Joomla - Minimal template

⚠️ This article was created for developers!

To be able to follow the steps, you're required to have coding knowledge. If you're not a developer and can't achieve what you're looking for, consider hiring a developer.

Make sure to carefully follow the tutorial and write correct code. We're unable to provide help with custom coding, or the possible issues that are happening because of them.

Creating a Minimal Template

If you only want to have a slider on your site without anything else, you can create a minimal template with only three module positions.

1

Go to your FTP, to the \templates folder and create a new folder, in my example I will create nextend.

2

Put an index.php file in it, which should contain this code (if you used a different folder name, change the path of the templates/nextend/style.css file):

<?php defined('_JEXEC') or die('Restricted access'); ?>
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="<?php echo $this->language; ?>" dir="<?php echo $this->direction; ?>">
    <head>
    <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
    <jdoc:include type="head" />
    <link href='<?php echo $this->baseurl; ?>/templates/nextend/style.css' rel='stylesheet' type='text/css' />
    </head>
    <body>
    <div id="container">
        <div id="top"><jdoc:include type="modules" name="top" /></div>
        <jdoc:include type="modules" name="slider" />
        <div id="bottom"><jdoc:include type="modules" name="bottom" /></div>
    </div>
    </body>
</html>

3

Create a templateDetails.xml file with this code:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE install PUBLIC "-//Joomla! 2.5//DTD template 1.0//EN" "http://www.joomla.org/xml/dtd/2.5/template-install.dtd">
<extension version="1" type="template" client="site">
    <name>nextend</name>
    <files>
        <filename>index.php</filename>
        <filename>templateDetails.xml</filename>
        <filename>style.css</filename>
    </files>
    <positions>
        <position>top</position>
        <position>slider</position>
        <position>bottom</position>
    </positions>
</extension>

4

And a style.css file with this code:

html, body{
    margin:0;
    padding:0;
}
#container{
    position:relative;
    width:100%;
    overflow: hidden;
}
#top{
    position:absolute;
    top:0;
    left:0;
    right:0;
    z-index:2;
}
#bottom{
    position:absolute;
    bottom:0;
    left:0;
    right:0;
    z-index:2;
}

5

Joomla 3

Now go to your Joomla's backend, Extensions → Manage → Discover. You will see the Nextend template on the list, so check it, and click on Install.

Joomla 4

Go to System and find Discover under Install. You'll see the Nextend template on the list, so check it, and click on Install

6

Joomla 3

After this you will see it in your Extensions → Templates.

Joomla 4

After this you will see it in your System → Site Template Styles.

7

Pick it, and you will have three module positions. The slider, which should have the sliders you want to show, so you should publish a slider module there. The top, which is just an absolutely positioned place over the slider on the top, and the bottom, which is also an absolutely positioned place, but in the bottom of the slider.

⚠️ Warning: The Minimal template doesn't support the content coming from the Joomla articles. It only supports the given module positions: top, slider and bottom.

Creating a landing page

Joomla 3

After creating the minimal template above, go to Menus → Manager and select your homepage's menu item. At the Template Style select the minimal template you created:

Minimal template

Joomla 4

After creating the minimal template above, go to Menus and select your homepage's menu item. At the Template Style select the minimal template you created: