01 · Joomla websites

Joomla sites:support and migration

We take over Joomla websites: upgrading old versions, auditing extensions, removing malware and adding features. We won’t build you a new Joomla site — once the platform has run its course, we migrate the site to WordPress or Next.js without losing URLs or content

Timeline
from 3 days

We take your Joomla as it is

An old version, a dozen extensions, a developer nowhere to be found — that’s a typical start. First we dig in, then we suggest what to do with the site

  • 01

    Joomla 1.5 or 2.5

    The site was built over a decade ago and survives on hosting with an old PHP version. Any server move could take it down

    • Backup of the site and database
    • Inventory of content and URLs
    • Assessment: upgrade or migrate
    • A move with no lost content
  • 02

    Joomla 3 site

    Version 3 has had no security fixes since August 2023. We bring the site up to the current branch step by step

    • Extension compatibility check
    • Replacing abandoned extensions
    • A new template to replace the old one
    • Upgrade on a staging copy
  • 03

    Website support

    Your developer vanished long ago, but you need the site every day. We take it over: updates, backups and changes on request

    • Access handover and site audit
    • Core and extension updates
    • Scheduled backups
    • Changes within an agreed time
  • 04

    New features

    You need a new section, a form, a catalog filter or leads sent to your CRM. We add it without breaking what already works

    • New sections and articles
    • Forms that feed your CRM
    • Catalog and cart changes
    • Template and layout fixes
  • 05

    Malware and speed

    Your host flagged malicious code, search engines marked the site, pages load slowly. We find the cause rather than hide the symptom

    • Malware removal from files and database
    • Closing the hole they got in through
    • New passwords and access rights
    • Speed measured before and after
  • 06

    Migration to a new platform

    When holding on to Joomla costs more than moving. We migrate content to WordPress or Next.js and keep your URLs

    • Choosing the right platform
    • Moving articles, images and files
    • Old URLs and redirects
    • A simple admin panel for editors

We don’t build new sites on Joomla: for a simple site we suggest WordPress, for a complex one, Next.js. Our website migration page explains how the move works. Existing Joomla sites are welcome: we support and develop them

Joomla upgrades with zero downtime

Five steps from audit to release. The live site stays up the whole time, and every change goes through a copy first

  1. 01Version and hosting

    We look under the hood

    We check the Joomla and PHP versions, the extensions, the template and any code changes. We note what is outdated and what its authors abandoned long ago

  2. 02Backup

    We back up the site

    We store the files and database off the server and spin up the site on a staging URL. Meanwhile the live site keeps serving visitors and taking inquiries

  3. 03Components and modules

    We check the extensions

    For every component, module and plugin we look for a version that supports the new Joomla. If there is none, we find a replacement or move the feature into our own code

  4. 04Core and template

    We upgrade the copy

    We upgrade Joomla step by step, never skipping versions. We rework the template for the new markup and check forms, menus and URLs

  5. 05Release

    We go live and monitor

    You check the copy yourself, then we move it to the live site during a quiet hour. We keep a copy for rollback and watch for errors over the first weeks

In every Joomla project

  1. 01Review of the Joomla, PHP and hosting versions
  2. 02Off-server backup of files and database
  3. 03Staging copy on a separate URL
  4. 04List of unsupported extensions and replacements
  5. 05Core and extension security updates
  6. 06Check of URLs, menus and forms
  7. 07Malware scan
  8. 08Caching setup and speed measurement
  9. 09Report on what was done and what remains
  10. 10One month of support after release

Extensions, database and hosting

A Joomla site is the core plus third-party components, modules and plugins. We check every extension, the database and the PHP version, not just the admin settings

Platforms and tools we work with: Joomla, Joomla extensions, VirtueMart, JoomShopping, K2, MySQL, Hosting and PHP, WordPress for migration, Next.js for migration

During a migration, articles, categories and files are moved from the Joomla database by a script we can rerun right before release. Nothing is copied by hand, page by page

What we do with a Joomla site

These sites run for years and pile up old versions, abandoned extensions and stray admins. We put the site in order or help you move

  • We upgrade the version

    Joomla 3 and older versions no longer get security fixes. We bring the site up to the current branch, or tell you honestly that moving is simpler

