Joomla.org has released the download of version 1.5 of its open source content management system, previously code-named Khepri. The software, which had been in development for more than two years, is offered as a "stable" version, but the developers do not quite recommend switching from version 1.0x and noted that they "fully expect issues to arise".

"There is no immediate need for people to migrate existing Joomla! 1.0 sites to 1.5 so please be patient as we do our best to make the migration process as smooth as possible for the myriad of configurations possible," the developers wrote on the Joomla.org website.

The new version brings a number of changes and improvements. There is now a single installer for all extension types, a new media manager as well as a new article manager, which includes simplified content configuration options. Web site designers also receive more possibilities to exploit their creativity and developers will be able to program applications faster, Joomla.org said.

Joomla 1.5.0 is offered as a free 5 MB download package. There is no direct upgrade path from versions 1.0x, as "a large number of changes" have made "data [such as parameters for menus and content items] slightly incompatible," Joomla.org said. Upgrades are therefore handled as a two-step progress, one that exports the migration component for Joomla 1.0x and a second that imports the Joomla 1.5.0 installer.