How to work with language overrides?

Joomla language overrides let you change JEM text on your own site without editing the original JEM language files. They are the recommended way to customize labels, button text, messages, and other interface strings for a specific website.

Use language overrides for local wording changes. Use Transifex when the translation should be improved for all JEM users.

When to Use Language Overrides

Overrides are useful when the default JEM wording is technically correct but does not match the terminology used on your site.

  • Change Event to a site-specific term such as Course, Session, or Meeting.
  • Change Venue to a term that better fits your organization.
  • Adjust button labels, notices, registration messages, or module text.
  • Use different wording for frontend visitors and administrators.
  • Temporarily fix a missing or incomplete translation until the language pack is updated.
Do not edit JEM language files directly. File edits can be overwritten when JEM or a JEM language pack is updated.

Frontend and Administrator Overrides

Joomla keeps frontend and administrator language overrides separately. Create the override in the area where the text appears.

  • Site: use this for text shown on the frontend.
  • Administrator: use this for text shown in the Joomla administrator area.
If the same text appears in both areas, you may need to create two overrides: one for Site and one for Administrator.

Create a Language Override

  1. Log in to the Joomla administrator area.
  2. Go to System → Manage → Language Overrides.
  3. Select the language and client, such as English (United Kingdom) - Site or English (United Kingdom) - Administrator.
  4. Click New.
  5. Enter the language constant in the Language Constant field.
  6. Enter your replacement text in the Text field.
  7. Save the override.
  8. Clear Joomla cache if the old text is still displayed.

Find the Language Constant

Joomla language overrides work by replacing a language constant, for example COM_JEM_EVENT or MOD_JEM_NO_EVENTS. You need the correct constant before creating the override.

Use Joomla Search

  1. Open the Language Overrides page.
  2. Click New.
  3. Use the search field on the right side of the form.
  4. Search for the text you want to change.
  5. Select the matching language constant from the search results.
  6. Adjust the replacement text and save.

Recognize JEM Constants

JEM language constants usually start with one of these prefixes:

  • COM_JEM_: JEM component strings.
  • MOD_JEM_: JEM Basic module strings.
  • MOD_JEM_WIDE_: JEM Wide module strings.
  • MOD_JEM_CAL_: JEM Calendar module strings.
  • MOD_JEM_MAP_: JEM Venues Map module strings.
  • MOD_JEM_TEASER_: JEM Teaser module strings.
  • MOD_JEM_BANNER_: JEM Banner module strings.
  • MOD_JEM_JUBILEE_: JEM Jubilee module strings.
  • MOD_JEM_TYPES_: JEM Types module strings.
  • PLG_: plugin strings, depending on the plugin.
If you see a raw constant such as COM_JEM_EXAMPLE_TEXT on the page, you can use that exact constant to create a temporary override.

Override Examples

The exact constants depend on the text you want to change. These examples show the idea:

GoalExample constantExample override text
Rename event wording COM_JEM_EVENT Session
Rename venue wording COM_JEM_VENUE Location
Change no-events message COM_JEM_NO_EVENTS No sessions are currently published.
Treat the constants above as examples. Always search your installed JEM language files or Joomla's override search to confirm the exact constant used by your version.

HTML and Placeholders

Some JEM strings include placeholders or HTML. Keep them intact unless you know exactly how the string is used.

  • Keep placeholders such as %s, %d, and numbered placeholders unchanged.
  • Keep HTML tags if they are required by the original string.
  • Use valid HTML, for example <br /> for a line break.
  • Avoid unescaped double quotes inside override text.
  • Do not split one override value across multiple lines.
If an override breaks a page layout, disable or delete the override and recreate it with simpler text.

Overrides and Updates

Joomla stores overrides separately from JEM language files, so they are normally preserved when JEM or a JEM language pack is updated.

  • Review overrides after major JEM updates.
  • Remove overrides that are no longer needed after a language pack is improved.
  • Check whether a constant has changed if an override stops working after an update.
  • Keep a short internal note of important wording changes for site maintainers.

When Not to Use Overrides

  • Do not use overrides to translate large amounts of missing text for a public language pack.
  • Do not use overrides to change event or venue content; edit the content itself instead.
  • Do not use overrides to change layout or styling; use template overrides or CSS for that.
  • Do not use overrides when the text should be fixed for everyone; contribute the translation through Transifex instead.

Troubleshooting

The override does not appear

  • Check whether you created it for the correct client: Site or Administrator.
  • Check whether you selected the correct Joomla language.
  • Confirm that the language constant is exactly correct.
  • Clear Joomla cache and browser cache.

The text appears in one place but not another

  • The same wording may use different constants in different views, modules, or plugins.
  • Create separate overrides for each constant if needed.
  • Check whether the second location is frontend or administrator.

A page shows a language constant instead of text

Create a temporary override for the visible constant, then check whether a newer JEM language pack is available. If the string is missing from the official translation, consider contributing it through Transifex.

Related Documentation