MokoCassiopeia/docs/ROADMAP.md

Moko-Cassiopeia Roadmap (VERSION: 03.06.00)

This document provides a comprehensive, version-specific roadmap for the Moko-Cassiopeia Joomla template, tracking feature evolution, current capabilities, and planned enhancements.

Table of Contents

• Version Timeline
  • Past Releases
  • Future Roadmap (5-Year Plan)
• Current Release (v03.06.00)
• Implemented Features
• Planned Features
• Development Priorities
• Long-term Vision
• External Resources

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Version Timeline

Past Releases

v03.05.01 (2026-01-09) - Standards & Security

Status: Released (CHANGELOG entry exists, code files pending version update)

Added:

• Dependency review workflow for vulnerability scanning
• Standards compliance workflow for MokoStandards validation
• Dependabot configuration for automated security updates
• Documentation index (docs/README.md)

Changed:

• Removed custom CodeQL workflow (using GitHub's default setup)
• Enforced repository compliance with MokoStandards
• Improved security posture with automated scanning

v03.06.00 (2026-01-28) - Version Update

Status: Current Release (in code)

Changed:

• Updated version to 03.06.00 across all files

v03.05.00 (2026-01-04) - Workflow & Governance

Status: Mentioned in CHANGELOG (v03.05.00)

Added:

• .github/workflows directory structure
• CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md from MokoStandards
• CONTRIBUTING.md from MokoStandards

Changed:

• TODO items to be split to separate file (tracked)

v03.01.00 (2025-12-16) - CI/CD Foundation

Added:

• Initial GitHub Actions workflows

v03.00.00 (2025-12-09) - Font Awesome 7 Upgrade

Updated:

• Copyright headers to MokoCodingDefaults standards
• Fixed color style injection in index.php
• Upgraded Font Awesome 6 to Font Awesome 7 Free
• Added Font Awesome 7 Free style fallback

Removed:

• Deprecated CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md
• Deprecated CONTRIBUTING.md

v02.01.05 (2025-09-04) - CSS Refinement

Fixed:

• Removed vmbasic.css
• Repaired template.css and colors_standard.css

v02.00.00 (2025-08-30) - Dark Mode & TOC

Major Features:

• Dark Mode Toggle System

  • Frontend toggle switch with localStorage persistence
  • Admin-configurable default mode
  • CSS rules for light/dark themes
  • JavaScript-powered mode switching

• Enhanced Template Parameters

  • Logo parameter support
  • GTM container ID configuration
  • Dark mode defaults in settings
  • Updated metadata and copyright headers

• Expanded Table of Contents

  • Automatic TOC injection
  • User-selectable placement (toc-left or toc-right)
  • Article options integration

Improvements:

• Cleaned up index.php (removed duplicate skip-to-content calls)
• Consolidated JavaScript asset loading
• Streamlined CSS for toggle switch
• Accessibility refinements (typography, color contrast)
• Fixed missing logo parameter in header
• Corrected stylesheet inconsistencies
• Patched redundant script includes

v01.00.00 - Initial Public Release

Core Features:

• Font Awesome 6 integration
• Bootstrap 5 helpers and utilities
• Automatic Table of Contents (TOC) utility
• Moko Expansions: Google Tag Manager / GA4 hooks
• Built on Joomla's Cassiopeia template

---

Future Roadmap (5-Year Plan)

The following versions represent our planned annual major releases, each building upon the previous version's foundation.

v04.00.00 (Q4 2027) - Enhanced Accessibility & Performance

Status: Planned
Target Release: December 2027

Major Template Features:

• WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance

  • Full accessibility audit and remediation
  • High-contrast theme options
  • Screen reader optimizations
  • Keyboard navigation enhancements
  • ARIA landmark improvements
  • Skip navigation enhancements

• Template Performance Optimizations

  • Critical CSS inlining for faster first paint
  • Lazy loading for images and below-fold content
  • WebP image support with automatic fallbacks
  • Advanced asset bundling and minification
  • Template asset caching (CSS/JS bundles)

