Joomla is a web-based open source content management system (CMS) that enables companies or individuals to quickly and easily build and manage a website. In fact, the core purpose of Joomla is to allow non-technical individuals to build and organize the content of their website. Joomla, along with "Plone" and "Drupal" (and to some extent, Wordpress) are well known content management systems - But Joomla is considered the best of them all because of its ease of use and excellent support base.

Advantages of Joomla CMS

1. Joomla enables a user to edit the site directly in the browser window. The user can add pages, edit pictures, change links and perform other web-designing tasks very easily. Its user-friendly administrative interface is represented by graphics and even a person who has no knowledge of HTML, CSS, etc. can understand it within a short span of time.

2. Many savvy web hosts offer an automatic installation of Joomla as they know it is a very popular tool. In fact, many experts recommend that a website owner should only choose a web host who provides automatic script installers such as Fantastico, and content management systems such as Joomla.

3. Another great advantage is that when a website owner decides to add pages or alter his site, he can do so using Joomla - he doesn't have to seek the help of a programmer or a designer.

4. Even if a web host does not offer Joomla, it can easily be installed on a server. In fact, all a website owner has to do is ask his web host or a freelance programmer to install it for him.

5. Joomla can help build a good-looking website - it features a huge range of aesthetic templates that can make a website look like it was designed by a real pro.

6. Joomla has a built-in scheduler that can be used by a website owner to upload his content on a certain date. For example, if a web store owner has to travel and during that time he needs to upload fresh arrivals; all he has to do is make the "fresh arrivals" page and schedule it for uploading on the date of his choice. Presto! Joomla will do it for him!

7. Joomla functions in conjunction with a database and it is very easy to build in search functionality into the site.

8. As Joomla is an open source tool, developers around the world keep adding interesting components to it. These components - examples: newsletter, automatically generated site map, embedded blog technology, discussion forums, picture galleries, RSS, form builder and more - can enhance a website and make it more interactive.

9. Joomla also allows a website owner to add components made without using Joomla. In that sense, Joomla is a truly "multicultural" CMS system.

10. Now here's the biggest advantage: Joomla's free - Yes, it costs $0 (ZERO) - and yet it is very powerful and easy to use.

Joomla is ranked as the best CMS in the world and it makes sense for any website owner to use it in order to build a feature-rich, scalable and very interactive site. One last word: Joomla requires that the site should be hosted on a Linux or Unix server that supports PHP and features at least one mySQL database.

If you are planning to launch a website, you must seriously consider adopting Joomla as the CMS. Millions of website owners across the world are now fully into Joomla. Maybe you should join their ranks and get a taste of what easy, quick and powerful website building is all about.

About the Author

Discover the secrets of making a killer website in less time. Learn how to build a Joomla website today at UseJoomla.net.