Includes: Admin Module, Plugin
PreviewLab
A lightweight preview password gate for Joomla development, staging, and coming-soon sites. Protect the frontend with one shared password, style the access screen, and manage preview access quickly from the administrator dashboard.
About this Extension
PreviewLab is a lightweight preview password gate for Joomla 4, 5, and 6. It protects a development, staging, or coming-soon frontend behind one shared password while leaving the Joomla administrator area available for normal site work.
PreviewLab
Key Features:
- Frontend Preview Gate — require a shared preview password before visitors can view the public site.
- Simple Password Management — keep the current password visible in the plugin settings while PreviewLab maintains a validation hash automatically.
- Session Access — grant access for a configurable number of hours after a successful login.
- Remember Browser Option — optionally keep trusted reviewers signed in with a signed, HTTP-only browser cookie.
- Safe Return Redirects — send reviewers back to the page they originally requested after they enter the correct password.
- Logged-In User Bypass — allow authenticated Joomla users to bypass the preview gate when enabled.
- URL Exclusions — exclude administrator, API, media, Ajax, or custom paths from preview protection.
- IP Allowlist — allow trusted IPv4 addresses or CIDR ranges to bypass the password gate.
- Rate Limiting — limit failed password attempts with a configurable lockout message and time window.
- Branded Access Screen — customise the heading, intro text, labels, logo, background image, colours, theme, and custom CSS.
- Preview Logout — provide a stable logout URL and optional frontend preview status panel so reviewers can clear access.
- Administrator Dashboard Module — quickly enable the system plugin, toggle preview protection, edit the preview password, copy it, and jump to full settings.
- No Database Tables — stores settings in Joomla extension parameters and uses native Joomla sessions.
How It Works:
- Install the package through Joomla's extension installer.
- Open System > Manage > Plugins and edit System - PreviewLab.
- Enter a preview password, enable protection, and adjust branding or exclusions if needed.
- Share the preview password with approved reviewers.
- Use the optional administrator dashboard module for quick day-to-day control.
PreviewLab is designed for Joomla-powered sites before launch. It cannot protect content served by a CDN, reverse proxy, or static full-page cache before the request reaches Joomla.
Releases
Description
PreviewLab is a lightweight preview password gate for Joomla 4, 5, and 6. Protect a development, staging, or coming-soon frontend with one shared password, a branded access screen, configurable exclusions, reviewer sessions, and quick administrator dashboard controls.
What's New in 1.0.8
- Current package release with system plugin v1.0.8 and administrator module v1.0.2
- Frontend preview gate with a configurable shared password
- Automatically maintained password hash while keeping the current password visible in settings
- Session authentication with configurable duration
- Optional signed remember-browser cookie
- Safe return redirect after successful login
- Logged-in Joomla user bypass option
- URL exclusions with wildcard support
- IPv4 and CIDR allowlist support
- Optional media, API, and feed protection controls
- Session-based failed-attempt rate limiting and lockout message
- Branded responsive gate screen with custom heading, intro text, labels, logo, background image, colours, theme, and custom CSS
- Password visibility toggle on the preview gate
- Stable logout URL:
/?previewlab_action=logout - Optional frontend preview status panel with logout link
- Administrator module for quick plugin enablement, protection toggle, password edits, copy action, full settings link, and frontend link
- No custom database tables