The New Tags Feature in Joomla 3.1

My conclusion is that Tags is one of the best new features to be added to Joomla in a long time.

Not only do Tags work really well, but they also give a glimpse into Joomla's future.

In this blog post, we'll give you an overview of how Tags work. We'll also see how Tags shows Joomla growing into a better, more unified system where features and data are shared between extensions.

Read more: The New Tags Feature in Joomla 3.1

Install the AreYouaHuman Game CAPTCHA in Joomla

captchaOne of the downsides to using popular software such as Joomla, WordPress or Drupal is that lots of spammers know how to target that software. It's not unusual to get a lot of spam registrations on your site.

On the other hand, one of the most frustrating experiences on the web is attempting to fill-in a really hard-to-read CAPTCHA. After several failed attempts, many users give up and leave your site. That's one reason that we've not used CAPTCHA's at OSTraining. We'd rather deal with spam, than lose our valued customers and visitors.

Read more: Install the AreYouaHuman Game CAPTCHA in Joomla

Update your Local Joomla Repository on a PC using TortoiseGit

logo-tortoiseGitIn the last tutorial, we showed you how to create a local repository.

In this tutorial, we will show you how to update the local repository with the latest development changes from Joomla.

This should be done each time before testing bugs or applying patches to make sure that we have the latest fixes.

Read more: Update your Local Joomla Repository on a PC using TortoiseGit

Create a Local Version of the Joomla Github Repository using TortoiseGit

This tutorial will show you how to create a local version of the Joomla github repository, which houses the latest code base for Joomla.

Read more: Create a Local Version of the Joomla Github Repository using TortoiseGit

How to Install TortoiseGit on a Windows PC

logo-tortoiseGitThis tutorial will show you how to download and install TortoiseGit, which we will use in subsequent tutorials to test and create patches.

TortoiseGit is not the only software that you can use to test and create patches, but it's easy to use, so that's why we decided to use it for our tutorials on patches. TortoiseGit is only available on Windows. I will be posting a Mac tutorial later today.

Read more: How to Install TortoiseGit on a Windows PC

How to Report a Joomla Bug on Joomlacode.org

If you want a Joomla bug to get fixed, you should report it to the Joomla Bug Squad with the bug tracker.

This tutorial will show you step-by-step how to file a Joomla bug report.

Read more: How to Report a Joomla Bug on Joomlacode.org

Test a Joomla Patch on a Windows PC using TortoiseGit

This tutorial will teach you how to test a Joomla patch (i.e. code fix) on a Windows PC using TortoiseGit. It assumes you've already installed TortoiseGit and created a local repository of the Joomla using TortoiseGit.

Read more: Test a Joomla Patch on a Windows PC using TortoiseGit

How to Test Joomla 3 Beta Versions

Joomla 3Joomla 3 is the Short Term Support version of Joomla and so new versions with new features arrive regularly.

Joomla 3.1 is due at the end of March. The major new feature is likely to be Tags, which can be added to articles and extensions to organize them more effectively.

You can see our full introduction to the Tags feature here.

A Beta version of Joomla 3.1 is already out. The Joomla team wants as many people as possible to test each version before release, so they make it easy to install and test Beta versions. Here's how to test Joomla 3.1 and Tags.

Read more: How to Test Joomla 3 Beta Versions

Joomla 3.1 Tags Preview

tagsJoomla 3.1 is just around the corner; and one of the most exciting proposed features for it is Tags.

The Tags feature is still currently under review. If Tags are included, it would likely be the "poster-child" for the Joomla 3.1 release.

One of the best features about the Tags component is that it allows other extensions to connect to its API and use the tags. Eextension developers can implement tagging into their component and interact with other tags easily. 

In the following screenshots, I'll take you through the Tags component, its menu items, and extensions, as well as highlight some of its coolest features along the way.

Read more: Joomla 3.1 Tags Preview

The New Joomla 2.5 to 3 Pre-update Check

Joomla 3 UpdatesOver the last two years, Joomla! has been working really hard to make it easier to update to the next Joomla version (for example, from 2.5 to 3.0).

Joomla has been able to do this through its smaller, more manageable releases and through its relatively new (since Joomla 1.6) one-click updater. The one-click upgrader is now quite mature and has proven itself to be very reliable.

However, a major improvement is coming soon. Joomla will soon provide a check to make sure your updates are always done safely and securely.

Read more: The New Joomla 2.5 to 3 Pre-update Check