Joomla! 3 extension development tips and resources

How to update/upgrade Joomla! 1.5

Looking for an overview of Joomla! 3 extension developer information? Look no further! Just like the last time we needed to convert our Joomla! extensions to the latest Joomla! version, I have been collecting links and information about Joomla! 3 for our developers. Below, find our list of Joomla! 3 resources, covering the framework and interface (twitter bootstrap) changes in Joomla! 3.

The information can be used to convert Joomla! 1.5 and/or Joomla! 2.5 extensions to work under Joomla! 2.5 and 3. The Joomla! 2.5 extension development resources are actually a well visited article on our website, so I hope this version might be of use to all of you too!

Joomla! 3 extensions

Off course, in my opinion our extensions are good examples of how a Joomla! 3 extensions should look (user interface) and function.

ccNewsletter

The most user friendly Joomla! newsletter extension for sending a newsletter to one or multiple groups of subscribers. With newsletter statistics and automated batch sending

cciDEAL

Add iDEAL to Virtuemart, RSForm Pro, Joomla! articles and other extensions with cciDEAL. Supports popular banks and PSP’s like Mollie and Rabo OmniKassa

ccInvoices

An easy to use invoicing extension for Joomla! websites. Create and send invoices in Joomla! and receive payments with Paypal, iDEAL and other payment methods

General development information

Joomla! Developer Network
http://developer.joomla.org/

Joomla! Development Strategy
http://developer.joomla.org/strategy.html

Joomla! Development Status
http://developer.joomla.org/development-status.html

Joomla! 3 introduction
http://joomla.org/3/

Joomla! 3 release FAQ
http://docs.joomla.org/Joomla_3.0_FAQ

Alpha 1 announcement
http://developer.joomla.org/news/503-joomla-3-0-alpha-1-released.html

Alpha 2 announcement and overview of new features
http://community.joomla.org/blogs/community/1671-joomla-30-alpha-2-notes.html

Practical guide to upgrade Joomla! 2.5 to 3.0 (site builders)

Kyle’s (3.0 project manager) keynote about Joomla! 3

Questions & Answers

Joomla! CMS Development

Joomla! General Development

Framework

Examples
The best extension examples are probably in Joomla! itself. Just install the latest version and have a look at com_content and com_weblinks.

Tip: Lendr, example component and tutorial for Joomla! 3 development

Joomla! 3 backward compatibility

Single package installation

One package for installation in Joomla! 2.5 and 3 (tip by Nicholas)

“Create two XML manifest, One with a root of <install>, one with a root of <extension>. Even though Joomla! 2.5 supports the <extension> root, if you use it it throws a warning styled as an error message, confusing the users. Using a second manifest whose name starts with ccext_ and its root element is <install> solves this issue.”

The new MVC
A new MVC method was introduced in Joomla! Platform 12.1, but you do not have to use it! The Joomla! CMS will keep using the legacy MVC method for some time, and the new MVC in Joomla! Platform will not be used. Make sure you do not rewrite your extensions for it! You will have to rename controllers to the legacy classes (old MVC). Example: class ccInvoicesController extends JControllerLegacy. Other examples can be found in core components like com_content.

Developing a Joomla! extension

Joomla! Developer Documentation
http://docs.joomla.org/Developers

How to identify Joomla! versions, to support 2.5 and 3 in one package

List of all Joomla! plugin events in Joomla! 3

https://gist.github.com/dongilbert/4759336

Joomla! 2.5 and 3.0 install/uninstall file

Single installer for Joomla! 1.5, 2.5 and 3

J Layout: sharing layouts across views or extensions

Joomla! 3 extension development series (JCM)

Setting the stage

Beginning development

Writing the core