{{tag>joomla guide}}
===== First Steps =====

==== Security ====
  * Enable Two Factor Authentication
  * Make sure ACL is properly setup
  * Disable Mass Mail (Global Configuration -> Server)
{{:joomla:joomla-disable-mass-email.png?350|}}
  * Remove All unused Users, Groups
  * Disable User Registration (Global Configuration -> Users -> User Options)
{{:joomla:joomla-user-registration.png?350|}}
  * Setup password Complexity if you allow User Registration (Global Configuration -> Users -> Password Options)
{{:joomla:joomla-password-options.png?350|}}
  * Activate https for the whole site (Global Configuration -> Server)
{{:joomla:joomla-force-https.png?350|}}

==== Configuration ====
  * Set the PHP required by your Joomla installation [[hosting:multiphp|MultiPHP Manager]]
  * Setup ReCaptcha. Get credentials from [[https://www.google.com/recaptcha/admin|ReCaptcha]], setup the plugin [[joomla:recaptchaplugin|Joomla ReCaptcha Plugin]], set the option in (Global Configuration -> Site) as below.
{{:joomla:joomla-default-captcha.png?350|}}
  * Disable Error Reporting (Global Configuration -> Server)
{{:joomla:joomla-error-reporting.png?350|}}
  * Setup eMail (SMTP) (Global Configuration -> Server)
{{:joomla:joomla-mail-settings.png?350|}}
  * Select Correct Time Zone (Global Configuration -> Server)
{{:joomla:joomla-timezone.png?350|}}
  * Set Feed eMail Address to "No Email"
{{:joomla:joomla-feed-email.png?350|}}

==== SEF ====
  * Enable SEF -> [[joomla:sef|Joomla Enable SEF]]
  * Make sure all of your alias for menus, categories, articles are small caps and use - for space, ex. product-list
<sortable>
^ Alias Quality ^ Alias ^
| Bad | {{:joomla:joomla-bad-alias.png?500|}} |
| Good | {{:joomla:joomla-good-alias-1.png?500|}} |
| Better | {{:joomla:joomla-better-alias.png?500|}} |
</sortable>
  * Install [[https://www.selfget.com/products/redj.html|ReDJ]] for making custom urls or redirects from your old site. [[joomla:redj|ReDJ Setup]]
  * Setup a [[joomla:custom404|Joomla Custom 404 Page]]

==== Caching & Sessions ====
  * Enable Caching & Session -> [[joomla:caching|Joomla Caching]]

==== Media ====
  * Optimize Media [[https://esgr.in/wiki/development/webimages|WebImages]] ([[https://tinypng.com/|TinyPNG]] is prefered for inexperienced users)

==== Extensions ====
  * Delete Unused Extensions 
  * Update All Extensions
 
==== Templates ====
  * Uninstall unused Templates

==== Legal Terms ====
  * Enable Cookie Banner
  * Create a Terms of Service page
  * Create a Privacy page

==== Google ====
  * Setup [[https://analytics.google.com|Google Analytics]]
  * Check [[http://developers.google.com/speed/pagespeed/insights/|PageSpeed Insights]]

==== Content ====
  * Remove All unused Articles, Categories, Menus and Modules.
  * Remove All unused Assets (Images etc)
  * Empty Trashes
  * Check Robots.txt for required changes

**You should be ready to go public.**