• Enhanced Layout System

  • Additional responsive grid layouts
  • Flexible module position system
  • Column layout presets (2-col, 3-col, 4-col variations)
  • Grid/masonry article layouts
  • Sticky sidebar options

• Typography Enhancements

  • Advanced typography controls in template settings
  • Additional font pairing presets
  • Custom font upload support
  • Line height and letter spacing controls
  • Responsive typography scaling

• Developer Experience

  • Development mode enablement (unminified assets, debug output)
  • Live reload during development
  • Enhanced error logging and diagnostics
  • Template debugging tools
  • Style guide generator

• Content Display Features

  • Soft offline mode (category-based access during maintenance)
  • Enhanced article layouts (grid, masonry, timeline)
  • Image caption styling options
  • Quote block styling variations
  • Enhanced breadcrumb customization

Template Infrastructure:

• Expanded template parameter validation
• Enhanced template override detection
• Automated template compatibility testing
• Template performance profiling tools

---

v05.00.00 (Q4 2028) - Advanced Layouts & Template Customization

Status: Planned
Target Release: December 2028

Major Template Features:

• Enhanced Layout Builder

  • Template-based page layout variations
  • Configurable layout options via template parameters
  • Layout presets library (blog, portfolio, business, magazine)
  • Module position layout manager
  • Visual layout preview in admin

• Advanced Styling System

  • Extended color palette management (unlimited custom palettes)
  • CSS variable editor in template settings
  • Style presets for different site types
  • Border radius and spacing controls
  • Box shadow and effect controls

• Template Component Enhancements

  • Enhanced menu styling options (mega menu support)
  • Advanced header variations (transparent, sticky, minimal)
  • Footer layout options (column variations, widgets)
  • Sidebar styling and behavior options
  • Hero section templates and variations

• Content Display Options

  • Article intro/full text display controls
  • Category layout variations (grid, list, masonry, cards)
  • Featured content sections
  • Related articles display options
  • Author bio box styling

• Responsive Design Improvements

  • Mobile-first navigation patterns
  • Tablet-specific layout controls
  • Responsive image sizing options
  • Mobile header variations
  • Touch-friendly interface elements

• Template Integration Features

  • Enhanced VirtueMart template overrides
  • Contact form styling variations
  • Search result layout options
  • Error page customization
  • Archive page templates

Template Infrastructure:

• Joomla 6.x template compatibility (if released)
• PHP 8.2+ support
• Template child theme support
• Template preset import/export functionality

---

v06.00.00 (Q4 2029) - Template Extensions & Advanced Features

Status: Planned
Target Release: December 2029

Major Template Features:

• Template Marketplace & Extensions

  • Template addon system for modular features
  • Community-contributed template extensions
  • Template preset marketplace
  • Style pack distribution system
  • Template component library

• Advanced Module System

  • Custom module chrome options
  • Module animation effects
  • Module visibility controls (scroll, time-based)
  • Module group management
  • Module style inheritance

• Enhanced Media Handling

  • Background image options per page/section
  • Image overlay controls
  • Parallax scrolling effects
  • Video background support
  • Gallery template variations

• Template Branding Options

  • Multiple logo upload (standard, retina, mobile)
  • Favicon and app icon management
  • Custom loading screen/animations
  • Watermark options
  • Brand color scheme generator

• Advanced Header/Footer

  • Multiple header layout presets
  • Sticky header variations and behaviors
  • Header transparency controls
  • Footer widget areas expansion
  • Floating action buttons

• Content Enhancement Features

  • Reading progress indicator
  • Social sharing buttons (template-integrated)
  • Print-friendly styles
  • Reading time estimation display
  • Content table enhancements

• Template SEO Features

  • Schema markup templates for common types
  • Open Graph tag management
  • Twitter Card support
  • Breadcrumb schema integration
  • Meta tag template controls

Template Infrastructure:

• Template versioning system
• Template backup/restore functionality
• Template A/B testing support
• Multi-language template variations
• Template documentation generator

