Joomla 5 has arrived! Should you upgrade?
On October 17, 2023, Joomla 5.0 was launched - and on the same day Joomla 4.4 was launched. It can therefore create doubts about whether to upgrade to Joomla 5.0 or Joomla 4.4.
Here we have gathered an overview of what the two versions contain, as well as our assessment of what you should do with your Joomla website now.
What does Joomla 4.4 include?
Joomla 4.4 itself does not have any new features, but that does not mean that the version is not important. The purpose of Joomla 4.4 is to make the upgrade from Joomla 4 to Joomla 5 easier.
There are still a lot of Joomla websites running on version 3, although support for this version stopped in August. According to Joomla's Usage Statistics, less than 10% of all Joomla websites have been updated to version 4.
When you want to upgrade from Joomla 3 to Joomla 4, it is a migration. Therefore, the upgrade should also take place in a development environment where templates, plugins, etc. are reviewed and tested in connection with the upgrade. In this way, it can be ensured that the elements are still compatible with the new Joomla version as well as the PHP version.
What does Joomla 5.0 include??
Joomla 5 is the latest major version, which provides a wide range of new features, improved security and improved code. Some of the most significant changes that Joomla 5 includes are:
- Schema.org integration
- Optimized code
- Improved User Interface
- Dark Mode for administrators
- Improved security
- Compatibility with modern technologies
In addition, Joomla 5 requires newer PHP versions and MySQL, etc., which provides optimal performance. Therefore, it is also important that plugins and extensions are compatible with these technologies.
With version 5, Joomla wants to change the complexity of upgrading from one major version to another. Therefore, Joomla plans to release a new major version every two years, as is the case with many other CMS. By keeping the periods between the main versions shorter, it will also be limited how many and how big technological developments have taken place between the two versions - and thus it will also be easier to upgrade to a new main version.
With that said, it does not mean that the upgrade from Joomla 4 to Joomla 5 is easy. Therefore, this upgrade should also be done in a development environment, just as if you are upgrading from Joomla 3 to Joomla 4.
Should you upgrade to Joomla 5.0?
As a starting point, we do not recommend that you upgrade to Joomla 5.0 immediately. For new major versions, an update will usually be released after a short time with various bug fixes.
If you have not already upgraded to Joomla 4, we recommend that you do this first. As written earlier, the release of Joomla 4.4 is a step on the way to an easier upgrade to Joomla 5.
In addition, it is also important to mention that Joomla 3 is no longer supported. This means that this version no longer receives security updates or new features and is generally not adapted to the latest technologies. If you want a safe and stable (and more future-proof) website, you should therefore upgrade to Joomla 4.
At itpilot, we have already helped a large number of customers to upgrade to Joomla 4. All upgrades take place in our development environment, so that your current website is not disturbed while the upgrade is in progress - and of course we also test that everything works as it should before the upgraded version is posted online.
Shall we help you upgrade your Joomla website? Or if you have questions or need advice, contact us today. Call us on tel. +45 87 25 07 87 or fill in the contact form below.