Joomla 5.3 released with improved HTML email templates, URL & file management, and more

Joomla has unveiled version 5.3 of its open source content management system, bringing a host of new features and enhancements. The update introduces enhanced customization for outgoing emails through template parameters in the email template view. A dedicated files folder in the media manager now aids in organizing non-image files separately from images. The scheduler's new logging feature provides a complete execution history, simplifying task monitoring and troubleshooting.

Site administrators gain more control with a new setting to show or hide article titles in “Read More” links. Accessibility improvements include screen reader-friendly icons in the Contact component. The update also enhances URL management with better handling of tag aliases, SEF URLs, and tainted URL detection, contributing to more consistent and SEO-friendly site links.

Joomla continues its transition to typed event classes in core plugins, enhancing code readability and IDE support. The legacy HTMLHelper::script() and HTMLHelper::stylesheet() methods are deprecated in favor of the WebAsset API. Additionally, Joomla 5.3 ensures compatibility with PHP 8.4, preparing sites for upcoming updates.