  • We close vulnerabilities

    We install core and extension updates, remove unneeded admins, change passwords, lock down the admin login and set up off-server backups

  • We remove malware

    We find foreign code in the files and database, remove it and track down how it got onto the site. Otherwise it all happens again a week later

  • We speed up the site

    We remove heavy extensions, set up caching, compress images and upgrade PHP. We show measurements before and after, with no promised scores up front

  • We migrate to a new platform

    Articles, categories, images and files move to WordPress if you want a familiar admin panel, or to Next.js if the site is complex and has to be fast

  • We set up redirects

    We collect every URL of the old site, point the ones that change to the new pages and check the list before release so search engines don’t lose pages

Joomla work: packages

The cost depends on the version, the number of extensions and the volume of content. We send a detailed estimate after the site audit and don’t change it after kickoff unless the scope changes

  • Audit and urgent help

    Custom quote

    from 3 days

    • Review of version, extensions and hosting
    • List of vulnerabilities and risks
    • Off-server backup
    • Fixes for urgent errors
    Get an estimate
  • Joomla upgrade

    Custom quote

    1–2 weeks

    • Upgrade on a staging copy
    • Replacing unsupported extensions
    • Template for the new version
    • Check of URLs, menus and forms
    Get an estimate
  • Migration to a new platform

    Custom quote

    from 4 weeks

    • WordPress or Next.js, whichever fits
    • Moving articles, images and files
    • Old URLs and redirects
    • A simple admin panel and training
    Get an estimate

What drives the cost

  • Moving off Joomla 1.5 or 2.5 with lots of custom code changes
  • An online store on VirtueMart or JoomShopping
  • Multiple languages or sections for different regions
  • Thousands of articles and files to migrate
  • A new design instead of carrying over the old one

How the work runs

  1. 01

    Access and audit

    1–3 days

    A 30-minute call, then access to the admin panel and hosting. We review the version, extensions and code, and make a backup

  2. 02

    Plan and estimate

    1–2 days

    We spell out what to do: upgrade, extend or migrate. If the choice isn’t obvious, we estimate both paths

  3. 03

    Work on the copy

    per estimate

    All changes go to a staging URL first. We show each phase and close it with a sign-off; payment is per phase

  4. 04

    Release and support

    30 days

    We move the changes to the live site and hand over a report and access. A month of support is included

Common questions

Open 01 of 07

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  1. By default we’ll suggest another platform

    We don’t build new Joomla sites by default. For a simple site with a familiar admin panel we suggest WordPress; for a complex, fast one, Next.js. Developers for both are easier to find, and there are more ready-made solutions. We’ll explain the difference on a call. If you need Joomla for a serious reason, we’ll discuss it separately

  2. There are no more security fixes

    Version 3 hasn’t received security updates since August 2023. The site still loads, but nobody will patch new vulnerabilities in it. It can be upgraded to the current version: we check the extensions, replace abandoned ones and rework the template. All of it on a staging copy

  3. We estimate both options

    If the extensions are still maintained and you’re happy with the site, upgrading makes more sense. If the site runs Joomla 1.5 or 2.5, relies on many abandoned extensions or needs a new design anyway, migrating often costs about the same. We estimate both paths, and you choose based on cost and timeline

  4. It depends on scope

    An audit and urgent help take from 3 days, a Joomla upgrade 1–2 weeks, and a migration to a new platform from 4 weeks. The cost depends on the version, the number of extensions and the volume of content. You get a fixed estimate after the audit, and it doesn’t change unless the scope does

  5. Change your passwords and contact us

    Change the passwords for the admin panel, hosting and email, and don’t delete files at random. We need access to the hosting and admin panel. We copy the site as it is, clean the files and database, find the hole they got in through and close it

  6. We keep them or set up redirects

    Before release we collect a list of every URL on the old site and check that each one opens or leads to a new page. We don’t promise search rankings, but we do everything so the move doesn’t hurt them

  7. Everything stays with you

    The code, access and backups belong to the site owner. We work on your hosting or move the site to a new one. Calls and phase demos run over video

Show us your Joomla

Send us your site’s address and tell us what’s bothering you: an old version, malware, speed, new features or a move. We reply within two hours during business hours and send a plan and estimate after the audit

What you need

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