This is the official documentation for Route 66 Joomla! extension.
Introduction
Route 66 is a Joomla extension designed to enhance your site's SEO by allowing you to define SEO-friendly URLs. It also enables the creation of Facebook Instant Articles and XML sitemaps for search engines. Starting from version 1.4.0, Route 66 includes optimization tools to help your site achieve higher scores on Google PageSpeed Insights.
The extension is available in two versions: Free and PRO. The PRO version provides access to our official help desk and includes support for additional extensions compared to the Free version.
Compatibility
Route 66 is compatible with Joomla! versions 3.x, 4.x and 5.x. All our extensions are tested with the latest stable releases of Joomla! at the time of their release. We continually update our extensions to ensure compatibility with future versions of Joomla! as they become available.
Requirements
Route 66 does not have any special requirements. It will function correctly as long as your server meets the standard Joomla! system requirements.
Installation
You can install Route 66 on your website the same way as any other Joomla! extension, using the Joomla! Extensions Manager. Refer to the official Joomla! documentation for detailed instructions on installing extensions.
Updating
You can update Route 66 using one of the following methods:
- One-Click Update: Update the extension via the Joomla! Extension Manager Updates. For the PRO version, you need to enter your Download ID in the extension options to enable automatic updates. Refer to the "Setup" section for instructions on where to enter your Download ID.
- Manual Update: Download the latest version from our website and install it over the current version using the Joomla! Extension Manager Installer. Note that an active subscription is required to download the PRO version.
Upgrading
Upgrading from the Free version to PRO is straightforward. Simply install the PRO package over your existing installation. There is no need to uninstall the Free version first, but it's acceptable if you choose to do so.
Setup
After installing Route 66, several plugins are added to your site:
- System - Route 66: The main plugin that loads the necessary code for generating and handling custom URLs. You must enable this plugin immediately after installing Route 66.
- Installer - Route 66 (PRO version only): This plugin manages updates through the Extension Manager. It has a single option named "Download ID" where you enter your Download ID to enable one-click updates. You can find your Download ID on our website. Ensure this plugin is enabled if you're using the PRO version.
- Route 66 Plugins: These plugins belong to a custom Joomla! plugin group named "route66". Each supported extension has its own plugin in this group. These plugins allow you to define URL patterns to generate SEF URLs for each specific extension and its resources. For example, to create custom URLs for Joomla! articles, enable and configure the "Route 66 - Content" plugin. To enable custom URLs for K2 items, configure the "Route 66 - K2" plugin, and so on. Each plugin provides input fields to define the desired URL patterns for the supported resources. For example, the "Route 66 - Content" plugin provides two pattern fields: one for Joomla! articles and one for Joomla! article categories. Continue reading to learn how to define URL patterns.
URL Patterns
Defining a URL pattern in Route 66 is straightforward. URL patterns can include any valid URL-friendly characters and tokens that generate dynamic variables (such as an article's date). Here are some examples of URL patterns you can use in Route 66:
blog/{articleYear}/{articleMonth}/{articleAlias}{categoryAlias}/{articleAlias}{articleAlias}page-{articleId}
Tokens are enclosed within curly brackets { }. Here are some important points to consider regarding tokens:
- Identifier Tokens: Some tokens are required and are used to identify the resource for a given URL. You must include at least one identifier token in your URL pattern. These tokens are typically in bold when listed.
- Extension-Specific Tokens: Each extension or resource has its own set of tokens. For example, the token
{articleDate}is not available for category links. - When defining a URL pattern in Route 66, all available tokens for that plugin are displayed below the input field. Identifier tokens are marked in bold to highlight their importance.
Module Assignments
Your module assignments will continue to function as before, even if Route 66 changes your URLs.
For example, suppose you have a menu link to a category named "Cars" and have assigned modules to display on that page, accessible via the URL /cars. Route 66 might generate article URLs that do not include the /cars part, depending on your URL pattern. However, the modules assigned to the "Cars" category page will still display on the article pages within that category. This behavior aligns with Joomla!'s default functionality.
Route 66 automatically detects and assigns the correct modules, so you do not need to make any changes to your site's structure.
