I'm sticking with Joomla!, of course, and will take a look at the page builders.

For a new project or updating my J51 sites to J6, I'll have to find a different template... There's no need to panic about J6 yet. Support is still running. There's plenty of time to look around...
I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the developer that things don't completely go under... At least we get some kind of statement...

Wow I have already started purchasing elsewhere.. but I will state what bothers me most about J51 is they continue to take our money to purchase the templates. So whose receiving the funds, if its not Ciaran. I do not want to get stuck buying templates and can't use it. Crazy. But I have received help from Joomla developers on the Joomla forum.
Yea no need to leave Joomla at all.. the creators, developers and pros have been so generous with teaching but so was Ciaran. To be honest I was so concerned about him, I did an online search in his providence of the country to see if any news popped up. I'll keep him in my thoughts and prayers..

Thanks for your reply :-)

I've also looked at several page and layout builders and template creators in the meantime. I've considered simply recreating the templates myself. But so far, I haven't found anything suitable.

yea I've purchased from a couple of others, one I was already using with J51 anyway. There are a lot of good developers out there, I just hope to receive the same forum feedback when I need help.

So help me understand, The J51 templates that were updated to J4 cannot be upgraded to J5/J6 right? I just need to know bc I have one more J51 to purchase at a discount but what's the point if I can't upgrade

yea I've purchased from a couple of others, one I was already using with J51 anyway. There are a lot of good developers out there, I just hope to receive the same forum feedback when I need help.

So help me understand, The J51 templates that were updated to J4 cannot be upgraded to J5/J6 right? I just need to know bc I have one more J51 to purchase at a discount but what's the point if I can't upgrade

Which provider are you currently using in addition to J51?

All J51 templates are already compatible with Joomla 5, just not with Joomla 6. Some of these only work with the Backward Compatibility plugin enabled. You would have to manually update the code if you wanted to continue using the templates in Joomla 6 without the Backward Compatibility plugin. Several users, including myself, have already implemented this.

Yes, I have also been using J51 templates for many years, exclusively even. I have always been a big fan of the J51 templates and especially of the excellent support provided by CSS-wizard Ciaran. I fear that something is wrong, because Ciaran has indeed not responded to the forum or to direct emails for several months.

I have also searched his environment for clues and found a few, but some have since disappeared or become untraceable. So something must be going on. I wish Ciaran all the best. He has always been an excellent, friendly no-nonsense developer.

Fortunately, I don't run any older J51-templates, but only Layla, Emani, and Nina, and these run fine with J6 and the Behaviour Backward Plugin enabled.

The question is, of course, what J7 will bring at the end of 2027. That's why I've been looking for an alternative for several months and have gone through the list of framework developers. I made a choice and started with YoothemePro, and I have to admit: it's a different way of working. The learning curve is steep at first, but the possibilities are enormous and flexible. No hassle with module positions, no extra code needed, excellent score on speed-tests, and good support. ACL, third-party extensions, content structure, Joomla core, everything remains intact. But the power lies mainly in the dynamic content. I am in the process of building a test site and converting a few smaller existing sites, and that is going well.

And there is still plenty of time until the end of 2027, but still it's a pity that I have to leave J51. However, YoothemePro is a revelation for me, and off course, perhaps other frameworks are too.

Hi!

I've been using these templates with complete satisfaction for over 10 years. I'm also worried about Ciaran, who's always friendly and helpful.

Like Marcel said, I'm afraid this might be the end for J51. It's unfortunate, of course. I hope to hear from Ciaran again and that he's doing well.

What's an alternative? I've used Yootheme in the past, but now I find it quite expensive. After some research, I came across RSJoomla; at first glance, it seems reliable and offers a variety of templates. I'll create a test website soon.

Does anyone have experience with RSJoomla?

Regards, Maikel

Hi Maikel, I've only been involved for six years, but in that time I've implemented a dozen websites using J51's templates. I also hoped it would last longer, but that's life—comes and goings happen. Ciaran has always helped me very quickly and reliably; he was always easy to reach by email and I always got a prompt reply. I could never imagine that one person could manage it all. Therefore, I always suspected that a small team was behind it.

I haven't had any personal experience with RSJoomla! templates yet, but I have used some of their extensions. They were satisfactory.

Regards, Marcel

It seems that the template sales business model is no longer as profitable for J51.
For quite some time now, I have been using almost exclusively the Emani template for my projects. It allows you to create a wide variety of web styles, with most of the customization being handled through custom CSS.

For users who are less experienced with CSS, working with a Joomla builder has become increasingly attractive. Why wait for a new template release when you can simply assemble virtually any layout yourself using a builder? The flexibility and ease of use offered by page builders make them a very compelling alternative.

It seems the time has run out for J51. Unfortunately, they have stagnated and failed to adapt to the changing needs of the market. As a result, they’ve missed the boat and are now left with a business model that no longer promises success.

Hi Andreas,

thanks for your input.

I also think that the flexible use of a page builder seems more appealing. I've already looked at several, but haven't found anything suitable. Some are simply far too cluttered and, in some cases, rather user-unfriendly. However, I'm open to being proven wrong, and if anyone has a recommendation, I'd be very grateful. Who knows, maybe Ciaran will surprise us with something new from J51 as well.

And by the way, Emani is also my favorite J51 template. I've built countless websites with it.

Best regards and a nice weekend
Marcel

I don't think Ciaran's account even exists here anymore

https://joomla51.com/forum/profile/264-ciaran