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What Is MuRu Migration?

MuRu Migration (com_murumigration), formerly known as Easy Import/Export, is an administrator-only Joomla component designed to make website migrations easier and more flexible.

It allows you to transfer users and groups, articles and categories with images, menus, and modules between Joomla websites using portable export files.

Whether you are moving to a newer Joomla version or transferring selected content between websites, MuRu Migration provides a streamlined way to export and import your content.

Two Packages, One Compatible Export Format

MuRu Migration is available in two editions to support different Joomla environments. Both editions use the same export format, enabling cross-version content transfers where supported.

Joomla 3 Edition

Designed for Joomla 3.4–3.10 with PHP 7.4 or later.

This edition supports migration from legacy Joomla websites, helping you transfer content to a newer Joomla installation.

MuRu Migration J3 Edition showing the Joomla 3 migration interface

Figure 1: MuRu Migration J3 Edition — the migration interface for Joomla 3 websites.

Joomla 4, 5 & 6 Edition

Built for Joomla 4 and later, with PHP 8.1 or later.

This edition supports modern Joomla environments while maintaining compatibility with the shared export format. For example, a Joomla 3 export can be imported into Joomla 6, and vice versa, where the relevant content and dependencies are supported.

MuRu Migration dashboard showing the Joomla 4, 5 and 6 edition interface

Figure 2: MuRu Migration dashboard — manage migration tasks from the Joomla administrator interface.

One License, No Free/Pro Split

There is no separate Free and Pro edition. Both packages require an active MuRu Migration license before the migration tools can be unlocked.

Two Flexible Ways to Migrate

Choose the migration workflow that best fits your project.

1. Full Migration

The default Full Migration tab creates a single ZIP archive containing the supported site content for transfer.

The archive is imported in one pass, with content processed in dependency order to help preserve relationships between related items.

Ideal for: Moving supported content between Joomla websites in a single workflow.

2. Advanced Migration

The Advanced tabs let you export and import specific content types individually:

Modules — transfer selected modules.
Menus — move menu items and structures.
Articles — migrate articles and their supported associated content.
Users — transfer users and groups.

Ideal for: Selective migrations, content synchronization, and projects where you do not need to transfer everything at once.

Make Your Joomla Migration Simpler

Whether you are migrating a legacy Joomla 3 website or transferring content between modern Joomla installations, MuRu Migration offers flexible full and selective migration workflows in one component.

Choose the appropriate edition for your Joomla environment, activate your license, and select the migration method that best suits your project.

27:T15bb,

MuRu Migration 2.4.0

MuRu Migration 2.4.0 introduces a comprehensive Health Check system, improved migration reliability, safer cross-version imports, and a redesigned Full Migration workflow. This release focuses on identifying and fixing common frontend errors after migration while preserving content relationships, access permissions, and menu structures.

Health Check and Live URL Testing

Health Check: Scan articles, categories, menus, modules, users, access levels, languages, and workflow records for issues that can cause 404, 403, or 500 errors.
One-click fixes: Resolve supported issues such as broken category trees, incorrect menu component links, zero dates, missing languages, duplicate aliases, and duplicate administrator modules. No changes are made until a Fix button is pressed.
Live URL check: Test public article and menu URLs as a visitor would, reporting pages that do not return HTTP 200 and highlighting 403 responses.
Expanded diagnostics: Detect missing contacts, news feeds, tags, and contact references to deleted users.

Redesigned Full Migration

Selective migration: Choose which sections to export or import, including users and groups, articles, categories, images, menus, and site modules.
Four-step workflow: Follow Export, Preview, Import, and Check in the redesigned Full Migration interface.
Dry-run and overwrite options: Preview imports before applying changes and choose whether existing matched content should be overwritten.
Import reports: Retain warnings from the latest import, view source site and Joomla version details, download a plain-text report, and open a Health Check summary after importing.

Improved Cross-Version Compatibility

Publication dates: Convert zero dates according to the target Joomla version to prevent migrated articles and related pages from incorrectly returning 404 errors.
Menu component mapping: Resolve component IDs using the target site's configuration instead of reusing source-site IDs.
Category hierarchy: Export parent and empty categories alongside article categories, preserving the complete category tree.
Menu and module references: Remap article and category references in menu items and module parameters. Unresolved menu links are imported unpublished with a warning.
Access levels: Export custom access levels and recreate them using available target-site user groups. Unknown access levels default to Registered instead of Public.
Author mapping: Match authors through imported user mappings, email addresses, and usernames. Unmatched authors are assigned to the importing administrator.