---

v07.00.00 (Q4 2030) - Modern Template Standards & Enhancements

Status: Planned
Target Release: December 2030

Major Template Features:

• Modern CSS Features

  • CSS Grid layout system integration
  • CSS Container Queries support
  • CSS Cascade Layers implementation (layered style priority system)
  • Custom properties (CSS variables) UI
  • Modern filter and backdrop effects

• Progressive Template Features

  • Offline-capable template assets
  • Service worker template integration
  • App manifest generation
  • Install to home screen support
  • Template asset preloading strategies

• Animation & Interaction

  • Scroll-triggered animations
  • Hover effect library
  • Page transition effects
  • Micro-interactions for UI elements
  • Loading animation options

• Advanced Responsive Features

  • Container-based responsive design
  • Element visibility by viewport
  • Responsive navigation patterns library
  • Mobile-optimized interactions
  • Adaptive image loading

• Template Accessibility Features

  • Focus indicators customization
  • Reduced motion preferences support
  • High contrast mode automation
  • Keyboard navigation patterns
  • ARIA live regions for dynamic content

• Content Presentation

  • Advanced blockquote styles
  • Code snippet highlighting themes
  • Table styling variations
  • List styling options
  • Custom content block templates

• Template Performance

  • Resource hints (preconnect, prefetch)
  • Optimal asset delivery strategies
  • Image format optimization (AVIF support)
  • Font loading optimization
  • Template metrics dashboard

Template Infrastructure:

• Template pattern library
• Design token system
• Template component documentation
• Automated template testing suite
• Template performance monitoring

---

v08.00.00 (Q4 2031) - Next-Generation Template Features

Status: Conceptual
Target Release: December 2031

Major Template Features:

• Advanced Layout Systems

  • Subgrid support for complex layouts
  • Multi-column layout variations
  • Asymmetric grid systems
  • Dynamic layout switching
  • Layout constraint system

• Enhanced Visual Customization

  • Real-time style editor
  • Template style variations manager
  • Custom CSS injection with validation
  • Style inheritance and override system
  • Visual design tokens editor

• Template Component Library

  • Comprehensive UI component set
  • Reusable template blocks
  • Component variation system
  • Template snippet library
  • Pattern library integration

• Advanced Typography System

  • Variable font support
  • Advanced typographic scales
  • Font pairing recommendations
  • Fluid typography system
  • Custom font fallback chains

• Template Integration Features

  • Enhanced component overrides
  • Template hooks system
  • Event-based template modifications
  • Custom field rendering templates
  • Module position API enhancements

• Responsive & Adaptive Design

  • Advanced breakpoint management
  • Element-specific responsive controls
  • Adaptive images with art direction
  • Responsive typography system
  • Context-aware component rendering

• Template Ecosystem

  • Child template framework
  • Template derivative system
  • Community template marketplace
  • Template rating and review system
  • Professional template support network

• Template Quality & Maintenance

  • Automated accessibility testing
  • Template performance auditing
  • Code quality monitoring
  • Update notification system
  • Template health dashboard

Template Infrastructure:

• Template API for extensibility
• Template package manager
• Template development CLI tools
• Template migration utilities
• Comprehensive template documentation system

---

Current Release (v03.06.00)

System Requirements

• Joomla: 4.4.x or 5.x
• PHP: 8.0+
• Database: MySQL/MariaDB compatible

Architecture

• Base Template: Joomla Cassiopeia
• Enhancement Layer: Non-invasive overrides
• Asset Management: Joomla Web Asset Manager (WAM)
• Frontend Framework: Bootstrap 5
• Icon Library: Font Awesome 7 Free

---

Implemented Features

🎨 Theming & Visual Design

Color Palette System

• 3 Built-in Palettes: Standard, Alternative, Custom
• Dual Mode Support: Separate light and dark configurations
• Custom Palettes: User-definable via colors_custom.css
• Location: src/media/css/colors/{light|dark}/

