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New Features

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.
  • Note: The language is available only onAfterInitialise event. If you're trying to use language in the plugin constructor, consider to move this logic into the event callback.
  • 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.