The catalog is a range of building blocks that the editor understands. It helps you find a menu, logo, content block, or e-commerce element without needing to know their technical names.
What you will learn
- Find a module by name or purpose.
- Navigate through the catalog categories.
- Distinguish a bundled module from support for an external extension.
- Understand why you cannot insert an arbitrary unknown type.
What the catalog actually contains
A module is a smaller functional block in Joomla. The catalog displays only those types for which the server has an allowed schema and a secure output contract. Thanks to this, the editor knows what parameters to offer, where the module can be inserted, and how to prepare its inert preview.
Items are divided into groups: Core, Content, Navigation, Media, Commerce, System, and Embed. Searching is often faster than browsing: for example, type "menu", "login", "logo", or "cart" and the catalog will narrow down the selection.
How to choose the right module
- Open the Modules mode on the left side of the editor.
- Select a category by purpose or start typing in the search box.
- Read the module name and consider whether a source for its live data exists on the target website.
- Drag the item into an active, highlighted Joomla position.
- Click on the module and open its right inspector using the small settings icon on the element. Then adjust the supported options.
Bundled and external types
Logo and Slideshow are bundled modules of Template Architect. If the design uses them, the export can include them in the installation package. The catalog also recognizes selected standard Joomla modules and supported third-party modules, such as certain Phoca Cart elements.
However, support in the catalog does not mean that an external extension will automatically be included in the export. The corresponding extension must be available on the target website. Otherwise, the template may contain the correct position and settings, but the live module will have nothing to render.
The category describes the purpose, not permissions or a guarantee of availability. A module from Commerce may require an online shop and its data, a module from Navigation requires an actual menu, and a module from Content requires published articles. Therefore, before inserting one, write down where the live content will come from. If you do not know the answer, you can use the block for spatial layout, but mark it for later review. The editor preview does not verify whether the target installation contains the correct extension version or whether a logged-in visitor is allowed to see the data.
Multiple items of the same type can be inserted as separate instances until you hit the limit of the position or the entire configuration. Each instance then needs its own meaningful title and settings so it does not get confused with others in Layers or during later synchronization.
The preview is not a live module
The editor uses safe, representative content. It does not invoke live plugins, cart, or product databases. You will see the actual number of items, user state, and other data only after installation on a properly prepared website.