logging-in-to-joomla
Introduction
One of the great things about Joomla! is that it offers the flexibility to carry out tasks through the Administrator Dashboard (often referred to as the backend) and, if enabled, to carry out tasks directly from the frontend (the public facing) part of the website.
Frontend access is an easy and efficient way to allow content writers to quickly add or edit articles without the need to go to the Administrator Dashboard.
Your Joomla login is configured to control what you can see and do (or can't) using Joomla's User Manager and powerful Access Control Levels (ACL). This means that a Joomla website may have users that only use the backend, some that only use the frontend and others that use both.
The following covers logging in and out from both the backend and frontend of your Joomla website.
Note: Your Joomla Administrator may have disabled frontend access, requiring all tasks to be carried out using the backend Administrator Dashboard.
The steps covered in this tutorial are based on a standard Joomla! installation.
Log in and out of the backend Administrator Dashboard
Logging In
Navigate to the Administrator Login page. This is the web address for your website appended with /administrator, for example, my-joomla-website.com/administrator
This will take you to the Joomla Administrator Login:
- Add your Username.
- Add your Password.
Click the Log in button and you will be taken to the Joomla! Home Dashboard.
Note:
- Joomla provides you with the option to set up and use Web Authentication - this is not within the scope of this tutorial.
- If the website has other languages installed you will be able to select the relevant language from a dropdown list before logging in.
Logging Out
To log out click the User Menu then Log out.
Log in and out from the frontend of the website
Logging In
If frontend access is enabled, a login form will have been added to the website. Joomla allows a number of ways to do this. A standard installation includes a login form in the sidebar of the website but you may find a link has been added to the website menu, or perhaps in the footer. In some cases a Create Page link may exist. The design of the website will dictate where you access the login form.
In this example we use a login form on the website that is located in the sidebar.
In the Login Form:
- Add your Username.
- Add your Password.
Click the Log in button.
When logging in from the frontend of the website, you will be kept on the same page that you logged in on. You will notice the login form will also be replaced with a Log out button.
Logging Out
To logout go to the position you logged in then click the Log out button.
Quick Tips
- Some Joomla website administrators install extensions that hide or restrict access to the backend Administrator Dashboard. You may have to take additional steps or visit an alternative login URL.
- If you are making edits using the frontend login, save time by logging in on the page you wish to edit.