Web Developer and Joomla! CMS Solutions Specialist

Mastering Joomla! 1.5 Extension and Framework Development

If you want to develop extensions for Joomla!, you'll want to know the framework inside out. This will enable you to take full advantage of the tools available. Many php developers who are new to Joomla! may think they don't need the framework, and can just develop like they do without Joomla!. While it's true, this is possible, the point is that you would be missing out on some powerful tools that Joomla! offers, which can save you a lot of time, and encourage code re-use through design patterns. Mastering Joomla! 1.5 Extension and Framework Development contains a very thorough explanation of the framework, with many code examples, and a large appendix for reference.

This book is for intermediate to experienced php developers with any level of Joomla! knowledge. Beginners or non technical users will likely not be able to follow this book. It is intended for those who want to develop extensions for Joomla!, and need to understand the advanced technical details of the framework. The book assumes knowledge of php, but covers Joomla! framework in depth. The book is extremely thorough, containing over 500 pages, with detailed descriptions of virtually every part of the framework. One part I found especially useful is the explanation of the Joomla! application execution path. This is vital for extension developers to understand, and here is presented in easy to read flowcharts, as well as detailed descriptions of each step. This way you will know exactly where you can place your code to get what you need, and what type of extension is best suited for the job.

With 1.6 just around the corner, you may be wondering if you can skip this book, and just wait for a 1.6 book. It's true that 1.6 has added several new features, but the framework itself has not actually changed very much. Most of what you will learn in this book still applies to 1.6 with little or no changes. This is true for the architecture in general, and almost all the core library code. Also, 1.5 will be officially supported until approx 2012, and likely many sites will use it for some time after that. So if you need to develop for Joomla! today, 1.5 is going to be a great choice for a considerable amount of time, making it well worth buying this book.

When you understand the how Joomla! framework gets built, and the events you can hook into, you unlock a very powerful set of tools to integrate your extension seamlessly with the rest of the application. Instead of being in the dark, and trying to hack your way through, you can learn how each type of extension interacts with the application. Once you have these tools at your disposal, Joomla! becomes a true pleasure to work with as a developer. Since Joomla! also encourages code re use, you will save time when you're able to easily bring in an existing extension, and customize it as needed. After reading this book, you will truly be a master Joomla! developer.

Note: I'm a member of the Packt affiliate program. I'm providing disclosure of this fact, so that my readers can make informed decisions.

Add Comment