Cookies are a vital part of modern websites: they remember preferences, keep carts full and enable analytics. But they also carry privacy risks, and regulators insist that site owners get explicit consent before storing anything unnecessary on a visitor’s device.
Let’s break down the different types of cookies, the rules that govern them and the options available to Joomla users who want a straightforward, compliant setup.
Understanding website cookies
Cookies are small text files that your browser stores on a device when you visit a website. They’re used for everything from keeping you logged in to tracking your movements across the web. Not all cookies are the same, and the way you handle them matters.
By source
- First‑party cookies – set by the website you’re visiting to remember things like cart contents, login status or language preferences. They usually expire when you close the browser.
- Third‑party cookies – created by external domains such as analytics providers or advertisers. They track activity across sites, persist longer and raise more privacy concerns.
By function
- Strictly necessary – essential for basic site functions (shopping carts, logins). These do not require consent.
- Performance/analytics – used to measure visits and behaviour for optimisation. These require consent under the GDPR.
- Functional – remember user preferences or settings. Also require consent.
- Targeting/advertising – personalise ads and often involve profiling. They demand explicit opt‑in.
Security attributes
- Secure – transmitted only over HTTPS to prevent eavesdropping.
- HTTP‑only – inaccessible to client‑side scripts, reducing the risk of cross‑site scripting.
- SameSite – restrict cross‑site sharing to mitigate CSRF attacks.
Tip: only strictly necessary cookies can be set without consent. Everything else should wait until the visitor opts in.
Why compliance matters
The EU’s GDPR and ePrivacy Directive turned cookie consent from an afterthought into a legal requirement. Similar legislation in California (CCPA/CPRA), Brazil (LGPD) and other regions pushes for transparency, limits on tracking and hefty fines for non‑compliant sites. Under these rules you must obtain active, informed consent before storing any non‑essential cookies.
That means no more burying cookie notices or setting cookies before a user has clicked “Accept”. You need to explain what data you’re collecting, why and how long it will be kept. For Joomla site owners, this often requires more functionality than the core platform provides.
Joomla’s built‑in privacy tools
Since Joomla 3.9, the core includes a Privacy Tool Suite that helps you track consents, handle data requests and provide an API so extensions can report what data they collect. For registered users this covers the basics, but it doesn’t automatically block cookies, categorise them or allow you to design a custom banner. You still need an extension or service to comply fully.
Cookie control extensions for Joomla
There are plenty of extensions that sit between your site and the user, blocking non‑essential cookies until consent is given. Here are some popular options:
- n3t Cookie Consent – a free module that displays a simple banner and integrates with Joomla’s privacy API.
- Cookies CK – offers both free and paid versions, customisable colours and multi‑language support.
- Joomla! GDPR component – a paid component that manages consents, deletion requests and cookie categories.
- EU e‑Privacy Directive – free; blocks all cookies until the user agrees, with multiple display styles (message, modal, ribbon or module).
- Web357 Cookies Policy Notification Bar – a premium bar that overlays the site and can be styled to match your design. Our agency often recommends this for its native integration and clean look.
- JoomBall Cookies & EU‑Cookies – simple free/paid options for basic notices and design control.
When choosing, consider whether you need multilingual support, design flexibility or detailed logging of user choices. Free tools are fine if they fit your site’s design, but a small investment can buy more customisation and better reporting.
Third‑party services
Services like Cookiebot, Osano, Iubenda, Enzuzo and OneTrust provide cloud‑based cookie scanning, consent management and automatic blocking. These platforms usually charge a monthly subscription and aren’t always native to Joomla, but they offer powerful scanning and reporting tools.
Our agency typically recommends either the Cookiebot service or the Web357 Cookies Policy Notification Bar for most projects. Cookiebot automatically detects and categorises cookies, displays a customisable banner and keeps audit logs, while Web357 offers a lightweight Joomla‑native bar that you can tailor to your site’s look and feel. Choose the one that best fits your budget and design requirements.
Best practices for Joomla cookie banners
- Be transparent – clearly explain what cookies you’re using, why and how users can manage their choices.
- Use granular controls – allow visitors to opt into different categories (analytics, functional, marketing) instead of an all‑or‑nothing switch.
- Match your design – banners should be accessible, multilingual and styled to suit your brand. A jarring notice can hurt trust.
- Don’t rush to implement – test cookie banners on a staging site, audit your cookies with tools like Cookiebot’s scanner and update extensions as needed before rolling changes out to your live site.
- Stay up to date – privacy laws evolve quickly. Keep track of regional rules (CNIL in France, TTDSG in Germany, etc.) and adjust your setup accordingly.
Not all cookies need consent: strictly necessary cookies (like Joomla’s session cookie) can be set immediately. Everything else should wait for the user’s approval.
Our agency’s view
We’ve been guiding Joomla site owners through privacy compliance since the early days of the GDPR. Our advice has always been to keep things simple: don’t set non‑essential cookies until you have clear permission, and don’t overwhelm visitors with jargon. Tools like Cookiebot or the Web357 bar handle the heavy lifting so you can focus on your content and your business.
From experience, we know that every website is different. Some clients want the full automation and reporting of Cookiebot; others prefer a lightweight, Joomla‑native solution like Web357 that fits seamlessly into their design. Whichever route you choose, take your time, test thoroughly and keep an eye on privacy news. Compliance is a moving target, but with the right tools and a bit of care, it doesn’t have to be a nightmare.
Key takeaways
- Consent is now opt‑in: you must ask before setting non‑essential cookies.
- Use Joomla’s Privacy Tool Suite as a foundation but add an extension or service for full compliance.
- We use either Cookiebot or Web357 Cookies Bar to manage cookie notices.
- Design your banner carefully and give users granular control over cookie categories.