Import Safety and Reliability

Safer overwrite matching: Match articles using previous import ID mappings and then alias plus category. Match users by username or email, and never overwrite the account performing the import.
Accurate category matching: Match categories by their full hierarchy before falling back to aliases under the resolved parent.
Module handling: Export site modules only, remap positive and negative menu assignments correctly, and detect duplicate administrator modules from older imports.
Cache clearing: Clear menu, content, category, module, and system caches after each import.
Persistent ID mappings: Merge mappings from partial re-imports instead of replacing earlier records.
Improved error handling: Handle PHP errors and exceptions, report failures per item, and continue safely where possible.
Export encoding: Handle invalid UTF-8 bytes and report a clear error when encoding cannot be completed.

Dashboard and Interface Improvements

Added Dashboard and Settings entries to the administrator sidebar in both editions.
Added section-count indicators to the Full Migration interface.
Improved the Preview Import button behavior when dry-run mode is enabled.
Fixed a PHP 8 notice in menu alias remapping.
Improved the readability of the Open Health Check button.
Added access-level and author migration support to both editions.

License Requirements

Both MuRu Migration editions require an active license to unlock the migration tools. Select the edition that matches your Joomla and PHP environment.

Previous Releases

2.3.0 – Full Migration: Introduced the all-in-one ZIP export and import workflow, dependency-ordered imports, dry-run previews, and the Advanced tabs for selective migration.

2.2.0 – Migration-safe importing: Added dry-run previews, cross-version ID mapping, nested-set rebuilding, and automatic database migration from Easy Import/Export.

2.1.0 – ZIP article media: Changed article image exports to raw files inside ZIP archives, reducing export size, processing time, and memory usage.

28:T510,

Part 1 -- on the Joomla 3 site (source)

Install the J3 package via Extensions → Manage → Install → Upload Package File.
Open Components → MuRu Migration.
Export in this exact order and save each file:
1. Users tab → Export All (users-….json)
2. Articles tab → Export All Categories, then All Articles (articles-….zip, includes images)
3. Menus tab → Export All Site Menus (menus-….json)
4. Modules tab → Export All (modules-….json)

Part 2 -- on the Joomla 4/5/6 site (target)

Install the J4/5/6 package via System → Install → Extensions.
Import the files in the same order, ticking Dry run (preview only) first for each file, then unticking it and importing for real.
After the last import: set the home page under Menus, review module positions (J3 Protostar positions differ from J4+ Cassiopeia), and clear the Joomla cache (System → Clear Cache).

29:T445,

Two home pages

By design there is one home page per language. If the target already has one, the imported home item arrives with home disabled plus a warning -- set the home page by hand under Menus afterwards.

Items skipped with warnings

Missing component/module type on the target: install the extension on the target and re-import, or accept the skip.
Unresolvable reference: the referenced item was never imported -- import its step first, then re-import this file.

Menus or categories look broken after import

Both trees are rebuilt automatically after every import. If a tree still looks wrong, the cause is almost always a wrong import order -- re-import in users → articles → menus → modules order.

Coming from Easy Import/Export

The installer migrates com_easyimportexport rows (including the legacy ID-map table) automatically. Old .json article exports still import; new exports use the ZIP media format.

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Versions

J3 Edition: Joomla 3.4–3.10, PHP 7.4+.
J4/5/6 Edition: Joomla 4.0+, PHP 8.1+.

License

Both packages require an active MuRu Migration license: activate a key in Settings before the migration tools become available. Keys are re-checked at most once per hour; an unverified key or an unreachable license server leaves the tools locked. There is no update-feed/download integration yet.

Scope

Administrator-only component. Imports run with Joomla ACL and request-token checks; imported JSON/ZIP content and archive paths are treated as untrusted (path checks, file-type validation, size limits).

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Install

Download the J3 package (MuRu-Migration_J3_v2.3.0.zip).
In the Joomla administrator go to Extensions → Extension Manager → Upload Package File.
Upload the ZIP and install.
Open Components → MuRu Migration.

Coming from the old Easy Import/Export (com_easyimportexport)? The installer migrates its database rows (including the legacy ID-map table) automatically -- nothing to do by hand.

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Install

Download the modern package (MuRu-Migration_J4-5-6_v2.3.0.zip).
In the Joomla administrator go to System → Install → Extensions.
Upload the ZIP and install.
Open Components → MuRu Migration from the admin sidebar.

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Activate

Open the component's Settings and enter your license key. The key is verified against the Lyzerslab backend (product entitlement, expiry, revocation, and the site activation limit are all checked) and saved only after a successful verification -- it is never rendered back into the Settings screen.

What stays locked

Every migration action is license-gated: an unverified key or an unreachable license server leaves the tools locked.
Keys are re-checked at most once per hour, so a temporary network blip does not interrupt a migration already underway.

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The order

Always work in this order: users → articles/categories → menus → modules -- for both export and import. Later imports rewrite their references through ID maps recorded by earlier ones; the importer warns when it detects a wrong order and tells you what to re-import.

Requirements per step

Menus: component-type items need their component installed on the target (e.g. com_virtuemarket-style extensions); missing ones are skipped with a warning, never imported broken.
Modules: module types must exist on the target; unrecognized types are skipped with a warning.
Articles: nothing required -- categories are created or mapped automatically.

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What it does

The default Full Migration tab packs the entire site -- users, groups, articles, categories, images, menus, modules -- into a single portable ZIP (manifest.json plus per-section files). Drop it on any other Joomla site and everything imports in one pass.

How it works

Import runs in dependency order automatically: users → articles → menus → modules.
Menu assignments, alias targets, and article links are remapped automatically from in-memory ID maps.
Dry run previews the whole import section by section before anything is written.
The per-type tabs (Modules, Menus, Articles, Users) remain under Advanced for selective exports.

","order":0,"published":true,"views":65,"createdAt":"$D2026-09-23T08:20:18.128Z","updatedAt":"$D2026-11-02T09:08:29.381Z"},{"id":"cmudu1wzt000nyoaoe2gwzzh1","productId":"cmu54ursf000013537h1tdoiz","categoryId":"cmudu1wjs000jyoao9ci61pk2","slug":"modules-import-export","title":"Modules Import & Export","metaTitle":"Modules Import & Export -- MuRu Migration Docs","metaDescription":"Export by client with full config and menu assignments; SP Page Builder content comes along automatically.","contentHtml":"

Export

Selected modules or all at once, filterable by client (Site, Administrator, or both).
Preserves params, position, ordering, access levels, language, and menu assignment mappings.
SP Page Builder support: mod_sppagebuilder content from #__sppagebuilder is included automatically.

Import

Optional overwrite -- matches existing modules by ID or title+type.
Module types are validated against the target site first; missing types are skipped with a clear warning.
Menu assignments are remapped through the stored menu ID map (requires menus imported first).

","order":1,"published":true,"views":68,"createdAt":"$D2026-09-23T08:20:18.377Z","updatedAt":"$D2026-10-23T19:14:20.254Z"},{"id":"cmudu1x6s000pyoao8erpkos8","productId":"cmu54ursf000013537h1tdoiz","categoryId":"cmudu1wjs000jyoao9ci61pk2","slug":"menus-import-export","title":"Menus Import & Export","metaTitle":"Menus Import & Export -- MuRu Migration Docs","metaDescription":"Hierarchy-preserving menu moves with automatic menu-type creation and component validation.","contentHtml":"

Export

Selected items or whole menu types, with parent-child hierarchy, link, type, component ID, params, and access levels.

Import

Parent-child relationships rebuilt with ID remapping; optional overwrite matched by ID or alias+menutype.
Missing menu types are created automatically (with J3/J4+ schema guards).
Component validation: component-type items need their extension installed on the target; URL, alias, separator, and heading items always import.
Trees stay intact: source nested-set values are never reused, and the menu tree is rebuilt after import.

