What Is a Joomla Quickstart Package?

A Joomla quickstart package is a complete backup of a ready-made Joomla website. It usually includes:

  • Joomla CMS core files
  • Template files
  • Extensions, modules, and plugins
  • Images and media assets
  • Demo content
  • Website configuration settings

Once installed, your website should closely match the live demo provided by the template developer.

What’s backup/restore software are you using?

We use Akeeba Backup to create a full website backup:
https://www.akeeba.com/products/akeeba-backup.html

We use the Akeeba Kickstart tool to restore the full website backup:
https://www.akeeba.com/products/akeeba-kickstart.html

For LTheme Templates products, the quickstart package normally contains two key files:

  • .jpa file — the full website backup archive
  • installer.php file — the installation script used to extract and restore the website (or kickstart.php file with some old-date packages)

These files are generated using Akeeba Backup and restored through the Akeeba Kickstart installation process.

Step 1: Download the Product Package

First, log in to the LTheme Customer Area:

https://ltheme.com/customer-area/ (login required)

After logging in, open your purchased products or membership downloads section. Locate the Joomla template package you want to install and download it to your computer.

Once the download is complete, extract the package. Inside the extracted folder, you should find several files and directories, such as documentation, template installation files, extensions, and the quickstart package.

Open the quickstart package folder and look for these two files:

your-package-name.jpa
installer.php

The .jpa file contains the complete Joomla website backup, while installer.php is used to start the restoration process on your server.

Step 2: Upload the Quickstart Files to Your Server

Next, upload both the .jpa file and the installer.php file to your website’s root directory.

On most hosting accounts, the website root folder is:

public_html

You can upload the files using one of the following methods:

  • An FTP client, such as FileZilla
  • Hosting File Manager, such as cPanel, DirectAdmin, or Plesk

Both files must be uploaded to the same directory. For example:

public_html/installer.php
public_html/your-package-name.jpa

If you want to install the quickstart package in a subdirectory, upload both files to that folder instead:

public_html/demo/installer.php
public_html/demo/your-package-name.jpa

Before continuing, make sure the installation directory is empty. If another website already exists in the same location, create a full backup first to avoid data loss.

Step 3: Launch the Installation Panel

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After uploading the required files, open your browser and access the installer using your domain name:

https://yourdomain.com/installer.php

Replace yourdomain.com with your actual domain.

If you uploaded the files to a subfolder, use this format:

https://yourdomain.com/subfolder/installer.php

This will launch the Akeeba Kickstart installation panel. Kickstart will detect the JPA archive and allow you to extract the full Joomla website backup.

Step 4: Extract the JPA Archive and Configure the Database

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In the Akeeba Kickstart panel, select the JPA package and start the extraction process. The system will unpack all website files from the backup archive into your hosting directory.

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After extraction is complete, the Joomla restoration installer will open. At this stage, you need to provide your database details, including:

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  • Database type (leave a default value)
  • Database server hostname (by default it’s localhost)
  • Database username
  • Database password
  • Database name
  • Table prefix, if required

Before reaching this step, you should create a new database from your hosting control panel. Most hosting providers allow you to create databases through tools such as cPanel, DirectAdmin, or Plesk.

If you are unsure how to create a database, contact your hosting provider for assistance.

After entering the database information, continue through the restoration steps.

Step 5: Configure the Super Admin Account

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During the installation process, you will be asked to configure your Joomla website information and create the Super Admin account.

This account is essential because it gives you access to the Joomla administrator dashboard after installation.

You should configure the following information:

  • Site name
  • Super Admin username
  • Super Admin password
  • Super Admin email address

Store these details securely. You will need them to log in to the Joomla administrator panel.

Your Joomla administrator login URL will be:

https://yourdomain.com/administrator

If the website is installed in a subfolder, the administrator URL will be:

https://yourdomain.com/subfolder/administrator

Step 6: Complete the Installation and Clean Up Files

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After entering all required information, continue through the final installation steps.

When the installation is complete, just close the current window to return to kickstart tab, the installer will ask you to remove the installation directory or clean up installation files. This step is important for security and should not be skipped.

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After cleanup is complete, you can access the website frontend:

https://yourdomain.com

You can also access the Joomla administrator panel here:

https://yourdomain.com/administrator

Log in using the Super Admin username and password you created during installation.

Trouble shots

Default Ads banner and Chatbox

If you see the Chat Box (Olark) and Ads Banner at the bottom-left and bottom-right corners of your demo after installation, don’t worry.

Simply log in to the Admin Panel, go to Template Options, and open the Custom Code tab. Then, remove all code from this area and check your website again.

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Can’t remember admin login

In some cases, you may forget the admin username or password you entered during installation. If this happens, you can access phpMyAdmin to reset or restore it. Please refer to the official guide on the Joomla! website for detailed instructions.

https://docs.joomla.org/How_do_you_recover_or_reset_your_admin_password%3F

Blank page issue

error_with_html

In this case, open the configuration.php file located in the root directory of your website source code and search for the following line:

$live_site = “your_domain.xxx”;

Then, leave the value blank as shown below:

public $live_site =””;

Save the file, then reload your website. It should now work correctly.

Final Thoughts

A Joomla quickstart package is the fastest way to deploy a complete website based on a template demo. It includes Joomla, the selected template, required extensions, demo content, and preconfigured settings in a single restore package.

By downloading the product package from the LTheme Customer Area, uploading the .jpa archive and installer.php file to your hosting account, running the installer, entering the database details, and creating your Super Admin account, you can launch a fully configured Joomla website with minimal manual setup.

This method is ideal for users who want to save time, preserve the demo layout, and begin customizing their Joomla website immediately.

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Kelvin
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