Open Source
What exactly is Joomla?
Joomla! has become 'the' most powerful Open Source Content Management System on the planet. It is a 'free' open source framework and content publishing system designed for quickly creating highly interactive multi-language Web sites, online communities, media portals, blogs and eCommerce applications.The name 'Joomla' is Swahili for 'all together'.
The difference between Joomla! and commercial CMS solutions?
Unlike commercial solutions that offer different versions according to your budget, Joomla! is available in just one 'all encompassing' version - and it is cost free. Many commercial CMS solutions boast a vast array of modules - in some cases up to 80 of them. Joomla! offers an awesome amount of extensions that currently numbers at 4028. Joomla! has an active community of more than 200,000 (validated) friendly users and developers.
A big advantage you should not overlook...
If your company or organization hires a third party Joomla! developer or builds in-house software using the Joomla! framework, you are building on an open platform that does not tie you to any one design company, developer or to a proprietary, closed application. You own your site and can develop it with anyone you choose. This is of huge importance if things begin to go wrong with your current design company. Be smart - use Joomla!