What to Expect from Joomla 5: A Timeline, Reasons for Development, and Potential Issues for Users

Joomla is one of the most popular open-source content management systems (CMS) in the world, powering millions of websites. The latest version of Joomla is Joomla 4, which was released in August 2021. However, the Joomla community has already started working on the next major version, Joomla 5. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at the timeline of Joomla 5, the reasons for its development so soon after Joomla 4, and potential issues that users may face.

Timeline of Joomla 5 Development Joomla 5 is still in the planning and development stages, and the expected release date is October 2023. The Joomla community has outlined a tentative timeline for the development of Joomla 5, which is divided into several phases:

1. Planning and Research Phase: This phase started in September 2021 and was completed in November 2021. During this phase, the Joomla community researched and planned the new features and improvements for Joomla 5.
2. Alpha Phase: The Alpha phase started in December 2021 and is expected to end in February 2023. During this phase, the developers are creating a basic version of Joomla 5 with new features and improvements.
3. Beta Phase: The Beta phase is expected to start in March 2023 and will last until May 2023. During this phase, the developers will test Joomla 5 with a larger group of users and fix any issues that arise.
4. Release Candidate Phase: The Release Candidate phase is expected to start in June 2023 and will last until July 2023. During this phase, the developers will release a stable version of Joomla 5 that is ready for production use.
5. Stable Release: The stable release of Joomla 5 is expected to be available for download in October 2023.

Reasons for Developing Joomla 5 So Soon After Joomla 4

One of the main reasons for developing Joomla 5 so soon after Joomla 4 is to keep up with the rapidly changing landscape of web development. Joomla 4 was a major overhaul of the Joomla CMS, with many new features and improvements. However, the Joomla community recognises that there is still room for improvement and that new technologies and standards are emerging all the time. By developing Joomla 5, the Joomla community can continue to innovate and stay ahead of the curve.

Potential Issues for Users

One potential issue for users is the need to update their websites to be compatible with Joomla 5. Joomla 5 is likely to have different requirements than Joomla 4, and some extensions and templates may not be compatible. Users will need to check whether their website components are compatible with Joomla 5 before upgrading.

Another potential issue is the learning curve for new features and improvements. Joomla 5 is expected to have many new features and improvements, which can be overwhelming for users who are used to Joomla 4. Users may need to spend some time learning the new features and adapting to the changes.

So what’s the verdict?

Joomla 5 is an exciting development for the Joomla community, with many new features and improvements expected. While the timeline for Joomla 5 is still in the early stages, it’s clear that the Joomla community is committed to keeping the CMS up-to-date and innovative. However, users should be aware of the potential issues and take the necessary steps to ensure that their websites are compatible with Joomla 5. By staying informed and planning ahead, users can make the most of Joomla 5.

For more information on Joomla 5, I suggest reading the following:

https://developer.joomla.org/roadmap.html

https://magazine.joomla.org/all-issues/january-2022/joomla-5-is-in-the-planning-meet-the-release-leads

https://www.joomla.org/announcements/release-news/5868-joomla-5-panta-rhei-the-follow-up.html