Often we send out newsletters to our clients when Joomla releases a new update or security patch.  If your site requires a security update, or Joomla upgrade and would like information on how to apply Joomla updates read on.

Can you do an update yourself?

In short, the answer is yes, however you should perform a site backup before applying site updates. For Joomla 3 you can login to the administrator panel and navigate to:

  1. Extensions
  2. Manage
  3. Update

Should I perform the update myself or get a professional?

check out this article to help you decide

In the case of Joomla 3, most of the time you can do it yourself, however, if you have multiple extensions on your site, for instance, a shopping cart or booking system, it may be beneficial to have a professional provide advice beforehand. This will ensure that patches will be applied without known problems.

The most important thing to consider before running Joomla updates is that all extensions are compatible with the latest version of Joomla. For example, some common Joomla extensions include: widgetkit, blogs, shopping carts. You first need to check these extensions are using the latest version first and then run the Joomla updater.

In Joomla 3 you will be notified when you log in as to what extensions have updates available. In some cases, for instance, migrating from Joomla 2.5 to Joomla 3, you may need to chnage any extensions not compatible with Joomla 3.

Joomla 2.5 and 1.5 sites are slightly more difficult to determine when it comes to extension updates as more than likely moving from older versions to the latest Joomla 3 and above you will need a professional.

For Joomla 3 site owners, updates are fairly straight forward. If your site does not have any third party extensions is it pretty safe to go ahead and run the updates yourself.