Essential FREE Joomla Extensions

For anyone who has ever used or is considering to use Joomla for a web site, you will quickly realize there are thousands of extensions (plug-in’s that extend the functionality of Joomla). Because I myself often use Joomla for projects for my clients, I have decided to post a list of some of the more useful FREE extensions that I have found myself using often with my Joomla Based Projects…

JCE
Joomla 1.5 Native Extension

JCE extends the standard WYSIWYG editor for content in Joomla with a lot more features and functions. This is really an essential extension for any Joomla site. Features it add’s to your article editor include advanced media manager for uploading/selecting images, much improved link handling capabilities (so you can easily create links to other pages in your joomla site) and much more.

[JCE Link]

JV-Link Exchanger
Joomla 1.5 Native Extension

JV-Link Exchanger is one of the better free link-exchange systems for Joomla. A link exchange is a system that allows people to add links to their web site from your links section, and in return provide a link as well to you from their own web site. This helps in building the ever important back-links for your web site which can help with search engine rankings and exposure of your web site.

[JV-Link Exchanger link]

Sexy Bookmarks
Joomla 1.5 Native Extension

Sexy book marks (also available as a WordPress Plugin) is one of the best social bookmark extensions in my opinion. It features a intuitive expand on mouse over box if icons to all major social networking sites and allows an easy way for visitors to your web site to bookmark/tag/tweet/share content from your web site. You can also select which ones to show or not show.

[Sexy Bookmarks Link]

Twitter Status
Joomla 1.5 Native Extension

Twitter Stats adds the ability for Joomla to post tweets to your Twitter account when you post new content on your Joomla Site. It works seamlessly in the background so very little is required on your part. It will post the name of your new content/page/article you post on Joomla with a link to view it to your Twitter Account.

[Twitter Status Link]

SW Menu Free
Joomla 1.5 Native Extension

SW Menu free is one of the best and most powerful menu systems available for free for Joomla. Allthough it’s a little daunting at first to set up/configure your menu’s, it is actually pretty easy once you figure it out and offers alot of powerful features for editing the functionality and css for a vertical or horizontal menu in joomla.

[SW Menu Free Link]

Sourcerer
Joomla 1.5 Native Extension

Sourcerer is a VERY handy extension that lets you place code right inside any article/content or custom module on your joomla site. You can add PHP code, embed tags, javascript etc as needed. I have found this invaluable in adding small custom features to sites without having to create a module for it.

[Sorcerer Link]

Easy AdSense
Joomla 1.5 Native Extension

Easy AdSense is a very easy to setup and use Google AdSence extension for Joomla. Has some usefull features such as IP Blocking and more.

[Easy AdSense Link]

jComments
Joomla 1.5 Native Extension

Jcomments adds the ability for visitors to post comments on any posting/article on your Joomla Website, essentially allowing to to have more of a blog feel with this ability and also encourage user input on your web site, which can be usefull for search engines as it assists with keeping content updating on your web site.

[jComments Link]