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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened to the courses?

Joomla is awesome, but we have created courses on other topics, so it made sense to migrate all our training to a new site. Site Skills is our new home where you can find all our courses as well as advice on how to Build Better Websites.

How do I access the courses I already purchased?

We sent instructions to existing members in June 2016. If you missed this email, we need to set you up manually:

01 Find your Build a Joomla Website (BAJW) username and/or email address

03Send us your BAJW details and your new Site Skills email and we will add your courses to your account at Site Skills

What does the future have in store for BAJW?

Although the courses now live at Site Skills (see above), Build a Joomla Website is continuing to operate with our blog and forum.

How can I try Joomla for free?

Sometimes people get caught in the chicken or the egg situation with setting up Joomla. You need a place to host your site, but you might not want to commit to a domain name and a hosting account just to take Joomla for a test ride. There are a few ways to try Joomla while spending very little to nothing.

  • Demo.Joomla.org
    Siteground hosts the official demo site for Joomla. This is a great way to very easily test Joomla and see if it feels right for you. You'll get a great hosting account and a free testing domain for 60 days. This option combined with our beginning tutorial series, The Basics, is a fantastic way to learn Joomla without spending anything. Visit demo.joomla.org
     
  • Create a subdomain on your existing hosting account
    If you already have a hosting account, you can simply create a subdomain and install Joomla there. This won't cost anything extra with most hosts, and you won't need to purchase a new domain. You can create something like joomlatest.example.com, and use that to take Joomla for a test run. It's even easier if your current hosting company features the "one-click installer" for Joomla. If not, the installation process is explained in The Basics.
     
  • Purchase inexpensive hosting and a generic domain
    If you know you will purchase a hosting account anyway, and you don't mind spending a few dollars on a testing domain, you can buy hosting from someone such as SiteGround who offers very affordable hosting packages but also knows Joomla well. If you do purchase a generic domain name, you can always keep that as your test domain to try new templates and Joomla versions.
     
  • Host your site locally
    While this tends to be a more technically troublesome choice, it is absolutely possible to host Joomla on your local computer using packages such as XAMPP and WAMP. If you do go with this solution, you won't need to purchase anything. Just make sure that you understand how to configure your local computer for running services and other more complex settings.

What Joomla Templates should I use?

To help find good Template developers, we've put together a Joomla Templates Resource page.

Just as with any extension, the Template that you choose for your Joomla project should be determined by your needs. There are many different Templates out there from many different developers. Here are a few things to consider:

What Framework should you go with?
If you aren't sure about this, and you don't have specific needs for the back end of your website, then don't worry too much about this. A lot has been written about which Framework is best, and it really is a case of personal preference. Sometimes it's best to give them a shot and see which one you feel most comfortable with. Popular Joomla Template Frameworks include Gantry, Warp, Wright, T3, Helix and Quix.

Does the Template work with your version of Joomla?
Make sure that the Template you are installing will be compatible with the version of Joomla you are running.

Does the overall layout provide the look and feel you are wanting?
If the Template doesn't offer at least MOST of what you are going for, keep looking.

Is the Template easy to understand and modify?
If you are going to be doing a lot of CSS or PHP modification, make sure there is good documentation or support from the developer. Also, the file structure should be easy to understand.

Is the developer still active?
This is very important. Check their forum, see when the last update was, send them a message. If the developer is non-existent, you will have trouble getting help.

What Joomla extensions should I use?

The extensions that you use in any given Joomla project will vary based on your needs. There are 1000s of extensions listed in the Joomla Extensions Directory. They range in function from simple forms and RSS feed modules to entire blogging platforms and social networking systems.

The recommendations for specific extensions can at times become heated, but there are still a few that most people can agree on. We listed several of them on our Recommended Extensions page, and we will continue updating this page regularly.

You can also visit the extensions section of our forum and post your thoughts on specific extensions or ask for advice.

How do I get support help for a problem I'm having with Joomla?

One place to start finding answers to your Joomla related problems is on the official Joomla forum. There have been many common and obscure problems already answered there, and it's easy to post a new question. You'll most likely find several experts reading through posts regularly on the official forum.

We also offer support here at Build a Joomla Website. We've answered many questions ranging from the very basic to quite in depth. Our Joomla forum is open to anyone for posting, reading and answering Joomla related questions. You can also search through the existing posts to see if anyone has already experienced your problem and had it answered.

I have a good business deal, how do I get in contact?

We are always open to great partnerships, but as with most things we are also very choosy about who we work with. If you believe you have a service or product that would be a good fit for our audience, you can contact us via our contact form.

How do I find a developer for my Joomla project?

Build a Joomla Website was designed to help you build your own website. However there are occasions when you need a little extra help. Finding a good developer for a Joomla project, or any other for that matter, can be tricky if you don't know what to watch out for and how to approach the project. Here are a couple of tips:

  • Go in with a set budget rather than by the hour.
  • Understand that you will get what you pay for. Good developers with experience cost good money for a reason.
  • Expect or avoid any issues you will have trouble dealing with, such as language barriers, time zone differences or cultural differences.
  • Keep tabs on progress the entire way through.
  • Be nice to your developers. They are people, and will respond well to being treated with respect.
  • Follow up on their references and portfolio pieces. Have them explain exactly what they did in a few projects.
  • Put a hidden word or phrase somewhere in your job posting to make sure they actually read it. Then have them include it in the subject of their response, otherwise don't even read it.

You can also go through the findings we published in our blog post about places to find a Joomla developer.

Do you accept guest blog articles?

Yes. We're very particular about the quality of information that goes on our site. If you are already very familiar with the Joomla world and are looking to post high quality Joomla or general webmaster related articles, you can get in touch via our contact form.

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