While browsing around Joomla.org the other day, I came across one of the most interesting blog posts I have seen lately. In this post, the author Ankit Ahuja speaks about his Summer of Code project in which he fine-tunes a feature that will have both Joomla! developers and clients alike scrambling for the Extensions Directory when it comes out. Front-end editing has finally arrived for the Joomla! CMS.
Front-End Editing for Joomla!
So what exactly is he talking about? Ahuja's script allows modules and menu items to be edited from the frontend. Joomla developers and web site administrators have long enjoyed editing articles from the front-end, but that feature has not until now been available for modules and menu items.
For those of you that don't know or who are still stuck in Wordpress-mode, a "module" is a little widget that can be set to show up in certain positions on certain pages. Modules can be one of three types: custom html, database-integrated, or driven by external content. Ahuja's work may soon allow us all to:
- Edit basic module parameters
- Edit the contents of custom html modules
- Drag-and-drop modules within positions
The other promising feature is the work on menu items, which are essentially the links you create to go to certain applications, articles, or categories of articles. With menu item editing in the frontend, we should soon be able to:
- Re-order menu items
- Change menu item names and aliases
- Change basic menu item parameters
So what does this mean for Joomla! developers?
With advanced front-end editing, we will soon be able offer clients the ability to easily maintain every aspect of their websites from the frontend. The joomla backend, while simple to those familiar with it, can sometimes be daunting to newbies. If we take out entire concept of a backend for smaller information or content sites, the entire website administration process will be easier to grasp and manage.
