The stable release of Joomla! CMS 3.3 is only a few weeks away, so it’s time to start planning the upgrade, as there are some significant enhancements that will improve your site.
So what do I need to know?
Joomla! CMS 3.3 Stable release is scheduled for 22 April 2014
- 3.3 will be the most stable Joomla! CMS release. Ever
- Replaces MooTools based JavaScript with jQuery equivalents
- Microdata implementation
- The release is geared to help you Do More …
Joomla!—The most secure CMS on the planet!
The 3.3 stable release is scheduled for 22 April 2014 and will enhance website security levels even further. For 3.3, the minimum PHP version is 5.3.10, which substantially enhances the level of cryptography that can be used for securing passwords. On top of the inclusion of two factor authentication added earlier in the 3.x series, this makes the Joomla! CMS the most secure open source CMS on the market.
Now we know not everyone has a web host that has PHP version 5.3.10 or greater, and it can sometimes take a little time to get the version updated or move hosts to take advantage of the increased security. For this reason, version 3.2.4 of the CMS is also planned to be released on 22 April 2014, the same day as 3.3.0. This release will include all of the bug fixes since the 3.2.3 release in early March, enabling 3.2 users to have the most stable code base we can offer them during the extended support period. But, it is important to note that the 3.2 release is only supported through October 2014 … so check with your host and make sure you can either update later this month, or get your site into a hosting environment with a more secure PHP version as soon as possible.
Check the Extensions / Scripts on Your Site
Joomla! 3.3 continues replacing MooTools based JavaScript with their jQuery equivalents. There are a number of benefits, from make your site load faster by reducing the size of your Joomla! web site by loading just jQuery, as well as Joomla! access to all the jQuery goodness. It will be a great saver of headaches for website builders who have struggled with Mootools conflicts in recent years, making site development faster, more maintainable.
Most extension developers now use jQuery. Some sites, especially older ones that are being updated, may nevertheless have extensions that use Mootools. Though Mootools is still available in core, it is recommended that developers look into updating their JavaScript functions to use jQuery as there will come a day where Mootools is no longer shipped with core. It’s recommended to check what’s on your site and put in place a plan to update … you may also be able to add new features to make life easier for your site users and yourself.
Microdata implementation
Microdata has been one of the top features requested for Joomla! from marketers! Web semantics are moving forward with the aim of making a more useful web which will relate everything on the web by ‘meaning’ in addition to raw 'textual data.’
This feature allows many aspects of the content rendered by the Joomla! CMS to be explained to search engines using semantic information. For example, breadcrumbs can be marked up as such, and used in search results to give a visual representation of topics and categories".
What Next?
Joomla! 3.3 is just part of the fantastic 3.x Series CMS … which has already seen some awesome enhancements. Highlighted in this release are contributions from last year’s Google Summer of Code, which has helped propel Joomla! to the forefront of CMS platforms.
Do More with Joomla!
Here’s some highlights of the upcoming 3.3 release:
Subscribe and keep an eye on the Joomla! Community Magazine, Joomla! social media accounts (https://twitter.com/joomla, https://www.facebook.com/joomla, https://www.google.com/+joomla), and other channels as we highlight the amazing Joomla! 3.x series …. and how 3.3 will help you Do More.
Want to let the world know about 3.3?
Here is the official media pack for the Joomla! 3.3 release:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/8wnquy18xxqmk3k/CGv_t0k5T1
Also, let us know of your blog posts, tweets and more, so we can let others know and help spread the word.
