Joomla programming

Website

Joomla programming

Joomla CMS already contains a lot of functionality by default. The functionality can be easily extended with so-called extensions. There are many extensions available for a small fee. But you can also program them for Joomla.

The standard functionality Custom Fields allows you to build your own data structures. Sometimes you can add new functionality through existing 3rd party extensions. But sometimes it is more convenient to develop custom extensions. db8 can program custom extensions for Joomla.

Extensions

The Joomla extensions can be divided into different groups:

Components
Components are applications with an extended internal logic (e.g. create, read, update and delete items). They are usually managed via the "Components" menu in the administrator back-end.
Modules
Modules are rather simple blocks offering some kind of information: the menu of the website, the most recent 5 articles, a login screen on the side.
Plugins
Plugins run in the background and become active when called by processes. For example, you can program "content plugins" for Joomla that run when Joomla's content component is active and can automatically perform certain actions in the background. For example, Joomla's e-mail cloaking plugin, which hides e-mail addresses in articles so they cannot be indexed by spambots.
Templates
Templates take care of the design of the website, so the way the visitors see the website.

Where to find

Through the Joomla Extension Directory you can find many extensions which are usually available for a small fee. There is a lot of quality difference between the extensions in terms of: functionality, design, usability, quality of the code and the co-operation with other extensions. Getting advice from fellow Joomla users or paid advice from a professional Joomla company can save a lot of time and money.

Custom development

Sometimes it is more convenient to develop custom functionality. For example if specific needs cannot be met by standard extensions. Or when an organisation does not want to adapt its working method/workflow to the existing extensions.

Since 2005, db8 has experience in programming customised extensions for Joomla.

From our portfolio

Some examples:

Information systems
- Resource database for senior citizens to facilitate living at home for longer;
- Housing guide that can be used to manage and find homes in Nijmegen;
- Database system that shows locations on a Google Map, including a radius search function.
Interaction
- Artist booking system with e-mail notification;
- A course management system for a training company in IT office applications;
- Job vacancy system for an employment agency;
- Candidate selection and application system for a secondment agency in the spatial planning sector.

Connections with other systems
- Attendance indicator by means of a Raspberry Pi (mini-computer) that communicates which employees are present to the website via web service;
- PDF generator to generate proof of attendance in PDF and send it to customers by e-mail;
- Authorisation plugin for a government agency to allow employees to automatically log in to an external knowledge management system from the intranet;
- Import plug-in to import email addresses from an external CRM system into Acymailing newsletter software;
- Calculation component to calculate BPM tax on car import and to make the data available via SOAP-like link to a VBS application in MSWord which the employees use to make reports.

Joomla programming