It is going to be a good day for Joomla! users when the CMS's latest upgrade finally arrives. The new version of Joomla! is going to be easier for beginners to work with. The Joomla team has focused on reducing the component redundancy within the CMS, to make it lighter and flexible. And the best of all is that Joomla 3.5 supports PHP 7.
Here's what Joomla 3.5 looks like
A much lighter core
The beta version of the upgrade has already been released. The first change we noticed was how light the Joomla core was. Earlier versions of Joomla consisted of a complicated component known as com_weblinks. Joomla 3.5 has removed this component along with its extensions. This is not to say that the component is not available anymore. The entire component and its plugins are still available for users in the Joomla Extensions Directory. The removal of com_weblinks has made the core more lightweight and easy to use.
Also, earlier versions of Joomla contained extensions and components from older CMSs like Mambo. Joomla 3.5 has removed extensions such as banners, contact, newsfeeds and weblinks from the core. As a consequence, beginners will find it easier to work with the system since there are lesser number of extensions and relatively low code density.
Compatible with PHP 7
The earlier versions of Joomla were totally incompatible with the latest PHP version. Joomla 3.5 has been designed to support PHP 7. PHP 7 is said to have 14 times faster script execution. Now Joomla users can experience a whole new level of PHP functionality.
A New Plugin to notify updates
While Joomla 3.5 is doing away with redundant extensions and plugins, it has created a very necessary plugin for web administrators. The 'Update Email Plugin' notifies web masters of any new updates and developments in Joomla. Web masters can now update Joomla websites to the latest versions.
Sample Data can now be added post installation
Most Joomla users are aware of how using sample data can help you set up your website in the initial stages. Joomla provides new users with mock content (categories,articles...) so they can view what their website will look like when its finally done. This is a useful feature, with one major flaw. The sample data HAS to be added during installation. If you've missed this step in the beginning, and you want to add the sample content later, you'll need to go through the entire installation process again! With Joomla 3.5 you can breathe a sigh of relief, because the upgrade allows users to add sample data after installing the Joomla package.
Support Options
The new version of Joomla comes with an extended duration of software maintenance upto 24 months. Our heartfelt congratulations to the Joomla team
