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The JInstant blog

Guides, comparisons and news on testing Joomla, and getting the most out of free, disposable test sites.

J.INSTANTJoomla 5 vs Joomla 6 — which to test on5.4Joomla 5PHP NEEDED8.1 – 8.3REGULAR SUPPORT ENDS13 Oct 2026SECURITY-ONLY UNTIL12 Oct 20276.1Joomla 6PHP NEEDED8.3 or newerREGULAR SUPPORT ENDS17 Oct 2028STATUSCurrent releaseVSOct 2026Joomla 5 regular endsOct 2027Joomla 5 security endsOct 2028Joomla 6 regular ends

Joomla 5 vs Joomla 6: which should you test on?

Joomla 6 needs PHP 8.3+ and Joomla 5's regular support ends 13 October 2026. Here is how the two versions compare, and which one to open a free test site on.

J.INSTANTJoomla 6.1 — what’s new, and how to try it6.0Oct 2025 · superseded6.1Apr 2026 · currentNEW6.2Oct 2026 · plannedNew in 6.1Proof-of-Work CAPTCHAVisual Workflow EditorMedia custom fields (audio, video, docs)Smarter modules: versioning + multilingualAbout 30 seconds to try

Joomla 6.1: what's new and how to try it in 30 seconds

Joomla 6.1 (Nyota) shipped 14 April 2026 with four new features and needs PHP 8.3+. Here is what changed and how to open a 6.1 test site in about 30 seconds.

J.INSTANTFree Joomla test site, 2026Fastest first5 ways, rankedTime to a Joomla loginfastest wins1One-click sandboxSeconds2Official trialMinutes3Installer on hosting~15 min4Local XAMPPLongest5Shared demoNot yours

The fastest ways to get a free Joomla test site in 2026

There are five ways to get a free Joomla test site in 2026. Ranked fastest first, the quickest opens a Joomla admin in seconds, with just an email and no XAMPP.

J.INSTANTJoomla demo vs. your own test siteLook onlyshared, resets on a timerJoomla demodemo / demoRead-only back endShared with everyoneNo installing extensionsNot your own sitevsYour test siteSuper UserFull admin controlPrivate and isolatedInstall any extensionOne click, auto-deletes

Joomla demo vs. your own test site: which to use?

A Joomla demo is a shared, read-only site you only look at. Your own test site is a private, editable Joomla you control that auto-deletes in 4 hours.

J.INSTANTTest a Joomla update before going liveDISPOSABLE COPYcopy.jinstant.com/administratorPre-Update Checkrehearse the upgrade, nothing live is touched5.46.1Server meets Joomla 6 requirementsExtensions report compatibleTemplate renders on 6.1Safe to upgradeRun updateSUPPORT LIFECYCLEJoomla 5.4full support ends13 Oct 2026Joomla 6.1current, fully supportedyou are here after upgradecopy deletes itself in 4 hrs, nothing to undo

How to test a Joomla update before going live (5 to 6)

A Joomla update can break a live site, so rehearse it first. Here is how to test the 5 to 6 upgrade on a disposable copy in minutes, then let it auto-delete.

J.INSTANTTest an extension before your live siteYOUR LIVE SITEyour-site.comUntouchednothing installed here yettest it first.zipmy-extensionDISPOSABLE SANDBOXyour-site.jinstant.com/administratorInstall extensionon a clean Joomla 6.1, isolated and temporaryInstalls cleanlyRuns on your versionNo conflicts4 hrsthen it deletes itself.Nothing to clean up.

Safely test a Joomla extension before your live site

An untested Joomla extension can break or compromise a live site. Here is how to test one safely on a clean throwaway install that auto-deletes in 4 hours.

J.INSTANTlaunch.joomla.org alternative30DAYSOne click, no renewone click insteadOfficial trial vs a disposable sandboxside by sidelaunch.joomla.orgJInstantSignupFull formEmail onlyReady inForm + verifyOne clickLifespanRenew / 30 daysAuto-deletes 4hVersionsJoomla onlyJoomla + PHP

launch.joomla.org alternative: disposable, no 30-day renew

launch.joomla.org is the official Joomla trial, but it needs an account and a renewal every 30 days. Here is a disposable alternative that opens in one click.

J.INSTANTTry Joomla without XAMPPTHE LOCAL STACKApacheweb serverMariaDB 10.4below Joomla 6's minimumPHP 8.2below Joomla 6's minimumconfiguration.phphand-edited5 to 10 minutesskip ityour-site.jinstant.com/administratorJoomla 6.1 readyNothing to install. No database to create.Open admin in one clickReady in seconds

Try Joomla without XAMPP (or any local server)

You do not need XAMPP, MAMP, or Docker to try Joomla. Here is why a default XAMPP will not even run Joomla 6, and how to open a clean test site in seconds.

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