Everywhere! — 17 August 2026
Joomla! Launches Inaugural J!Awards, Celebrating 21 Years of Community-Driven Innovation.
The Joomla! project today announced the launch of the J!Awards: Community Choice Awards, a new awards program created to celebrate the people, projects, and tools that make Joomla what it is. The launch date is no coincidence: 17 August 2026 marks the 21st anniversary of Joomla, and the project chose the occasion to kick off a new tradition celebrating the community that has powered two decades of growth. Nominations open today, with this year's winners to be announced live at Joomla World Conference (JWC) in Potsdam, near Berlin, Germany, taking place 16–18 October 2026.
If you use Joomla, you're already part of the community — and your voice belongs in these awards. The J!Awards are open to everyone: site owners, developers, designers, writers, agencies, hosting customers, and casual users alike. You don't need to be a longtime contributor, hold any official role, or be active on the forums to nominate or vote. Using Joomla is your all-access pass.
"As President of Open Source Matters, I'm genuinely excited about the Joomla! Awards, because they put the wonderful people and projects behind Joomla into the spotlight," said Elisa Foltyn, President of Open Sources Matters.
Eight Categories, Two Ways to Celebrate Joomla
Nominations and votes span eight categories, organized into two groups:
Creators & Contributors — celebrating the people behind the work
- Your Favourite New Feature of Joomla 6
- Your Favourite Article from Joomla! Community Magazine
- Your Favourite Website Design Created with Joomla
- Joomla Influencer of the Year
Tools & Services — celebrating the products the community relies on
- Your Favourite Extensions
- Your Favourite Template
- Your Favourite Hosting for a Joomla! Site
- Your Favourite Tool in Your Joomla Workflow
Winners are decided in two stages: an open nomination period, followed by a public vote on the resulting shortlist. As with nominations, voting is open to anyone — everyone who takes part has an equal say.
Following in the Footsteps of J!OSCAR and Joomla's Industry Recognition
The J!Awards draw direct inspiration from the J!OSCARs (Joomla Open Source Creative and Artistic Recognition awards), the beloved peer-nominated awards created in 2010 at the J and Beyond conference to recognize the people who build, develop for, implement, and write about Joomla. For years, the J!OSCARs brought the Joomla community together to celebrate its own talent, with anyone in the community free to nominate — and the J!Awards are designed to carry that same spirit forward.
Inspiration also comes from the CMS Critic Awards, an independent industry program where winners are determined through community nominations and public voting. Joomla has been recognized there repeatedly, most recently winning Best Free CMS and Best Open Source CMS at the 14th Annual CMS Critic Awards in March 2026 — proof of just how strongly the Joomla community shows up when it's time to vote for what they love. With the J!Awards, that same enthusiasm now has a home built specifically for Joomla, by Joomla.
How to Participate
- Nominations open: 17 August 2026 (today!)
- Nominations close: 13 September 2026
- Voting open: 21 September – 11 October 2026
- Winners announced: 16–18 October 2026, live at Joomla World Conference (JWC) in Potsdam, near Berlin, Germany
No membership, credentials, or special status are required — just an interest in Joomla. Full category details, eligibility rules, and the nomination form are available today at community.joomla.org/jawards.
This year's winners will be announced live at JWC. The J!Awards are intended to become an annual tradition, with future editions potentially hosted at different community events or announced online — details will be shared as each year's program takes shape.
About Joomla!
Joomla! is a free and open-source content management system (CMS) used to build websites and online applications, powered by a global community of volunteers, developers, and users. Joomla! celebrates its 21st anniversary on 17 August 2026.
Media Contact
Cyril Reze — Joomla! Marketing Team