Cybersalt Release Manager is a Joomla 5 and 6 extension that turns your Joomla site into the store and update server for the extensions you make. You upload each release as a zip; it answers Joomla's update checks, serves the downloads, keeps paid updates behind a download ID and lists every site that has your extension installed. It is what runs the extension store on this site. A licence is $249.95 USD a year and covers as many sites as you like.
Why this exists
Distributing Joomla extensions usually means keeping an updates.xml file up to date by hand, a separate download area, and some other system to stop paid updates reaching people who haven't paid. Release Manager puts all of that in one component on the Joomla site you already run, so a new release is one upload.
What's in the package
One installer, three parts.
| Element | Type | Job |
|---|---|---|
com_csreleasemanager | Component | Packages, versions, installations, blacklist, email templates, activity log, and the public update and download addresses. |
plg_content_csreleasemanager | Content plugin | The {cs-download} shortcode: a download button for the latest version, or a purchase or renew button for visitors without access. |
plg_webservices_csreleasemanager | Web Services plugin | API routes so a build script can upload a new version. |
What it does
| Area | What you get |
|---|---|
| Update feed | Standard Joomla update XML per extension, with the right Joomla 5/6 target, minimum PHP, stable or beta tag and SHA-256. A changelog feed built from your release notes. |
| Free or paid | Each extension is free for anyone or limited to the Joomla user groups you choose. Whatever sells your memberships puts customers in the group; Release Manager does the rest. |
| Download IDs | Customers' sites register and link the customer's email, so paid updates install from Joomla's Update screen and from remote site managers. |
| Installations | Every registered site, its email, status and whether it can update. Customers can deactivate, remove or report their own sites. |
| Housekeeping | Activity log, domain and IP blacklist, rate-limited registration, editable notification emails. |
Installing it
- Buy a licence, then download the zip from your downloads page.
- In Joomla admin, go to System โ Install โ Extensions and upload the zip.
- Open Components โ Cybersalt Release Manager and, in the Link your account panel on the dashboard, enter the email address of your cybersalt.com account. New versions of Release Manager then arrive through Joomla's own update screen.
- Enable Content - Cybersalt Release Manager if you want download buttons in articles.
Using it
- Create a package for your extension and choose free or the user groups that may download it.
- Put the update server URL from the package screen into your extension's manifest.
- Upload a version and mark it latest. Sites polling the feed are offered it, and any
{cs-download}button shows it.
The documentation covers every setting, the download-ID flow for your own extensions, and the release API.
Add-on
The MCP for Release Manager add-on for MCP for J is included free. It lets an AI assistant such as Claude create packages, add versions and look after installations for you.
Open source
Cybersalt Release Manager is open source under GPL-2.0-or-later; your licence pays for downloads, updates and support. Documentation and the full changelog are at docs.cybersalt.com.
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