Is Joomla! Open Source Undergoing a Transformation?
When Joomla! was created, we had a mission. We wanted to offer something in opposition to the large platforms, closed systems, and the growing dependence on a few corporations. Behind this idea, for me personally, was also the desire to create a system that could be used by everyone. Not only developers. Not only companies with a budget. For everyone: barrier-free, accessible, and independent.
KI, Angie & Tenniel
This motivation still carries the project today. But the world around us has changed. According to the Digital 2026 Global Overview Report by Meltwater and We Are Social, 6.04 billion people are currently online, which corresponds to 73 percent of the world’s population. The pressure on open-source systems like Joomla! has not grown linearly — it has exploded. What used to take years now happens in months. Artificial intelligence has accelerated this development even further — not gradually, but in leaps.
Today, Joomla stands at a turning point. Not only technically, but also organizationally. And ultimately, both are a question of mindset.
The volunteer model is reaching its limits
Unlike many other open-source projects, Joomla is still a volunteer-driven project. There is no company that sets the direction. No foundation that pays salaries. No investors expecting returns. Only people who give their time because they believe in the idea.
This is a great strength. But it is increasingly becoming a burden.
The community has become smaller. Those who remain carry more responsibility, while new contributors find it difficult to get started. Why is that? There is no simple answer.
- Money: Many people simply cannot afford to invest unpaid time in open source. Financial obligations and family responsibilities leave little room for it. What was once possible beside a paid job now collides with the speed and demands of everyday life.
- Overload: The burden is unevenly distributed. A few volunteers carry the majority of the work, while millions of users benefit from it. In the long run, this inevitably leads to exhaustion and withdrawal.
- German tax law: There is a lack of legal support. In Germany, open-source engagement is not recognized as volunteer work for tax or funding purposes — even though services are provided that companies would otherwise have to purchase at significant cost. Participation in a sports club is supported, but maintaining digital infrastructure is not.
- High responsibility: Complexity is constantly increasing. Running Joomla means taking responsibility for a system that has become the basis of existence for many.
For all these reasons, a model based solely on voluntary participation may reach its limits. Not because there is a lack of willingness or competence, but because of time.
At the same time, the requirements for modern systems have increased dramatically. Artificial intelligence further reinforces this trend. Anyone who works on Joomla for two hours in the evening can fix bugs, maintain extensions, or write documentation. But no one can simultaneously develop an AI strategy, design a new architecture, and bring the community along — while the technological framework keeps shifting.
So a new organizational form?
The core of Joomla! remains untouched: open source, community-driven, and independent. But the financing must be rethought.
A first concrete step would be two or three paid positions — not for operational work, but for structural tasks that volunteers cannot handle. These include securing funding from public programs and foundations, building professional fundraising, and developing sustainable financing models, for example through subscriptions for extended services, support, or AI-powered features.
Organizational relief is just as important: coordination, communication, and strategic planning must be carried reliably. One of these positions should be dedicated specifically to community management — with the clear mandate to attract new contributors, support existing ones, and actively develop the community.
Other open-source projects have already taken this path: Linux, WordPress, or Red Hat. It is a narrow path, and not every project manages it successfully. But I am convinced that Joomla can succeed if the community takes this step consciously instead of waiting for it to happen on its own.
I personally find it difficult.
When Joomla was created, there was a dream: free software for everyone. Without money, without corporations, without dependencies. Just people creating something good together. This dream was powerful. And it carried us for a long time. But the world has changed. And letting go of such a dream is difficult. Somehow it feels like a betrayal, even though it is not.
Perhaps this is precisely the opportunity. Because the demand for alternatives is growing. For systems that can be trusted. For digital infrastructure not controlled by a few global corporations. For solutions that are open, accessible, and sovereign. That is exactly what Joomla can be if it has the courage to evolve.
The original dream was independence. That dream has not disappeared. It merely needs a new form.
No longer a project sustained solely by idealism, but a platform that combines idealism with structure. One that shows that openness and sustainability are not contradictions. That community and professionalism can complement each other.
This is not letting go. This is moving forward.