Joomla development and upgrades
Hostlyx provides Joomla development for sites that already run on Joomla or need to: upgrades from Joomla 3 to Joomla 4 or 5, template rebuilds, custom and third-party extension work, security clean-ups and migrations between Joomla and WordPress. We check every extension for compatibility before the upgrade, so content, menus and users carry across safely.
Joomla 3 reached end of life in 2023, yet many business, school and association sites still run on it, often with templates and extensions that will not work on newer versions. Leaving them in place means no security fixes and a growing risk of a hacked site. Our Joomla development work starts with an honest audit of what you have.
From there we either upgrade the site to a supported Joomla version, rebuilding the template and replacing abandoned extensions, or move it to WordPress if that suits your team better. Some organizations go the other way and choose Joomla for its built-in multilingual tools and access levels. We can build and host either.
What is included
Upgrade audit
A list of every template and extension on the site, whether it supports Joomla 4 or 5, and what to replace, before any change is made.
Joomla 3 to 4 or 5 upgrades
Core upgrade on a staging copy, with content, categories, menus, users and permissions checked after each step so nothing silently goes missing.
Template rebuilds
Old templates rebuilt for current Joomla using Cassiopeia or a custom template, mobile-friendly, accessible and lighter than most commercial template frameworks.
Extension development
Custom components, modules and plugins for features no extension covers, plus fixes and updates to third-party extensions you rely on.
Migration to or from WordPress
Articles, categories, images and users moved between Joomla and WordPress, with old URLs redirected so search rankings and links keep working.
Security clean-up
Removal of malware and backdoors, file permission fixes, extension updates and hardening, followed by checks that the site is clean.
Tools and platforms: Joomla 4, Joomla 5, PHP, MySQL, Cassiopeia, WordPress
Packages
Every project is quoted in writing in USD before work starts, and invoiced by Zorixo Ventures Ltd. The price you agree is the price you pay.
Joomla health check
A site owner who wants to know what an upgrade involves.
- Version and extension audit
- Security scan
- Compatibility report
- Upgrade or migrate recommendation
Joomla upgrade
A Joomla 3 site that needs to move to a supported version.
- Staging copy
- Core upgrade to Joomla 4 or 5
- Extension replacements
- Template rebuild
- Post-upgrade testing
Joomla build or migration
A new Joomla site, or a move between Joomla and WordPress.
- New Joomla site or migration
- Content and user transfer
- URL redirects
- Custom extensions if needed
- Editor training
How we work
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Audit
We take a full backup, list the Joomla version, template and extensions, and note anything that blocks an upgrade.
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Plan and quote
You get a written plan saying whether to upgrade or migrate, what gets replaced, and a fixed price for the work.
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Staging upgrade
The upgrade or migration runs on a staging copy, so the live site stays online while we work through problems.
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Check and launch
You review content, forms and logins on staging, then we switch the live site over with a fresh backup in place.
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Support
We keep Joomla and its extensions updated through a care plan, or hand over clear notes to your own team.
Questions people ask
How much does a Joomla 3 to 4 upgrade cost?
The cost depends on how many extensions the site uses and whether the template needs rebuilding. A simple site with current extensions upgrades more easily than one with abandoned components. We audit first and then send a written fixed quote, so you know the price before work starts.
Can I upgrade Joomla 3 directly to Joomla 5?
Not in one step. Joomla 3 must first move to the last Joomla 3 release, then to Joomla 4, then to Joomla 5. Each stage needs compatible extensions, which is why we run the whole path on a staging copy and test after every step.
Should I stay on Joomla or move to WordPress?
If your site depends on Joomla's built-in multilingual features or access levels and your team knows it well, upgrading is often sensible. If you mainly publish pages and posts and want a larger choice of plugins, WordPress may be easier. We give a recommendation in writing after the audit.
Will my content and users survive the upgrade?
Yes, when it is done carefully. We keep a full backup, run the upgrade on staging and check articles, menus, categories, users and permissions before anything changes on the live site.
Can you host my Joomla site?
Yes. Joomla runs well on our cPanel hosting, and because our developers work on the same servers, they can fix PHP version, database and permission problems directly rather than waiting on a separate host.
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Tell us what you need
A domain, hosting, a new website, an app or more customers. One team handles all of it, and you get a written quote before any work starts.