Global Configuration is the master settings panel for the entire Joomla installation. Changes here affect every page, every component, and every user unless overridden at a lower level. It is accessible only to Super Users at Admin → System → Global Configuration.
Site Tab
| Setting | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Site Name | Appears in browser title bar and admin header |
| Site Offline | Puts the front-end in maintenance mode with a custom message |
| Default Editor | TinyMCE, CodeMirror, or None (plain textarea) site-wide |
| Default List Limit | Number of items per page in admin list views |
| Default Feed Limit | Number of articles in RSS/Atom feeds |
| Feed Email | Author email in feeds — site email or author email |
System Tab
| Setting | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Debug System | Shows query count, memory usage, and language debug info |
| Error Reporting | PHP error level — set to None in production |
| Cache | Conservative (safe) or Progressive caching |
| Cache Time | Minutes before cached pages expire |
| Cache Handler | File (default) or Memcached |
| Maximum Versions | Version history retention count per article |
Server Tab
| Setting | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Path to Temp Folder | Used for uploads and cache — must be writable |
| GZIP Page Compression | Compress HTML output — enable if server doesn't handle it |
| Force HTTPS | Redirect all traffic to HTTPS — entire site or admin only |
| Proxy Settings | Configure if Joomla is behind a reverse proxy |
| Database Settings | View current DB host, name, and prefix (read-only) |
Logging
Enable logging in the Server tab to write error and deprecation notices to logs/everything.php. Set log priorities to choose the verbosity level. Always review logs after major updates.
Warning: Turning on Debug System in production exposes server paths and query details to all visitors. Enable it only on a staging environment or while authenticated as an admin.