Supported Extensions
Below is a list of supported extensions along with their available tokens. Identifier tokens are marked in bold. Remember, you must include at least one identifier token in your URL pattern.
| Type | Tokens | Available in |
|---|---|---|
| Joomla! Article | {articleId}, {articleAlias}, {articleYear}, {articleMonth}, {articleDay}, {articleDate}, {articleAuthor}, {categoryAlias}, {categoryPath} | Free & PRO |
| Joomla! Article Category | {categoryId}, {categoryAlias}, {categoryPath} | Free & PRO |
| Joomla! Tag | {tagId}, {tagAlias} | Free & PRO |
| K2 Item | {itemId}, {itemAlias}, {itemYear}, {itemMonth}, {itemDay}, {itemDate}, {itemAuthor}, {categoryAlias}, {categoryPath} | PRO only |
| K2 Category | {categoryId}, {categoryAlias}, {categoryPath} | PRO only |
| K2 Tag | {tagId}, {tagName} | PRO only |
| K2 User | {userId}, {userLoginName}, {userName} | PRO only |
| Virtuemart Product | {productId}, {productAlias}, {productSku}, {productYear}, {productMonth}, {productDay}, {productDate}, {productAuthor}, {categoryAlias}, {categoryPath} | PRO only |
| Virtuemart Category | {categoryId}, {categoryAlias}, {categoryPath} | PRO only |
| HikaShop Product | {productId}, {productAlias}, {productSku}, {productYear}, {productMonth}, {productDay}, {productDate}, {categoryAlias}, {manufacturerAlias}, {categoryPath} | PRO only |
| HikaShop Category | {categoryId}, {categoryAlias}, {categoryPath} | PRO only |
| eShop Product | {productId}, {productAlias}, {productSku}, {productYear}, {productMonth}, {productDay}, {productDate}, {categoryAlias} | PRO only |
Content SEO Analysis
Route 66 can perform SEO analysis of your site's content using the renowned Yoast SEO analyzer. If you're using Joomla articles or K2 items, the SEO analysis tool is integrated directly into the editing form. Ensure all Route 66 plugins are enabled to access the SEO analysis when editing a Joomla article or K2 item. If you're not using Joomla articles or K2 items, Route 66 provides a separate administration page where you can analyze any page of your Joomla site.
Google PageSpeed Insights
Route 66 includes optimization tools to improve your site's performance on Google PageSpeed Insights. All settings related to this functionality are available under the component options. With proper configuration, your site can achieve a score of 90/100 or higher on Google PageSpeed Insights when using Route 66.
Facebook Instant Articles
Facebook Instant Articles is a mobile publishing format that allows publishers to distribute articles through Facebook's app, loading up to 10 times faster than the standard mobile web. Learn more at the Facebook Instant Articles website. Route 66 can automatically transform your site's Joomla! articles and K2 items into the Facebook Instant Articles format. The articles are imported into Facebook using a feed generated by Route 66 based on your site's content.
You can filter the articles or items included in this feed based on categories. Additionally, you can set up Google Analytics and Google DFP integration for your Instant Articles. Below is a list of available options when creating a Facebook Instant Article feed in Route 66:
- Title: A title for your reference. It does not affect Facebook integration.
- Published: Choose whether this feed is published. Ensure it is set to "Yes" before submitting the feed to Facebook.
- Joomla! Articles: Select if you want to include Joomla! articles in this feed and filter them by categories.
- K2 Items (Route 66 PRO only): Select if you want to include K2 items in this feed and filter them by categories.
- Google Analytics Tracking ID: Your Google Analytics Tracking ID.
- Google Analytics Campaign Source: Specify a custom campaign source for Instant Articles.
- Google Analytics Campaign Medium: Specify a custom campaign medium for Instant Articles.
- Google DFP Network: Enter your DFP network ID to enable DFP integration.
- Google DFP Slots: Define the ad slots you want to render in Facebook Instant Articles.
This documentation covers the process of creating the Facebook Instant Articles feed in Route 66. Before using this feature, please read the official Facebook Instant Articles documentation.
XML Sitemaps
Route 66 can generate XML sitemaps for search engines, implementing the sitemaps protocol as defined at sitemaps.org. Route 66 also supports the Image and Video sitemap extensions by Google. Below are the options available when creating an XML sitemap in Route 66:
- Title: A title for your reference.
- Published: Choose whether this sitemap is published. Set to "Yes" before submitting to search engines.
- Include Images: Include images in the sitemap (where applicable) using Google's image sitemap extension.
- Include Videos: Include videos in the sitemap (where applicable) using Google's video sitemap extension.
- Joomla! Articles: Choose to include Joomla! articles in the sitemap and filter them by categories.
- Menu Items: Choose to include Joomla! menu items in the sitemap and filter them by menu type.
- K2 Items (Route 66 PRO only): Choose to include K2 items in the sitemap and filter them by categories.
- Virtuemart Products (Route 66 PRO only): Choose to include Virtuemart products in the sitemap and filter them by categories.
- Hikashop Products (Route 66 PRO only): Choose to include Hikashop products in the sitemap and filter them by categories.
Video Tutorials
Here are some video tutorials to help you get started with Route 66:
