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New Features

Developer Note

Since this version of Joomla has not been released yet, this page can change anytime.

All the new features that have been added to this version. Any changes in best practice.

Batched tag enhancement​

It is now possible to batch remove a tag. PR: https://github.com/joomla/joomla-cms/pull/40613

Modification fields header tag & module tag add custom options in XML​

  • PR: #35184 by korenevskiy
  • What changed: Developers can now extend <field type="headertag"> and <field type="moduletag"> with additional tag options.
  • Usage: 
    <field name="header_tag" type="headertag">
      <option value="figcaption">&lt;figcaption></option>
    </field>
  • Impact: Template overrides and XML forms can now expose more markup options.

New Date and Datetime fields​

  • PR: #37456 by Fedik
  • What changed: Introduced date and datetime field types.
  • Usage: 
    <field type="date" name="date"/>
    <field type="time" name="time" filter="SERVER_UTC"/>
    <field type="datetime" name="datetime" filter="USER_UTC"/>
  • Impact: Developers can rely on HTML5 input controls instead of JS widgets.

Fix language autoload in CMSPlugin constructor to work safely​

  • PR: #40355 by Fedik
  • What changed:
    • Fixed autoloading of language files in the CMSPlugin constructor.
    • Ensures that language loading happens in a safe, predictable way without conflicts.
  • Usage:
    • No developer action required unless you overrode the plugin base class.
    • Plugins now automatically load their language files more consistently.
  • Impact:
    • Reduces errors in multilingual setups.
    • Improves reliability of backend plugin initialization.

Tags: Remove a Tag via Batch Processing​

  • PR: #40613 by beni71
  • What changed:
    • Added the ability to remove/unassign a single tag from multiple selected items in batch processing.
    • Extended batch functionality to categories, contacts, and news feeds.
  • Usage:
    1. In the backend, go to Articles (or Categories, Contacts, News Feeds).
    2. Select multiple items.
    3. Click Batch.
    4. Choose Remove Tag option and select the tag to remove.
  • Impact:
    • Editors/admins can clean up content tagging more efficiently.
    • Reduces manual work when adjusting tags across large sets of items.

Use Dialog for Article links when “modal option” is selected​

  • PR: #42461 by Fedik
  • What changed: Article links with modal option now use Joomla’s Dialog system.
  • Usage: 
    <a href="#popup" data-joomla-dialog='{"textHeader":"Popup"}'>Open</a>
  • Impact: Consistent UI, templates relying on Bootstrap modals must adapt.

Admin model returns stdClass instead of CMSObject​

  • PR: #42961 by laoneo
  • Usage migration: 
    // Before
    $item->get('catid');

    // Now
    $item->catid;
  • Impact: Code calling get() on AdminModel items must switch to property access.

Remove deprecated db object from views​

  • PR: #42962 by laoneo
  • Usage migration: 
    $db = \Joomla\CMS\Factory::getContainer()->get(\Joomla\Database\DatabaseInterface::class);
    $db->setQuery($query);
  • Impact: $this->db removed, use DI container.

Workflow: use generic AbstractApplication in type hint​

  • PR: #43155 by Hackwar
  • Impact: Workflow models can be used in CLI apps, not just web.

CategoryNode/Changelog: Remove legacy error handling trait​

  • PR: #43777 by Hackwar
  • What changed:
    • Removed old error handling trait from CategoryNode and changelog code.
  • Usage:
    • No developer action required unless you extended CategoryNode.
  • Impact:
    • Cleans up deprecated error handling.
    • Encourages migration to proper exception handling.

Installer: Remove dependency on Adapter class​

  • PR: #43792 by Hackwar
  • What changed:
    • Installer subsystem no longer depends on the legacy Adapter class.
    • Refactored to use new dependency-injected services.
  • Usage:
    • Extension developers should remove direct Adapter references in custom installers.
  • Impact:
    • Simplifies installer logic.
    • Helps move toward a cleaner, framework-based install process.

Updater: Remove Adapter classes from inheritance​

  • PR: #43793 by Hackwar
  • Usage migration: 
    $adapter = $updater->getAdapter('extension');
    $updater->setAdapter('mytype', MyAdapter::class);
  • Impact: Modern updater, adapters injected dynamically.

Removing Adapter and AdapterInstance classes​

  • PR: #43794 by Hackwar
  • What changed:
    • Deprecated Adapter and AdapterInstance classes fully removed.
  • Usage:
    • Replace custom adapter usage with the new updater API.
  • Impact:
    • Breaks extensions still tied to adapters.
    • Part of Joomla’s modernization of update/install.

Smart Search: Removing dependency on CMSObject​

  • PR: #43795 by Hackwar
  • What changed:
    • Refactored Smart Search to remove its dependency on CMSObject.
  • Usage:
    • Developers extending Smart Search should check for removed CMSObject references.
  • Impact:
    • Improves decoupling.
    • Prepares Smart Search for Joomla’s CMSObject deprecation.

Languagefilter: Refactoring of routing​

  • PR: #43858 by Hackwar
  • Impact: Less redirecting, cleaner multilingual routing.
  • PR: #43907 by chmst
  • Usage migration: Replace view=featured with view=articles&filter[featured]=1.
  • Impact: FeaturedController deprecated, use ArticlesController.

Numbers custom fields plugin​

  • PR: #43974 by TLWebdesign
  • Usage: 
    <field name="age" type="numbers" min="0" max="120" step="1"/>
  • Impact: Numeric-only input made easy.

Move CMS Filesystem package to compat plugin​

  • PR: #44240 by Hackwar
  • Impact: Legacy Joomla\CMS\Filesystem classes only available if compat plugin enabled.

Fulfill InstallerScriptInterface with a trait​

  • PR: #44381 by bembelimen
  • Usage: 
    use Joomla\CMS\Installer\InstallerScriptTrait;
    class com_exampleInstallerScript implements InstallerScriptInterface { use InstallerScriptTrait; }
  • Impact: Less boilerplate in installer scripts.

Searchtools use requestSubmit() and add joomla:update listener​

  • PR: #44496 by LadySolveig
  • Usage: 
    document.addEventListener('joomla:update', () => console.log('List reloaded'));
  • Impact: Easier AJAX extension of list views.

Media: allow thumbnail for any file type​

  • PR: #44847 by Fedik
  • Usage: Implement onFetchMediaItems to supply custom thumbs.
  • Impact: Better UX in Media Manager.

Use WebAsset for installation​

  • PR: #45000 by heelc29
  • Usage: 
    $wa = $app->getDocument()->getWebAssetManager();
    $wa->useScript('form.validate');
  • Impact: Installer unified under WebAsset system.

Field simple color as web component​

  • PR: #45004 by dgrammatiko
  • Usage: 
    <field name="color" type="color" control="simple"/>
  • Impact: Uses web components, old overrides may break.

Made the alias field always visible in article edit form​

  • PR: #45044 by raj20889
  • Impact: Alias always shown, improves clarity.

Replace dialog GIF loader with SVG loader​

  • PR: #45097 by Fedik
  • Impact: Modern SVG loader, no action needed.

Fix missing modified start/end date filter in Articles API endpoint​

  • PR: #45142 by laoneo
  • Usage: 
    GET /api/v1/content/articles?filter[modified_start]=2025-02-01&filter[modified_end]=2025-02-28
  • Impact: Enables delta sync in APIs.

Enable multiple image extensions in Random Image module​

  • PR: #45200 by AdarshSantoria
  • Usage: Enter jpg,png,webp in module settings.
  • Impact: Flexible Random Image module.

Note Custom Field Plugin​

  • PR: #45233 by TLWebdesign
  • Usage: Create new Field → type Note. Configure heading, text, CSS class.
  • Impact: UX guidance inside forms.

Restore onBeforeExecute event for CMSApplication​

  • PR: #45426 by Fedik
  • Usage: Subscribe to onBeforeExecute to hook before app runs.
  • Impact: Enables pre-routing plugins.
  • PR: #45515 by rdeutz
  • Usage: 
    class MyModel extends AdminModel implements VersionableModelInterface { use VersionableModelTrait; }
  • Impact: Versioning now restores custom fields & tags.

Improve ListView toolbar & components​

  • PR: #45521 by bembelimen
  • Usage: Extend ListView base for custom components.
  • Impact: Modernized toolbars, safer error handling.

Update layouts to use Form control fields​

  • PR: #45694 by Fedik
  • Usage: 
    echo $this->filterForm->renderControlFields();
  • Impact: Standardises layout hidden fields via Form API.