Joomla 3.8 gives us the ability to remove the content ID numbers from URLs which were from previous versions of Joomla.
Of course, you are not obligated to use this new system if you have heavily invested into the old system.
What is the difference between the old and the new
To understand the difference, compare the URL below which uses the old system.
https://www.joomlabeginner.com/blog/tutorials/116-how-to-remove-ids-and-numbers-from-joomla-urls
And now take a look at the URL with the new system.
https://www.joomlabeginner.com/blog/tutorials/how-to-remove-ids-and-numbers-from-joomla-urls
You will notice that the 116- part is missing from the new URL. Admiteddly the new URL structure is much cleaner and could be more effective with your SEO Strategy, so if you're just starting it is recommended that you use the new system.
How to enable the new URLs
First, login to your administrator panel and navigate to Content > Articles in which place you need to click the Options button as shown in the screenshot below.
Then, as you can see from the screenshot below, follow these steps.
- Click the "Integration" Tab
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Set the "URL Routing" Option to "Modern"
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Set the "Remove IDs from URLs" to "Yes"
You should remember that the same feature can be enabled in exactly the same way for the "Contacts", "News Feeds" and "Users".
Just navigate to their respective Options and their Integration Tab will hold exactly the same layout for this particular functionality.
Summing Up
This feature has been in development for quite a while and it has passed through endless discussions about its correct and gradual implementation. It is apparent that it can be very valuable for effective SEO Strategies and memorable URLs and it is highly recommended for new Joomla Sites!
If you liked our tutorial about how to enable the new Joomla Routing system, feel free to sign up to our Newsletter through the sidebar or follow us on our Social Media!
