By programmers for programmers-the essential beginner''s guide to building websites with Joomla!

Want to build and maintain dynamic websites without having to learn HTML and CSS? Joomla! open-source web content management system and this beginner''s guide are all you need. This book walks you step-by-step through the process of building a website with Joomla!, providing detailed instruction in Wrox''s practical, programmer-to- programmer style.

The book explores key concepts and shows how each concept relates to the development of an actual real-world web site you can access online.

• Joomla! is an open-source web content management system used to build and maintain dynamic web sites without using specific web languages like HTML and Cascading Style Sheets (CSS)
• Walks you step by step through the process of building a website with Jooma! and features plenty of examples of actual websites that illustrate concepts
• Topics include configuration; managing content, core modules, plugins, menus, and extensions; building custom templates; and performing troubleshooting; also provides advanced tips and tricks, and more

From configuration and management to troubleshooting and advanced tips, this is the book to get you up and running with Joomla!

Since its release in 2005, Joomla! has become one of the most popular open-source content management systems in the world. It is used by millions of people to build and maintain professional, easy-to-manage sites. Written with an approachable and informative writing style, this hands-on book introduces you to Joomla! and gets you started with using this powerful, versatile tool for developing and managing Web sites.

Joomla! guru Cory Webb teaches you the concepts that every beginner should know. He walks you through the process of building a Web site with Joomla! and reinforces the topics discussed throughout the chapters with real-world examples. You''ll gain a clear understanding of Joomla! and learn how to get things done within the Joomla! framework. Using this book, you will be able to harness the power of Joomla! to accomplish the goals you want to achieve with your Web site.

What you will learn from this book

• How to understand and use the language and jargon of Joomla!
• How to extend Joomla!''s functionality (components, modules, plugins, templates, and languages
• What concepts are involved in building custom Joomla! templates
• How to set up sections, categories, and articles
• Ways to test your site and troubleshoot issues that may arise
• Tips and tricks for achieving non-standard functionality in Joomla!

Who this book is for
This book is for anyone interested in using Joomla! to build a Web site.

Updates, source code, and Wrox technical support at www.wrox.com

Cory Webb is a web designer and developer and the owner of CoryWebbMedia, LLC, where he specializes in building web sites with the premier content management system (CMS), Joomla!. He is perhaps best known for his instructional site, HowToJoomla.net, where he shares his insights and experiences through tips and tricks for beginning Joomla! users. Since the inception of HowToJoomla.net, he has written dozens of articles that have been well received by the Joomla! community. He has received numerous accolades such as "Sweet Jesus, thank you! I spent a day and a half looking for this bit of code! You've saved my sanity!" and "Thank You! I REALLY needed this solution!" He began working with Joomla!'s predecessor, Mambo, in 2003 when he was given the task of building a web site for his employer. After an exhaustive search for the right CMS, he found Mambo and never looked back. In May 2006, Cory started working part-time as a freelance developer for JoomlaShack.com. In February 2008, he parlayed that freelance work into a full-time career as the founder of Cory Webb Media, LLC.