Dark Mode System

• Toggle Controls: Switch (Light↔Dark) or Radios (Light/Dark/System)
• Default Mode: Admin-configurable (system, light, or dark)
• Persistence: localStorage for user preferences
• Auto-Detection: Optional system preference detection
• Meta Tags: color-scheme and theme-color support
• ARIA Bridge: Bootstrap ARIA compatibility

Typography

• Font Schemes:
  • Local: Roboto
  • Web (Google Fonts): Fira Sans, Roboto + Noto Sans
• Admin-Configurable: Template settings dropdown

Branding

• Logo Support: Custom logo upload
• Site Title: Text-based branding option
• Site Description: Tagline/subtitle field
• Font Awesome Kit: Optional custom kit integration

📐 Layout & Structure

Module Positions (23 Total)

Header Area:

• topbar, below-topbar, below-logo, menu, search, banner

Content Area:

• top-a, top-b, main-top, main-bottom, breadcrumbs
• sidebar-left, sidebar-right

Footer Area:

• bottom-a, bottom-b, footer-menu, footer

Special:

• debug, offline-header, offline, offline-footer
• drawer-left, drawer-right

Layout Options

• Container Type: Fluid or Static
• Sticky Header: Optional fixed navigation
• Back-to-Top Button: Scrollable page support

📝 Content Features

Table of Contents (TOC)

• Automatic Generation: From article headings
• Placement Options: toc-left or toc-right layouts
• Article Integration: Via Options → Layout dropdown
• Responsive: Mobile-friendly sidebar placement

Article Layouts

• Default: Standard Cassiopeia layout
• TOC Variants: Left-sidebar or right-sidebar TOC
• Custom Overrides: Located in html/com_content/article/

📊 Analytics & Tracking

Google Tag Manager (GTM)

• Enable/Disable: Admin toggle
• Container ID: Template parameter field
• Implementation: Head and body script injection
• GDPR-Ready: Configurable consent defaults

Google Analytics 4 (GA4)

• Enable/Disable: Admin toggle
• Property ID: Template parameter field
• Universal Analytics Fallback: Legacy UA support
• Privacy-First: Conditional loading based on settings

🎛️ Customization & Developer Tools

Custom Code Injection

• Head Start: Custom HTML/JS before </head>
• Head End: Custom HTML/JS at end of <head>
• Raw HTML: Unfiltered code injection for advanced users

Drawer System

• Left/Right Drawers: Offcanvas menu areas
• Icon Customization: Font Awesome icon selection
• Default Icons:
  • Left: fa-solid fa-chevron-right
  • Right: fa-solid fa-chevron-left

Asset Management

• Joomla WAM: Complete asset registry in joomla.asset.json
• Development/Production Modes: Minified and unminified assets
• Dependency Management: Automatic script/style loading

🏗️ Template Overrides

Component Overrides

Content (com_content):

• Article layouts (default, toc-left, toc-right)
• Category layouts (blog, list)
• Featured articles

Contact (com_contact):

• Contact form layouts

Engage (com_engage):

• Comment system integration

Module Overrides

Menu (mod_menu):

• Metis dropdown menu
• Offcanvas navigation

VirtueMart:

• Product display (mod_virtuemart_product)
• Shopping cart (mod_virtuemart_cart)
• Manufacturer display (mod_virtuemart_manufacturer)
• Category display (mod_virtuemart_category)
• Currency selector (mod_virtuemart_currencies)

Other Modules:

• Custom HTML (mod_custom)
• GABble social integration (mod_gabble)

Membership System (OS Membership):

• Plan layouts (default, pricing tables)
• Member management interfaces

🔧 Configuration Parameters

Theme Tab

General:

• theme_enabled - Enable/disable theme system
• theme_control_type - Toggle UI type (switch/radios/none)
• theme_default_choice - Default mode (system/light/dark)
• theme_auto_dark - Auto-detect system preference
• theme_meta_color_scheme - Inject color-scheme meta tag
• theme_meta_theme_color - Inject theme-color meta tag
• theme_bridge_bs_aria - Bootstrap ARIA compatibility

