sh404SEF installation and update
sh404SEF is a Joomla-3 only extension. It will be/has been discontinued on August 17, 2023.
You can switch from sh404SEF to 4SEF for SEF URLS and 4SEO for an all-in-one Joomla SEO extension, which both run on Joomla 3 and Joomla 4.
Please refer to the sh404SEF FAQ page for more details.
Before attempting to install sh404SEF on your site, please review the technical requirements of sh404SEF. Do not try to install in case something don't fit, you may break your site. Pretty much everything is reversible, but it may cost unrequired efforts to do so.
Be aware that you can install sh404SEF on any site. However, when you enable "URL optimization", URLs on your site will change. This means you may get 404 errors for links that were previously indexed by search engines or bookmarked by users. If you have such links, then make sure the 301 redirect from Joomla SEF to sh404SEF option is enabled (it should be on by default, under the Advanced tab of configuration). Alternatively, you should set appropriate 301 redirects for those pages, either using your web server configuration or through sh404SEF itself to avoid those errors.
As with any substantial change you make to your web site, we certainly encourage you to perform installation and setup on a test copy of your site. When everything is tested, you can then move on to production.
Download
You may download sh404SEF as a single zip file from our download area. Though sh404SEF is made of many parts (a component and various plugins, multiple languages), the zip file contains all of them.
Installation
sh404SEF is installed as any other extension, through Joomla! installer. Installation of the single zip file downloaded from our site will take care of all dependencies, and there is no additional step to take after installation, aside from initial setup, which is covered in the Getting started guide
Be sure to check out our quick video: sh404SEF installation and basic setup. It covers installation and basic setup in one minute!
Data import
When migrating from another SEF extension, you probably want to migrate your existing data from those extensions over to sh404SEF. We provide an Importer, which can transfer data from popular Joomla! SEF extensions. Please see the Importer documentation for more details.
Updates
sh404SEF is usually updated every 2 to 4 months. You should always update to the most current version, as we always keep things backward compatible, at least inside major Joomla! version. There are many ways to stay informed of available updates, and they are listed in this FAQ item on our site.
As sh404SEF uses the Joomla! one-click updater, new versions will also be announced in your site backend just like any other extension:
Please visit the Updating page for all details, including how to setup your update key.
Uninstallation
Should you wish to remove sh404SEF from your web site, this is done also using the Joomla! installer. Note that by default, uninstalling sh404SEF will actually leave behind all database tables and a set of configuration backup files (in the /media/sh404sef folder). If you uninstall sh404SEF by mistake, breaking your site in the process, you can simply and immediately install again sh404SEF. All data and all settings will be recovered upon installation, and your site will be operational again.
Please visit the Uninstall page for all details, including how to totally remove all settings and database tables.