Joomla 5.3 Is Here: What’s New in the Latest CMS Release
Released on April 15, 2025, Joomla 5.3 is the latest version in the 5.x series. This update brings several improvements and new features focused on enhancing the experience for both users and administrators.
Key Highlights in Joomla 5.3
Email Template Parameters
Joomla 5.3 introduces access to template parameters within email templates, allowing for more flexible customization of outgoing messages.
Improved Media Manager
A new files
folder has been added to the Media Manager, enabling better separation of non-image files (e.g., PDFs, documents) from images, improving resource organization.
Scheduler Task History
The Scheduler now logs the full execution history of scheduled tasks, making it easier to monitor automation and troubleshoot issues.
Enhanced Read More Link Options
Admins can now choose whether article titles appear in “Read More” links, giving greater control over content presentation.
Accessibility Improvements
Icons in the Contacts component are now fully accessible to screen readers, improving the experience for users with disabilities.
Better SEO and Alias Handling
Improved tag alias management, SEF URL handling, and detection of malformed URLs help maintain clean and SEO-friendly links.
Modern Plugin Events
Continued migration to typed event classes in the plugin core enhances code readability and support in modern IDEs.
WebAsset API Recommendation
Joomla encourages the use of the WebAsset API over legacy methods like HTMLHelper::script()
and HTMLHelper::stylesheet()
for loading assets.
PHP 8.4 Compatibility
This release includes significant updates to ensure compatibility with PHP 8.4, keeping Joomla up-to-date and secure.
Download Joomla 5.3
View the Full List of Changes
See Joomla 5.3 Feature Pull Requests on GitHub
Joomla 5.3 is the result of dedicated work by hundreds of volunteers around the world, continuing the tradition of a powerful, open-source CMS that’s modern, secure, and user-friendly.