“Joomla’s latest version Joomla 2.5 comes with a lineament of boasts that web developers are going gaga for. The tool is extending a set of low-cost extensions. In the light of this new inclusion, the article talks about the latest trends of Joomla web development.”
In today’s fast paced technology world, the ease of use and extensibility has made Joomla an award winning CMS allowing Joomla developers to build powerful websites and applications. Another benefit of Joomla web development is the release of Joomla 2.5. However, this creates a decision point for website owners currently running on older versions of the platform. Should you upgrade now or not? This article explores that question and provides you with the information you need to make a sound business decision.
What are the Risks of not Upgrading?
There are certain risks to not upgrading.
Risk of Being Hacked
One of the major risks of not upgrading is security. After September 2012, security releases for 1.5 will no longer be available. Once a major release reaches end-of-life and is no longer supported, security bugs will not likely be fixed and the website becomes vulnerable to newly discovered security exploits. This exposes the site to hackers and the damage they can do. Some of the negatives associated with this are:
- Downtime
- Reputation
- Data loss
Adding New Features Becomes Expensive
One of the advantages of Joomla web development is the numerous free or low-cost extensions (add-ons) that can be used to enhance your website. As the newer versions of Joomla become available, extension developers focus their programming efforts on the newer version and stop supporting the older versions. This means that extension add-ons become hard to find or may not be available at all. So, to add a needed feature may require custom development, which can be expensive.
Obsolescence
Will have to move or advance eventually
Server technology and server software such as PHP and MySQL are continually being changed and improved. As newer versions of this software come out, hosting providers will begin migrating to the improved platforms. However, older versions of Joomla may not run on the newer platforms and would be forced to migrate to another hosting provider who is running older technology. Over time these will be harder and harder to find.
Less accessible to newer devices and browsers
As end-user technology such as laptops, desktops, mobile devices, and browsers improve and change, they focus on the newer technology and web standards. Websites with older technology cannot take advantage of these newer features. This results in the loss of the audience and gives the competitors a chance to flourish. Mobile is a great example of this. Smartphones and tablets such as the iPad have become very popular in the past couple of years. Google Chrome has also become one of the top 3 browsers in the last year.
Investments Not Transferred During Upgrades
If your client is making investments in their current 1.0 / 1.5 site it may not easily update and they may have to redo some of that work after upgrading to 2.5.
What are the Benefits of Upgrading?
There are numerous benefits due to the upgrading of site, some of which are:
Enhanced SEO Factors
Joomla developers have come a long way in terms of its out-of-the-box SEO features. It allows you greater control over many behind-the-scenes SEO factors like:
- better control of the page and site title
- adding titles to the navigation menu items
- better control over the meta descriptions, and many other improvements.
Thus, better SEO means it is easier for prospects to find your client and more revenue and traffic for their business.
Improvements In Content Management And Productivity
Many improvements have been done on the management side of the website. All of these changes make the site easier to manage. If you are managing the site yourself, it can save you valuable time. If you are paying someone to manage it for you, it can save you money because changes can be made quicker.
Improved Update Processes
The Joomla2.5 has improved update process and offers numerous benefits like:
- better security
- saved time
- saved expenses
Provides Access To The Recent Improvements
Joomla is constantly being improved. Joomla 2.5 allows access to all of the most recent improvements and features. This is a priceless selling point and a major benefit of the upgrade.
Should The Clients Upgrade Without Delay?
Even as the versions of Joomla reach “End-of-life,” the websites will continue to function just as they did before. There are certain risks associated with not upgrading or with delaying the upgrade, but you do not have to upgrade at once.
Conclusion
Joomla 2.5 is an exciting new development. There are many benefits for the new system which help to benefit and improve the website experience for your users. But there is no requirement to upgrade suddenly. Your site will continue to run, although it will entail certain risks.
Web Development Using Joomla | Website Development Using Joomla | Website Development With Joomla
