Template Override Finder

Joomla Template Override Finder — How It Works

Joomla's template override system lets you customise the output of any core component, module, or layout without modifying files in the components/ or modules/ directories. Because those directories are overwritten on every Joomla update, changes made directly to core files are lost. Template overrides survive updates.

How Template Overrides Work

When Joomla renders a view, it first checks your active template's html/ folder for a matching file. If found, the template override is used instead of the core file. If not found, the core file renders normally. This means you only need to override the files you actually want to change.

Component Overrides

Component view files live in components/{com_name}/tmpl/{view}/. To override a file, copy it to templates/{template}/html/{com_name}/{view}/. For example, to override the single article view in com_content, copy components/com_content/tmpl/article/default.php to templates/cassiopeia/html/com_content/article/default.php.

Module Overrides

Module layouts live in modules/{mod_name}/tmpl/. To override, copy to templates/{template}/html/{mod_name}/. You can also create alternative layouts by adding new PHP files — these appear as selectable layouts in the module's Advanced tab in the Joomla admin.

Layout Overrides

Shared layout files (used by multiple components) live under layouts/. Override them in templates/{template}/html/layouts/. These are frequently used for things like Joomla's email templates, pagination output, and toolbar chrome.

Using Joomla's Built-in Override Manager

In Joomla 3.x and later, go to Extensions > Templates > Templates > (your template) > Create Overrides. This tab automates the copy step. However, knowing the exact paths (as shown by this tool) is essential when working via FTP/SSH or creating overrides programmatically in a custom template.