Let's take you through the various menu item types in Joomla 5. These types determine what happens when a user clicks a menu link, connecting to articles, categories, extensions like support tickets, or even external pages. In this tutorial, I’ll explain the most common menu item types, how they work, and how to choose the right one for your site.
What Are Menu Item Types in Joomla?
Menu item types in Joomla 5 define the kind of content or action a menu link points to. When I create a menu item, I select a type, for example, linking to a single article or a category blog. These will control the page’s content and layout. Joomla offers dozens of menu item types for core features (e.g., articles, contacts) and extensions, giving you flexibility to build intuitive navigation. Unlike the menu itself, which is just a container, the menu item type shapes the user’s experience.
- Articles
- Archived: Display all archived articles.
- Category Blog: Displays article introductions in a single or multi-column layout.
- Category List: Displays a list of articles in a category (similar to a Table of Contents).
- Featured Articles: Show all featured articles from one or multiple categories in a single or multi-column layout.
- List All Categories in a Tree: Shows a list of all categories in the selected article category tree.
- Single Article: Display a single article (page).
- Configuration
- Display Template Options: Displays template parameter options if the template allows it.
- Site Configuration Options: Display global site configuration options.
- Contacts
- Create Contact: Create a new contact account.
- Featured Contacts: This view lists the featured contacts.
- List All Categories in a Contact Category Tree: Shows a list of categories within a contact category tree.
- List Contacts in a Category: This view lists the contacts in a category.
- Single Contact: This links to a specific contact (person).
- News Feeds
- List All Categories in a News Feed Category Tree: Shows a list of all categories in the selected news feed.
- List News Feeds in a Category: Show all news feeds within a category.
- Single News Feed: Show a single news feed.
- Privacy
- Confirm Request: Displays a form to confirm an information request.
- Create Request: Displays a form to submit an information request.
- Extend Consent: Displays a form to extend the privacy consent.
- Smart Search
- Search: The default search layout page.
- System Links
- Menu Heading: A heading for the parent of submenu items.
- Menu Item Alias: Create an alias to another menu item.
- Separator: A separator with or without a text label; useful to separate or group items.
- URL: An external or internal URL (the full link).
- Tags
- Compact List of Tagged Items: A list of items that have been tagged with the selected tags.
- List All Tags: This links to a detailed list of all tags.
- Tagged Items: This links to a list of items with specific tags.
- Users
- Edit User Profile: Edit your user profile.
- Login Form: Display a login form.
- Logout: Direct logout and redirect page.
- Password Reset: Display a request form to reset your password.
- Registration Form: Displays a registration form. Allow user registration must be enabled in the user options.
- User Profile: Displays a user profile.
- Username Reminder Request: Displays a username reminder request form.
- Wrapper
- Iframe: Display a URL in an iframe.
Common Menu Item Types and Their Uses
Here are some of the most popular menu item types I use in Joomla 5, along with when to choose them:
- Articles > Single Article: Links to one specific article, like an “About Us” page. I use this for standalone content with a custom layout.
- Articles > Category Blog: Displays a list of articles in a category with intro images and text, perfect for blog or news sections.
- Articles > Category List: Shows a simple list of article titles in a category, ideal for directories or archives. A good example is on my website here: Free Joomla Tutorials
- System Links > External URL: Points to an off-site link, like my social media profiles.
Joomla’s menu item types are grouped by component (e.g., Articles, Contacts), and extensions can add more. Each type has unique settings in the Options tab to show or hide elements like author names or pagination.
How Menu Item Types Affect Layout
Each menu item type in Joomla controls the page’s layout and display. For example, I can use a Category Blog type to show article previews with images, while a Single Article type displays full content with custom styling. In the Options tab, I can hide elements like publish dates or categories for a cleaner look. This is similar to my earlier tutorial on menu items, where I explained how these settings give you control over the user experience.
How to Choose a Menu Item Type
When adding a menu item, think about the content you plan to display:
- For a single page (e.g., Privacy Policy), I pick Single Article.
- For a dynamic blog layout, choose the Category Blog, which is what I did for the blog on this website.
- For a non-clickable dropdown parent, I use Menu Heading.
To explore types, I go to Menus > [Menu Name] > Add New Menu Item in the left sidebar navigation, click Select for Menu Item Type, and browse the options. Joomla 5’s interface (updated in 5.3.0) makes this selection smooth and intuitive.
Tips for Success
- Match the menu item type to your content’s purpose (e.g., use Category Blog for news, Single Article for static pages).
- Use the Options tab to customize display settings, like hiding publish dates for evergreen content.
- Test menu items on the frontend to ensure they load the right content and layout.
- Check for extension-specific menu item types if you’ve installed plugins, as they can expand your options.
What’s Next?
Now that you understand menu item types, you’re ready to create nested menu items for dropdown or submenu structures! In my next tutorial, I’ll guide you through setting up nested menus in Joomla 5.
Continue to the Next Tutorial: Creating Nested Menu Items
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