There are open-source Joomla templates, but it’s important to understand how open-source licensing works in the Joomla ecosystem
🧠 Open Source & Joomla Templates Explained
📌 Joomla Itself Is Open Source
Joomla CMS is fully open source under the GNU General Public License (GPL), which means you can use, modify, and redistribute the core code freely.
However, templates are a mix of code and non-code elements; not all parts must be GPL but many are licensed so you can use and modify them freely.
So when we talk about open-source Joomla templates, here are the categories:
✅ 1. Templates That Are Truly GPL / Open Source
These follow GPL or similar open-source licenses for most of their code. This means you can:
✔ Use them freely
✔ Modify them
✔ Distribute modified versions
Examples often include:
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Templates from the Joomla Project itself (like Protostar)
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Some community-created templates on the Joomla Extensions Directory (JED)
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Templates released explicitly under GPL by developers
⚠️ Always check the license file inside the download — not all “free” templates are fully GPL.
🆓 Free & (Often) Open-Source Joomla Templates
Here are some sources where you can find free/open-source Joomla templates to download:
🧩 1. Protostar (Joomla Default)
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Joomla’s default starter template is open source and included with Joomla.
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Fully modifiable.
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Great base for building custom layouts.
👉 This is truly open-source as part of Joomla itself.
🧩 2. Community & Free Template Sites
These sites offer free Joomla templates — some may be GPL or freely reusable, but check the license on each download:
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JoomlaTema Free Templates — business and multipurpose designs including Protostar and others.
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Joomfreak — free Joomla templates from community developers (free to use & usually open source).
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Free templates collections — sites like joothemes.net list free themes for Joomla.
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RSJoomla! Free Templates — a few free templates from a developer (verify license on download).
⚠️ Note: Some free template sites host older templates (e.g., for Joomla 3.x) — verify compatibility with your Joomla version (4/5).
🏷️ Quick Guide to Identifying Open Source Templates
When you download a Joomla template, check for these:
📌 Look for a License File
Inside the template package:
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LICENSE.txt -
GPL.txt -
A note in the documentation
If it states GNU GPL v2 or later, then the code is open source.
📌 Check Template Code Files
If PHP files include a GPL header at the top, that part of the template is open source.
📌 Mixed License Components
Some templates are partly GPL and partly proprietary (e.g., images or CSS assets). Only the GPL-licensed code is open source — be cautious with the rest.
🛠️ Practical Recommendation
If you want fully open-source (GPL) templates:
✅ Start with Protostar (Joomla default) — fully open source
✅ Search the Joomla Extensions Directory (Templates category) and filter by free/Open Source
✅ Look for GPL-licensed templates from community developers
This way you ensure:
✔ Freedom to modify
✔ No licensing restrictions on redistribution
✔ Compatibility with open-source projects