Joomla tutorial - installing templates and extensions

Joomla programmers have done a smart thing and included an installer for the various themes, components, modules and mambots. This will make Joomla customization easier (at least at first).

Ok! For this tutorial we're going to need some templates, which you can get from Ty2u.com for free, and various extensions from the Joomla Extensions site. Take a look and download something that interests you and then download them. As a template I'm using Vivacious and as an extension Fireboard Forum, which I've already downloaded.

1. Log in to the administration backend. On the horizontal menu click on "Installers -> Templates - Site", which will take you to the template installer.

Joomla installers menu

2. Click on the browse button and select the template you've just downloaded, then click "Open". After the file path appears in the text box, click on "Upload File & Install".

Joomla template installer

3. You'll get an "Upload template - Success" message. Click on "Continue" and you'll see the Template Manager, where you can select your newly uploaded theme.

Joomla template uploaded success

This is all! Well, there is another thing you have to know: Joomla 1.0.x has 3 types of extensions, each with it's own installer (components, modules and mambots). When you download an extension take a look at the description and remember what kind of extension it is so you know which installer to use.

Also, most of the archives have either com/component, bot/mambot or mod/module in the file name to make them easier to recognize.

From now on when you want to configure or delete your themes and extensions you can go to their menus:

  • for templates go to "Site -> Template Manager -> Site / Administrator Templates"
  • for components go to "Components -> <choose a component>"
  • for modules go to "Modules -> Site / Administrator Modules"
  • for mambots go to "Mambots -> Site Mambots"

Happy installing!