Variables & Palettes:

• colorLightName - Light mode color scheme
• colorDarkName - Dark mode color scheme

Typography:

• useFontScheme - Font selection (local/web)

Branding & Icons:

• brand - Show/hide branding
• logoFile - Logo upload path
• siteTitle - Site title text
• siteDescription - Site tagline
• fA6KitCode - Font Awesome kit code

Header & Navigation:

• stickyHeader - Fixed navigation
• backTop - Back-to-top button

Toggle UI:

• theme_fab_enabled - Floating action button for theme toggle
• theme_fab_pos - FAB position (br/bl/tr/tl)

Google Tab

• googletagmanager - Enable GTM
• googletagmanagerid - GTM container ID
• googleanalytics - Enable GA4
• googleanalyticsid - GA4 property ID

Custom Code Tab

• custom_head_start - Custom code at head start
• custom_head_end - Custom code at head end

Drawers Tab

• drawerLeftIcon - Left drawer icon (Font Awesome class)
• drawerRightIcon - Right drawer icon (Font Awesome class)

Advanced Tab

• fluidContainer - Container layout (static/fluid)

🛠️ Development Tools

Quality Assurance

• Codeception: Automated testing framework
• PHPStan: Static analysis (level 8+)
• PHPCS: Code style validation (PSR-12)
• PHPCompatibility: PHP 8.0+ compatibility checks

CI/CD Workflows

• Dependency Review: Vulnerability scanning
• Standards Compliance: MokoStandards validation
• CodeQL: Security analysis (GitHub default)
• Dependabot: Automated dependency updates

Documentation

• Quick Start: 5-minute developer setup
• Workflow Guide: Git strategy, branching, releases
• Joomla Development: Testing, packaging, multi-version support

---

Planned Features

🚧 In Development

Soft Offline Mode (v2.1.5 - Mentioned)

Status: Planned/In Development
Description: Keep selected categories accessible during maintenance mode Use Cases:

• Legal documents remain viewable during downtime
• Policy pages accessible for compliance
• Terms of service always available Configuration:
• Admin-selectable categories
• Per-category offline access control

TODO Tracking System

Status: Mentioned in CHANGELOG (v03.05.00)
Description: Separate TODO tracking file
Purpose: Centralized issue and feature tracking outside changelog

🔮 Future Enhancements

Development Mode (Commented Out)

Status: Code exists but disabled
Location: templateDetails.xml line 91
Description: Comprehensive development mode toggle
Potential Features:

• Unminified asset loading
• Debug output
• Performance profiling
• Template cache bypass

Potential Features (Community Requested)

Note: These are conceptual and not yet officially planned

Enhanced Accessibility:

• WCAG 2.1 AAA compliance mode
• High-contrast themes
• Screen reader optimizations
• Keyboard navigation improvements

Template Layout Features:

• Advanced responsive grid layouts
• Multiple column variations
• Custom module position system
• Layout preset library

Template Styling Features:

• Extended color palette management
• Custom font upload support
• Typography scale controls
• Visual style editor

---

Development Priorities

Immediate Focus (v03.x - 2026)

1. TODO Tracking System: Implement separate file for issue tracking
2. Soft Offline Mode: Complete category-based offline access
3. Security Updates: Maintain Dependabot and CodeQL scans
4. Documentation: Keep docs synchronized with features
5. Bug Fixes: Address reported issues and edge cases

v04.00.00 Priorities (2027) - Template Foundation

1. WCAG 2.1 AA Compliance: Full template accessibility audit and implementation
2. Template Performance: Critical CSS, lazy loading, WebP support
3. Layout System: Enhanced responsive grid and module positions
4. Development Mode: Enable comprehensive template developer tools

v05.00.00 Priorities (2028) - Template Customization

1. Layout Builder: Template-based page layout system
2. Styling System: Extended color palettes and CSS variable management
3. Template Components: Enhanced header, footer, and menu variations
4. Responsive Design: Mobile-first navigation and layout improvements

v06.00.00 Priorities (2029) - Template Extensions

1. Template Marketplace: Addon system and community extensions
2. Module System: Advanced module chrome and animation options
3. Media Handling: Background images, parallax, video backgrounds
4. Template SEO: Schema markup templates and meta tag controls

v07.00.00+ Priorities (2030+) - Modern Standards

1. Modern CSS: Grid, Container Queries, Cascade Layers
2. Progressive Template: Offline-capable assets and PWA features
3. Animation System: Scroll-triggered effects and micro-interactions
4. Template Performance: Advanced optimization and monitoring

