Getting started with Joomla

Learn one complete publishing journey before adding complexity.

Before you touch an existing site

Confirm that you have authority to edit it, identify its installed version and preserve its current state. A Joomla installation guide is not an instruction to reinstall an established website. Keep your learning copy separate from production content and outbound services.

Your first five tasks

1. Define one reader question and the useful answer your page should provide.
2. Learn how articles and categories organize information.
3. Create a menu route into that content.
4. Add an authorized image with useful alternative text.
5. Test the page while logged out, on a phone and with a keyboard.

What to learn next

After the first page works, study module positions, access levels and the supported template controls for your version. Keep changes small enough to understand. An extension should solve a specific task that the current setup cannot meet, not simply add another settings screen.

Use the official learning sequence

The official getting-started guide covers installation, articles, categories and menu items. For server preparation, use the versioned technical requirements, not a generic hosting checklist.

Read: your first Joomla content and menu · Resource map

Reviewed 4 November 2026. Independent introductory guidance; labels vary between releases.