I built JoomlaControl as a small personal project using vibe coding. The initial idea came from a forum user, but the motivation became much clearer after the recent Gridbox updates and security incidents. Managing several Joomla websites means constantly checking different administrator panels for updates, extension versions, users, maintenance dates and hosting renewals. I wanted a simpler way to see the important information in one place.
JoomlaControl is a native macOS application designed to monitor multiple Joomla 6 installations from a single dashboard. Each site is connected through a lightweight companion plugin, Ajax – JoomlaControl, installed on the Joomla website. The connection uses a separate API token per site, rather than Joomla administrator credentials.
The application currently provides:
- An overview of all connected Joomla sites and their latest status.
- Joomla core and extension update checks, with a clear list of sites requiring attention.
- A site-level overview of installed extensions, users and recent activity.
- Vulnerability alerts based on the Joomla Vulnerable Extensions List.
- Billing and maintenance tracking, including hosting and maintenance amounts, renewal dates and reminders.
- Desktop notifications and optional email notifications for available updates and upcoming renewals.
- Separate recipient lists for update notifications and billing reminders.
- Local export and import of site settings, making it possible to move the configuration to another Mac.
- Quick access to each site’s administrator area, including support for custom administrator paths.
The Joomla plugin provides a controlled, token-protected API endpoint that supplies the app with status information, installed extensions, updates, users and activity data. It also supports selected administrative actions such as password changes and extension updates, which should always be reviewed carefully before use.
The project is compatible with Joomla 6 and runs on macOS, including both Intel Macs and Apple Silicon Macs through the universal application build.
This is an experimental community tool, not a replacement for backups, security hardening or a professional monitoring service. It is shared for anyone who may find it useful, but it is used entirely at your own risk. Please keep backups, test it on a non-critical website first, review every update and password-related action, and inspect or adapt the code for your own workflow before relying on it in production.
If the Gridbox team considers this post inappropriate, off-topic, or unsuitable for the forum, please feel free to remove it. I am sharing it only as a personal experimental project that may be useful to other Joomla users managing multiple websites.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/15205ba-NCwwEuuhNCJyrhy4z3kg4Q56K/view?usp=sharing
