What is Joomla?

How to Set up a Joomla Website
from wikiHow - The How to Manual That You Can Edit

Using Joomla!, you can easily create a content-rich, interactive web site.
Joomla! is a robust open source content management system (cms) for building websites and online applications.
Its browser based interface allows for non-technical users to add or edit content, and to manage the critical data that gets your website up and running.
Steps

1. Download the latest release version here.
   
2. After you downloaded the package you must unzip it to your hard drive before uploading. Unzip and open an FTP client. Upload all your files to the desired directory of your host.
   
3. Set the file permissions for the configuration.php file to 666.
   
4. Now go to the url where you installed Joomla!. You will be presented with an pre-installation check page. Click Next, until you reach the "step 1"
   
5. Now you must enter your databse details that Joomla! will connect to. (Contact your webhost if you do not know your username and password) Click Next.
   
6. Enter the desired name of your new site. Dont worry this can be easily changed later, so it is not that important. Click Next.
   
7. The username for the Super Administrator is "admin". On this page (step 3) you may change the randomly generated password if you desire. Just make sure you take a mental note of it. For the file permissions it is best to leave them as they are, by leaving "Dont CHMOD Files" checked.
   
8. Finish the browser installation by clicking next.
   
9. Delete the installation folder from you webserver.
   
10. Your now have a basic Joomla! installation. To login to the admin section go to: "yoursite.com/administrator/"
    
11. Now navigate your way around and get comfortable using it.
    
12. Too complicated?just write to jchniti@yahoo.ca and I will gladly help you in all of it.
    

Tips

• If you get stuck somewhere and want help. Visit the Joomla! forums.
  
• As Joomla! is open source, developers have created many extensions most commonly intergrated as components or modules.
  
• You can edit any of the files to suit your needs; just make sure you leave the GNU/GPL licence intact in the source of each page.
  
• If you want to run Joomla! on your computer without uploading it to any host. Then you need to install Apache, MySQL, PHP, and phpMyAdmin.
  
• Further reading material for running Joomla!
  
• For those that prefer visual learning, VideoTutorialZone.com provides a comprehensive set of video tutorials for installing Joomla in various environments.
  

Warnings

• Remember your administrator login details from when you installed Joomla!. Otherwise you might need to re-install it all over again.
  

Things You'll Need

• A Joomla! package
  
• A web host with PHP and a MySQL Database.
  
• An FTP Client
  

Related wikiHows

• How to Upload Files to an FTP Server
  
• How to Install Apache, MySQL, PHP, and phpMyAdmin on a Windows PC
  
• How to Create a Website
  
• How to Design a Logo Quickly
  

Sources and Citations

• http://www.joomla.org
  
• http://www.smartftp.com
  
• http://winzip.com
  
• http://www.firepages.com.au
  
• http://joomlatp.com
  

Article provided by wikiHow, a collaborative writing project to build the world's largest, highest quality how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Set up a Joomla Website. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

Back in the day it was a challenge to have your own website. Completing your first webpage was a feeling not unlike doing your first oil change. Using your physical and mental muscles to complete what was a formidable task pumps adrenalin like few other experiences.

Now days nearly everyone has website building experience. Doctors, lawyers, preachers, teachers, school kids, and more are becoming content management system pros. It's just a sign of the times.

However, for those of us who are focused on building an Internet business, just having a website is not nearly enough. That's where a CMS AKA Content Management System comes into the picture. And that's what Joomla is all about.

One of the great things I've learned about Joomla is you can have a well written and sharp...fresh...professional looking webpage with the image of a business that paid over $2000 in web designer and web author fees to get the job done.

Now, with Joomla, none of that is necessary. Do you have to be a web-master with skills up the kazoo? Absolutely not.

Content management is leading edge technology that has proven its worth for years. None of the heavy hitters from A to Z would bank the big bucks if website content management systems did not exist. Here's the skinny.

Joomla is your friend and will soon, if you're really serious about growing a business, be your very best friend. I hasten to add, I am not trying to sell you on Joomla so you'll buy the system from me. It's not for sale!

Joomla represents a brand new application of open source code. This means you can use it without paying a dime for the system. You don't need to know what that means because there are dozens of forums with thousands of friendly folks waiting to answer your questions and get you up to speed.

All you do is download Joomla and it goes to work for you. You'll find templates that are easy to customize with just the look you want. You can add as many or as few bells and whistles as you please. The system is very user friendly and demos are abundant....and super easy to understand.

Hopefully I've triggered your appetite for more. Just take a quick read of the rest of the story about Joomla.

Starting Out

Joomla is a brand new open source CMS that began its rise toward Internet supremacy in 2005. Following a steady course of development and expansion Joomla is now a primary system for literally thousands of developers and companies. Adding us neophytes to the mix makes this a system that is impacting the lives of millions of Internet businesses.

Currently there are three basic platforms of Joomla. The systems are simply identified as major, minor and maintenance.

Joomla is working in many different applications for as many different users. There are those who use it for personal pages. There are business web pages, newspapers, newsletters, magazines, Government portals and much much more.

Is It Very Popular?

Joomla now has more than 100,000 on its development team throughout the world. More than 40 languages are supported and the numbers continue to explode.

Joomla has its own working groups, much like Microsoft, but different. Its main, core team has subgroups that work through a group leader for continuity. The infrastructure is simplistic and the processes are smoothly established to ensure stability.

To learn more about Joomla click here for the unofficial Joomla Blog.