable menu sorting options.
- Enhanced Security: Migrated events to their classes and removed obsolete Recaptcha plugins.
- Modern Technologies: Internal code restructuring with new APIs, JS Import map support for Web Asset Manager, and fixes for deprecated PHP 8.2 issues.
- Extensions & Compatibility: Introduced Fontawesome 6.4, Codemirror 6, and updated Webauthn Library. Joomla 5 requires PHP 8.1, MySQL 8.0.13+, MariaDB 10.4+, and PostgreSQL 12+.
- Cleaner Code Base: Emphasis on code cleanliness with updates to older APIs and removal of es5 support.
Joomla 5 is designed to meet modern CMS needs with speed, security, and an intuitive user experience.
For known issues with the 4.4.0 and 5.0.0 releases, please refer to the Version 4.4.0 FAQ and Version 5.0.0 FAQ in our documentation.
Download Joomla 5
Grab Joomla 5.0 from the Downloads site. For new installations, follow the updated instructions and technical requirements.
Want to explore Joomla 5.0 without installing it? Visit Try Joomla 5.0 for a demo.
How to Upgrade to Joomla 5
Upgrading from Joomla 4.4.x to 5.x is straightforward:
- Joomla 4 Extensions: Extensions that have removed deprecated code and use up-to-date Joomla code will work in Joomla 5.
- Backward Compatibility: Most other extensions will be compatible with the new Behaviour - Backward Compatibility Plugin.
For a detailed upgrade guide, visit: Joomla 4.4.x to 5.x Upgrade Guide.
Note: Test the upgrade on a copy of your production site first. Joomla 4.4 will be supported for another 2 years, so there's no immediate need to upgrade. Check the Joomla Extensions Directory for extension compatibility.
Spread the Word!
Help us celebrate Joomla 5.0's release! Use the hashtag #Joomla5, share the Joomla 5 video, direct clients to the Joomla 5 landing page, or feature it on your professional site.
About Joomla 4.4
Joomla 4.4 doesn’t introduce new features but is crucial for upgrading from Joomla 4.x to Joomla 5.x. It includes updates for a smoother upgrade path.
Who Uses Joomla?
Joomla serves web agencies, companies of all sizes, online shops, bloggers, communities, and various organizations, including NGOs, schools, charities, and governments.
Built by passionate volunteers, Joomla is a secure and robust CMS reflecting the needs of those who use it daily.
Support for Extension Developers
A comprehensive manual for Joomla 5 extension developers is available: Joomla 5 Developer Manual.
Want to contribute? Join the Joomla community on Mattermost, engage with the Joomla Bug Squad, or support development efforts.
Explore ways to contribute: Joomla Community
Find Documentation
We encourage developers to help with Joomla 5 documentation to support users and extension developers.
A Big Thank You!
Joomla 5.0 is the result of thousands of hours of dedicated work by numerous volunteers. Special thanks to the teams and contributors who made this release possible.
Thank you to:
Allon Moritz, Bear, Benjamin Trenkle, Benno Achermann, Brian Teeman, Christiane Maier-Stadtherr, David Jardin, Denitz, Dimitris Grammatikogiannis, Fedir Zinchuk, framontb, George Wilson, Geraint Edwards, Hannes Papenberg, Harald Leithner, heelc29, Magnus Singer, Martin Carl Kopp, Nicholas K. Dionysopoulos, Nicola Galgano, Olivier Buisard, Quy, Richard Fath, Robert Deutz, Sakis Terzis, Sergey Tolkachyov, SharkyKZ, Shazma Siddiqui, Stefan Wendhausen, Tuan Pham Ngoc, Viviana Menzel, zero-24.
Thank you all!