---

Long-term Vision

Mission Statement

Moko-Cassiopeia aims to be the most developer-friendly, user-customizable, and standards-compliant Joomla template while maintaining minimal core overrides for maximum upgrade compatibility.

Core Principles

1. Non-Invasive: Minimal Cassiopeia overrides
2. Standards-First: MokoStandards compliance
3. Accessibility: WCAG 2.1 compliance
4. Performance: Fast, optimized delivery
5. Developer Experience: Clear docs, easy setup, powerful tools
6. Template-Focused: Pure template features without complex external dependencies

5-Year Strategic Roadmap (Template Features)

2027 (v04.00.00) - Accessibility & Performance

• Achieve WCAG 2.1 AA compliance for all template elements
• Implement critical template performance optimizations
• Enhance template layout system with flexible grids
• Enable comprehensive development mode for template developers

2028 (v05.00.00) - Layouts & Customization

• Launch template-based layout builder system
• Deploy extended styling and customization options
• Enhance template component variations (headers, footers, menus)
• Improve responsive design patterns for all devices

2029 (v06.00.00) - Extensions & Enhancements

• Introduce template addon and extension system
• Launch template preset marketplace
• Deploy advanced module styling and animation features
• Implement comprehensive template SEO controls

2030 (v07.00.00) - Modern Standards

• Adopt modern CSS standards (Grid, Container Queries, Cascade Layers)
• Implement progressive template features (PWA support)
• Deploy advanced animation and interaction system
• Enhance template performance monitoring and optimization

2031 (v08.00.00) - Next-Generation Template

• Advanced layout systems with subgrid support
• Comprehensive template component library
• Enhanced visual customization tools
• Template ecosystem with child themes and derivatives

---

External Resources

Official Links

• Full Roadmap: https://mokoconsulting.tech/support/joomla-cms/moko-cassiopeia-roadmap
• Repository: https://github.com/mokoconsulting-tech/moko-cassiopeia
• Issue Tracker: GitHub Issues
• Changelog: CHANGELOG.md

Community

• Email Support: hello@mokoconsulting.tech
• Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md
• Code of Conduct: CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md

Documentation

• Quick Start: docs/QUICK_START.md
• Workflow Guide: docs/WORKFLOW_GUIDE.md
• Joomla Development: docs/JOOMLA_DEVELOPMENT.md
• Main README: README.md

---

Contributing to the Roadmap

Have ideas for future features? We welcome community input!

How to Suggest Features:

1. Check the GitHub Issues for existing requests
2. Open a new issue with the enhancement label
3. Provide clear use cases and benefits
4. Engage in community discussion

Feature Evaluation Criteria:

• Alignment with core principles
• User demand and use cases
• Technical feasibility
• Maintenance burden
• Performance impact
• Security implications

---

Metadata

• Document: docs/ROADMAP.md
• Repository: https://github.com/mokoconsulting-tech/moko-cassiopeia
• Path: /docs/ROADMAP.md
• Owner: Moko Consulting
• Version: 03.06.00
• Status: Active
• Last Updated: 2026-01-27
• Classification: Public Open Source Documentation

Revision History

Date	Change Summary	Author
2026-01-27	Initial version-specific roadmap generated from codebase scan.	GitHub Copilot
2026-01-27	Added 5-year future roadmap with annual major version releases (v04-v08).	GitHub Copilot
2026-01-27	Refocused roadmap to concentrate on template-oriented features only.	GitHub Copilot