As a JoomlArt Moderator and Support Team Member, I frequently see questions and issues within the Community Forum and Support Tickets from Members with regard to some having difficulty to successfully perform a QUICKSTART INSTALLATION. Many users simply want to either replicate a virtual clone of a template's demo showcase, or have just certain aspects of their site to look/function "just like the demo."

The value of a Quickstart Installation

In a nutshell ... being able to begin the modification/customization process from a virtual clone of the template demo as a starting point.

Admittedly, when first starting to work with Joomla, it is easy to be resistant to utilize a Quickstart installation for a template. Some don't like the thought of having to install another complete installation of Joomla - be it locally with XAMPP/WAMP or on one's web server. It is also understandable why more intermediate/advanced Developers might prefer to start with more of a "blank slate" insofar as a feeling of "complete control" over the creation of their own structures and content from scratch.

There are many available tools to help make web development projects – such as modifying and customizing your JoomlArt Template based websites - quicker and more productive. Aside from a handy text editor like Notepad++ or WYSIWYG editor like Dreamweaver, you can find plenty of FREE tools and utilities that can greatly increase development speed, reduce testing time, and improve quality of the output.

The tools described below are a variety of utilities, optimizers, and testing tools aimed towards helping developers create websites more efficiently.

Notepad++

Notepad++ is a fairly powerful; multiple-language supporting; code auto-completing; multi-view, multi-document creating; macro recording; regular-expression-using code editor that should be on every web developer's desktop. I still have a hard time believing that this little beauty is free.

This is a real good freebie provided by our friends from OSTraining.com. They agreed to let us show you the following video tutorial which explains how to properly style modules. This video is just one unit belonging to the very comprehensive "Joomla Template Class" series accessible only for OSTraning members.

If you are interested we will show you the full section 5, which contains:

Section 5: Advanced Template Design Principles

• Module Styles
• Advanced Joomla CSS
• Template Parameters
• Template Overrides