Integration & tools · Knowledge
Joomla 4 vs. Joomla 5 – what matters for site owners?
Joomla 5 is an evolution of Joomla 4, not a rebuild: modernised core, newer PHP (8.1+, 8.2/8.3 recommended), faster defaults – the admin experience stays familiar.
For extensions the bridge is wide: most Joomla-4 extensions run on 5 (often via the official compatibility plugin) – JStats supports both natively.
What changed, how to upgrade – and the Joomla 3 deadline that passed
Under the hood, Joomla 5 sheds legacy layers that Joomla 4 still carried, raises the PHP floor to 8.1 and embraces current PHP for real speed gains; visible novelties stay modest by design – new default template accents, dark-mode admin, quality-of-life features. The upgrade from 4 to 5 is a guided in-place update: check extension compatibility (the pre-update checker lists offenders), back up, update PHP if needed, click. That gentleness is deliberate Joomla policy since the 3-to-4 pain. Which brings up the deadline that already passed: Joomla 3 reached end of life in August 2023 – no security fixes since, which on a public website is an open invitation. If you are reading this on a Joomla 3 site, the migration to 4/5 is not a project for next year but the next maintenance window; and no, JStats does not support Joomla 3 – deliberately, because we would rather nudge you across the bridge than make the old bank more comfortable.
Key facts
- Character: Joomla 5 = evolution of 4 – modern core, familiar admin, gentle upgrade path.
- PHP floors: Joomla 4 needs 7.2.5+, Joomla 5 needs 8.1+ – 8.2/8.3 recommended for both speed and support.
- Extensions: broad 4→5 compatibility, helped by the official compatibility plugin – JStats runs natively on both.
- Upgrade routine: pre-update check → backup → PHP → in-place update.
- Joomla 3: end of life since August 2023 – running it publicly is a security risk, migrate now.