A Pause for Now -- To You Who Are About to Start with Joomla

For a while now, this site has kept writing about a serious vulnerability in Joomla. There are still things to watch with care, but the commotion itself seems to be settling down. So with this post, I am putting the matter to rest for the time being.

To close, let me gather up what I want to say to those who are about to start with Joomla, and to those still running an old version. I will keep it simple.

If you are starting with Joomla, start with the latest version

There is no need to hesitate. If you are starting now, choose the latest version.

For example, there is no longer any real value in seriously learning Joomla 5 today. That may sound cold, but the reason is simple: Joomla 5 is a "bridge" version connecting 4 and 6. Nobody builds a house on a bridge.

The basics are almost the same in every version

You may worry that when the version changes, all the settings change too. Rest easy. There are no big differences in Joomla's basic settings between versions. Combing through the settings screens side by side every time a new version comes out is, honestly, a waste of your time.

There is just one thing I ask you to always check. When you migrate, confirm that the extensions you use support the new version. Do not let this one slip. If you overlook it, you will end up struggling after the move.

You do not need to learn everything

This may be the thing I most want to say.

What matters is not knowing everything about Joomla. It is setting up an environment where the latest version works like an extension of your own hands, efficiently. If you try to learn everything and know everything, the announcement of the next version will arrive while you are at it, and you will only be flustered all over again.

Take care of what is necessary first. Save the "I wonder what this is?" questions as a small pleasure for when you have time to spare. That order is just right.

In closing -- I am going back to my real work too

As it happens, this vulnerability came to light in the very month I relaunched the website of my handcraft shop. "Is my site all right?" -- I worried a great deal and scrambled about. I went through the logs, checked inside the server, and it took time before I could judge that all was well.

But that, too, is finished. At last I can settle down and face my handcraft work.

May your site be safe as well. And may your version, at least, be new.