The full preview displays a broader, read-only assembled representation of the template. It serves as a vital design check, not a live destination website.
What you will learn
- Distinguish between editor preview and full preview modes.
- Perform structural, content, and responsiveness checks.
- Recognize which elements can only be tested post-installation.
- Prepare a list of final images and production modules.
A safe representation instead of a live website
The editor canvas continuously renders changes within an isolated preview document. The full preview builds a larger read-only representation of a custom or shared template. Neither mode executes live Joomla plugins or actual outputs from all modules. Forms and links are not intended for interactive end-use in this state.
The componentbox contains a safe preview of the selected page type. It is not your actual article, product, or menu structure. Therefore, the full preview excels at revealing layout issues, colors, and typography, but it cannot replace a final test on the target Joomla installation.
Pre-export checklist
- Wait for the editor to confirm automatic saving. Closing the browser tab immediately may fail to capture the latest pending changes.
- In clean Preview mode, inspect the header, navigation menu, main content area, sidebars, and footer without editor overlays.
- Switch between desktop, tablet, and mobile viewports. Check for overflowing text, excessively small touch targets, and improperly cropped images.
- Review available sample page types within the componentbox. Verify headings, tables, card grids, and form elements.
- Open the full preview if your account permissions allow access. Compare overall section rhythm and visual contrast.
- Compile a list of media placeholders to be replaced post-installation, alongside third-party modules that must be configured on the live site.
What to verify on the destination site
Only after installation will you see actual Joomla menus, articles, products, web forms, and third-party extensions. You must also verify user permissions, language settings, menu module assignments, server caching, and production content volume. A short sample heading may look balanced, whereas a lengthy translation might expose layout wrapping issues.
Full preview requires authentication and explicit permission grants for the feature. If you do not have access, perform a thorough inspection using the editor's Preview mode followed by final verification on a staging Joomla environment.
The staging site is the ultimate referee
The preview is a safe visual mockup. Prior to production deployment, install the exported ZIP onto a testing environment running the identical Joomla version and necessary extensions.
Document your findings and tasks
Do not attempt to fix every issue simultaneously during inspection. Categorize findings into layout bugs, missing live content, and post-installation tasks. Correct overflowing columns in the editor, whereas actual article copy or menu assignments belong in the destination Joomla instance.
After making fixes, reopen the exact viewport size and page type where the issue occurred. For the final review round, note the export build version, tested browser, and target Joomla release. Should the live site behave differently later, you will easily determine whether the cause stems from content, extensions, or hosting environment rather than an overlooked editor setting.