What is Quickstart? Quick Start Package is fully functional Joomla package which contains CMS, modules, selected templates and plugins with the configurations and the data that is used in the demo website. The sample data can also be personalized based on the template in quick start package and is different from the default Joomla! 3.x (2.5.x) package.

It is not possible to install the Quickstart package inside an existing Joomla installation via the Extension Manager, because the Quickstart also includes the Joomla! CMS. This package is strictly for use with a new Joomla! installation to provide you with a duplicate of demo for that particular template. This rule applies to Joomal 2.5, Joomla 3.2

How to create a quick start package

1. Create a copy of the entire folder to turn it into a quickstart package - including Joomla files along with the other files and folders.
2. Rename the copy to any name that you like for example myfirst_quickstart_package.
3. Get a copy of the installation folder that's included inside your original Joomla! 3.0 download folder. If you are using some other version of Joomla!, then you must get the installation folder from that version of the Joomla! Download.
4. Copy that installation folder to your folder, (the myfirst_quickstart_package folder) that you created.
5. Delete the configuration.php file from folder.
6. You still need to add your exported database file inside the installation folder which will happen after the database export is finished..

Export your website database

7. Go to phpMyAdmin and select the database of the demo website. Click on Export
8. Click on the Custom - display all possible options radio button as shown below

9. In the window that opens you must exclude all the following tables from the database export. The table prefix used in this example is (qu93j_).
   • all finder example (qu93j_finder_links) - there are approximately 17 of them
   • qu93j_redirect_links
   • qu93j_session
   • qu93j_users
   • qu93j_user_notes
   • qu93j_user_profiles
   • qu93j_user_usergroup_map
   • qu93j_viewlevels
   • qu93j_weblinks
10. The example below shows some of the excluded tables (white) and the selected tables (blue).

Export settings for Output

11. In the Output section click on the Save output to a file radio button
12. For File name template enter sample_data, leave the use for future exports checkbox unchecked if you wish

Export settings for Format-specific options

13. In the Format-specific options make sure data and structure is selected as shown below

Export settings for Data dump options

14. In the Data dump options section the settings should be the same as shown below

15. Now you can click on the Go button to export the database

Changes required in the exported database sample_data.sql file

Open your exported database sample_data.sql in a text editor. Coda2 is used in the example screenshot.

Find and replace qu93j_ with #__. Save your file as sample_data.sql.

How to Install Joomla Quickstart Package?

1. Uploading on server

Use one of those FTP clients to upload all files from "Quick_start_*Tempate Name" folder to your website directory.

2. Beginning of installation

Open your web browser and navigate to the folder that you uploaded your Joomla package. You will see initial Joomla installation page:

Option 1. Data upload using a FTP client

If you don't have hosting with a cPanel or a file manager option with extract/unpack, you can use an FTP client. The downside of using FTP as mentioned is the possibility of permission issues which can cause inaccessible images, thumbnails or scripts.

Here you can see all extracted files and folders from the quickstart zip on a local machine prior to upload:

Illustrated below are all extracted files uploaded to the server.

The Joomla 3+ Installation process

Open your web browser of choice and enter the url path to the folder that contains the extracted and uploaded quickstart package.

The browser will then load the initial Joomla install screen – this requires the site name, email address, username and password to be entered.

Database Configuration

Configure the databse with the database name, host name, password etc. as per the screenshot given below after which click on continue. The database prefix is randomly generated - a change implemented since Joomla 1.7

Finalisation

This page checks to see if the hosting system meets the requirements for the Joomla installation.

Recommended settings can be looked at after installation, but it is important to bear these recommended settings in mind.

Important

To install the quickstart correctly you MUST select to install the sample data. The quickstart will not install correctly if sample data is not selected and you will have an empty joomla site.

Once you have selected to install the demo data and meet the hosting requirements, click next and the database + data will install (this again may take some time depending on the host).

Final step

After clicking next you should reach the final page of the installation and it will confirm that the Joomla quickstart package has installed successfully.

The final step before you can access or view the Joomla site is to remove the installation folder.

View your site and access the administrator

Once the installation folder is removed you will be able to successfully view the front end of your site and access the administrator of the site the chosen access.

You will now be able to work on your site to individualize it and create your own Joomla website.

The main differences between the Quickstart and Template package

Standard templates are packages that are available for installation into your existing Joomla! sites. Template packages contain the Gavern Framework and all files (.php, .js, .ini and .css) needed to create a Joomla! Template appearance (all in one).

Templates include override appearance/view settings for some components and/or modules written in html in the template folder, but it will not work without the required extensions being installed first.