To do list in a Joomla migration to the latest version

As a Joomla web developer, I often deal with migrations from Joomla 2 or 3 to the latest version. Below is a concise list of the tasks I follow during a migration:

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• Clone the site in a development area (so I can work without taking the live site offline).

  • Development area can be online or local.
  • If using the same server as the live version, consider the PHP version: it might only support one of the two versions, unless the server allows different PHP versions even for subdomains.

• Check with the client whether all functionalities should be maintained or if some can be removed (forums, forms, old plugins, etc.).

• Verify the compatibility of components, modules, and plugins with Joomla 5 and replace or update them if necessary.

• Check if the current template has a compatible version for Joomla 5; otherwise, have the client choose a new graphic template.

• Proceed with the migration locally using the standard Joomla 5 theme (Cassiopeia).

• Test the functionality of components, modules, and plugins.

• Install a new theme (or update the original one) and configure it from scratch.

• Rebuild the homepage and/or main pages.

• Manage URLs with redirects if they change, so that Google doesn’t notice and indexed pages remain accessible.

• Publish the new site online on a subdomain (the old site continues to run), allowing the client to verify and approve the replacement.

• Park the old site on a subdomain and put the new one online.

As you can see, migrating from Joomla 2 or 3 to Joomla 5 is not a simple procedure and can be full of challenges.

I wish you a good read and remember: if after reading this article you need help, don't hesitate to contact me.

Author: Graziano De Maio | Founder of Gdmtech