What is this release for?
There are several goals for this release:
- To allow advance testing of sites and custom extensions so that site administrators and developers can report any problems before the final release.
- To raise awareness that the end of the current development cycle is fast approaching.
- To allow testing of the upgrade from version 1.7 to 2.5.0.
What is this release NOT for?
This beta version of Joomla 2.5 Beta2 is not suitable for production sites. It should be used for testing only.
When is the final release due?
Joomla 2.5.0 GA (general availability) is due to be released on 24 January 2012. The planned milestone after this date are:
- 24 February 2012 - Joomla 1.7 reaches end of life and is no longer supported
- April 2012 - Joomla 1.5 reaches end of life
- September 2012 - Next version of Joomla is released
Please note that dates may be subject to change depending on availability of volunteers and circumstances beyond our control.
How do I upgrade to Joomla 2.5?
Upgrading from Joomla 1.7 to Joomla 2.5.0 will be very easy. Most users can use the automatic update or install the update archive using the Extension Manager: Install option.
If you are using Joomla 1.5 then you will still be required to migrate your site using the jUpgrade component.
What’s new in this release?
Here is a list, with links to the Feature tracker issue.
New for Beta2:
- Add ablility to turn off the email to user when an Admin creates a user (Andrea Tarr)
- Improvements for batch processing (Michael Babker)
Features in Beta1:
- Menu item parameter "Note" (Marcell van Geest, Andrea Tarr)
- No "new user notification" email sent to admin (Kenny Wickstrom)
- Implementing default text per language in syndicate module (Jean-Marie Simonet)
- Implementing image option for the offline.php default page (Jean-Marie Simonet)
- Joomla! update notification button in the quickicons module (Nicholas Dionysopoulos)
- Debug Plugin Reloaded (Nikolai Plath)
- *Option to set Joomla to Site Offline (YES) during installation (fade2grey)
- Patch to enable change of newsfeed display direction (Mathieu Cattin)
- Add a true autoloader to the CMS (Rouven Weßling)
- Database Version Check (Mark Dexter)
- * "Select a Menu Item Type" in modal box in menu item edit page (Dennis Hermatski)
- *Improving SEO: New system plugin: languagecode (Jean-Marie Simonet)
- *Manager for Language Overrides (Patrick Alt)
- Easier workflow by linking Menu Manager: Add Menu to Module Manager: Module Menu (Andrew Eddie, Jacques Rentzke)
- Add an option to filter the mod_whosonline by groups of the connected user (Christophe Demko)
- Add a check for native ZIP support to the Installation (Rouven Weßling)
- Add ability to support other databases starting with Microsoft SQL Server / Windows Azure (Hooduku Team)
- mod_status optimization (Kyle Ledbetter)
- Category filtering on content doesn't including sub-categories (Ofer Cohen)
- User Notes (Andrew Eddie)
- Use the images and urls fields to create simple standardized layouts (Elin Waring)
- Custom Black List in Text Filters - Ready to test - Makes it possible to overwrite default blacklist - Joomla 1.7 (Tore B. Krudtaa, Denise McLaurin)
- Captcha in the core (Jonnathan S. Lima, Rouven Weßling)
- Finder Integration (Rob Schley, Michael Babker, Elin Waring, Chris Davenport, Omar Ramos, Viet Hoang Vu, Jean Marie Simonet, Rouven Weßling, Louis Landry, Gabriele Pongelli)
In addition, we are using the latest version (11.4) of the Joomla platform in this release. Also, Beta2 includes approximately 100 new bug fixes since the Beta1 release.
What happens to Joomla 1.7?
Joomla 2.5 is the direct upgrade for Joomla 1.7. Joomla 1.7 will be supported for critical security issues only for a period of one month after the release of Joomla 2.5. After that time, only Joomla 1.5 and Joomla 2.5 will be supported by the Joomla project. Note that Joomla version 2.5 is a long-term-support (LTS) release and will be supported for at least 18 months.
How can you help Joomla development?
The great news is you don’t have to be a developer to help build Joomla. The Joomla Bug Squad is one of the most active teams in the Joomla development process and is always looking for people (not just developers) that can help with sorting bug reports, coding patches and testing solutions. It’s a great way for increasing your working knowledge of Joomla, and also a great way to meet knew people from all around the world.
If you are interested, please read about us on the Joomla Wiki and, if you wish to join, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
You can also help Joomla development by thanking those involved in the many areas of the process. Since the release of Joomla 1.6, a whopping 375 issues have been fixed by the JBS. The project also wants to thank all of the people that have taken the time to prepare and submit work to be included in Joomla 1.7 & 2.5, and to those that have worked very hard on the Joomla Platform separation project.
Related information
If you are an extension developer, please make sure you subscribe to the general developer mailing list as this is a place where you can discuss extension development and news that may affect custom development will be posted from time to time.
Following is a list of previous news and information about Joomla 2.5 and other sites of interest:
- Working with the Joomla Feature Tracker
- General developer mailing list
- Joomla developer network
- Joomla development strategy
A Huge Thank You to Our Volunteers!
This beta release is the result of thousands of hours of work by dozens of volunteers. Thank you so very much for making Joomla the best CMS on the planet!
