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9a - Developer Documentation — Guide & Reference Pages

Contractor: TBA

Main Contact: TBA

Start date: 1 September 2027

End data: 30 November 2027

RFP not published yet

Abstract​

This milestone creates the written foundation of the multiplier effect. Every extension developer who reads the guide or uses a reference page is equipped to build accessible interfaces using the same standards as Joomla core. By publishing the documentation before the final audit and the community sessions in Milestone 9b, the ecosystem has time to begin adoption, and feedback from developers can inform final adjustments before project close.

Milestone 9a draws on the design system from Milestones 2a and 2b, on the test protocols and acceptance criteria from Milestone 1a, on the standardised batch and filter patterns from Milestone 6, on the configurable authoring forms from Milestones 5a and 5b, and on the standardised transversal feature patterns from Milestones 7a, 7b, and 7c.

Scope of work​

Deliverable 1: "Accessibility for Joomla Developers" Guide​

Author and publish an "Accessibility for Joomla Developers" guide covering:

  • How to use the design system components from Milestones 2a and 2b
  • Accessible coding patterns, drawn from the standardised batch and filter patterns (Milestone 6), the configurable authoring forms (Milestones 5a and 5b), and the standardised transversal feature patterns (Milestones 7a to 7c)
  • Common mistakes to avoid
  • A WCAG 2.2 AA checklist for extensions, derived from the Milestone 1a test protocols and acceptance criteria

The guide must:

  • Be written for extension developers and not only for core maintainers
  • Be published in the documentation channel agreed with OSM at kick-off (for example the Joomla documentation site or the equivalent)
  • Be itself accessible, in line with WCAG 2.2 AA

Deliverable 2: Reference Pages for Every Component and Pattern​

Create reference pages demonstrating every component and pattern from Milestone 2b with working code examples. Each reference page must:

  • Cover a single component or pattern, in line with how Milestone 2b documents the component
  • Include working code examples that an extension developer can copy and adapt
  • State accessibility requirements and common mistakes to avoid
  • Link back to the relevant section of the developer guide and to the Milestone 2b documentation

Deliverable 3: Documentation and Milestone Report​

Maintain the programme documentation framework and produce the milestone completion report in the format agreed with OSM at kick-off.