","order":2,"published":true,"views":61,"createdAt":"$D2026-09-23T08:20:18.628Z","updatedAt":"$D2026-10-23T06:42:17.517Z"},{"id":"cmudu1xdq000ryoaohimaah2y","productId":"cmu54ursf000013537h1tdoiz","categoryId":"cmudu1wjs000jyoao9ci61pk2","slug":"articles-media-export","title":"Articles, Categories & Images","metaTitle":"Articles, Categories & Images -- MuRu Migration Docs","metaDescription":"ZIP-based media export with raw image files; categories created or mapped with hierarchy preserved.","contentHtml":"

Export

Selected articles with their categories, all articles, by category, or categories only.
Full data preserved: introtext, fulltext, images, URLs, metadata, featured flag, custom fields.
ZIP media export: a .zip with clean data.json plus a media/ folder -- intro, full, inline <img>, and CSS background images (JPG, PNG, GIF, WebP, SVG, BMP, ICO up to 10 MB each).

Import

Accepts .zip (recommended) and legacy .json exports; reports how many media files were restored.
Categories are created or mapped automatically with hierarchy preserved (parent-child, level, path); articles match by ID or alias.

","order":3,"published":true,"views":64,"createdAt":"$D2026-09-23T08:20:18.878Z","updatedAt":"$D2026-11-02T15:19:24.315Z"},{"id":"cmudu1xko000tyoaoj9u2nlg0","productId":"cmu54ursf000013537h1tdoiz","categoryId":"cmudu1wjs000jyoao9ci61pk2","slug":"users-and-groups","title":"Users & Groups","metaTitle":"Users & Groups -- MuRu Migration Docs","metaDescription":"Move users with group assignments, profiles, and preserved password hashes; groups matched by title.","contentHtml":"

Export

Selected users or all, optionally filtered by user group.
Preserves name, username, email, password hash (users log in with existing passwords on the new site), registration date, last visit, and block status.
Group assignments, #__user_profiles data, and group definitions come along.

Import

Matches by ID, username, or email; duplicates are skipped when overwrite is off.
Groups match by title (IDs differ between sites); missing groups are created under the correct parent and the usergroup tree is rebuilt.

","order":4,"published":true,"views":66,"createdAt":"$D2026-09-23T08:20:19.129Z","updatedAt":"$D2026-11-03T13:43:08.760Z"},{"id":"cmudu1xrk000vyoaoxp5qovki","productId":"cmu54ursf000013537h1tdoiz","categoryId":"cmudu1wjs000jyoao9ci61pk2","slug":"dry-run-preview","title":"Dry Run Preview","metaTitle":"Dry Run Preview -- MuRu Migration Docs","metaDescription":"See exactly what an import would do -- items, missing extensions, remap status -- with zero database writes.","contentHtml":"

What it does

Tick Dry run (preview only) on any import to see exactly what would happen: items to import, update, or skip; module types or components missing on the target; references that can or cannot be remapped -- with zero database writes.

When to use it

Always, before the real import -- it reports ordering problems and missing extensions up front.
After a dry run is clean, untick the box and run the same file for real.

","order":5,"published":true,"views":66,"createdAt":"$D2026-09-23T08:20:19.376Z","updatedAt":"$D2026-11-03T00:27:26.250Z"},{"id":"cmudu1xyi000xyoaommnz1wgr","productId":"cmu54ursf000013537h1tdoiz","categoryId":"cmudu1wjs000jyoao9ci61pk2","slug":"cross-version-compatibility","title":"Cross-Version Imports","metaTitle":"Cross-Version Imports -- MuRu Migration Docs","metaDescription":"One export format across Joomla 3 through 6: automatic column filtering and target validation.","contentHtml":"

One format, every version

Both editions produce the same export format: export from any Joomla version (3, 4, 5, 6) and import into any other. The filterColumns() system silently skips columns the target table does not have, so schema differences (e.g. checked_out nullability, the J5-only authProvider column) import cleanly.

Safety nets

Unresolvable references are dropped with a warning, never silently linked to unrelated items.
Imported JSON/ZIP content and archive paths are treated as untrusted (path checks, file-type validation, size limits, temp cleanup).

","order":6,"published":true,"views":59,"createdAt":"$D2026-09-23T08:20:19.627Z","updatedAt":"$D2026-10-22T11:13:39.642Z"},{"id":"cmudu1y5i000zyoao0ibnei4p","productId":"cmu54ursf000013537h1tdoiz","categoryId":"cmudu1wjs000jyoao9ci61pk2","slug":"import-order-id-remapping","title":"Import Order & ID Remapping","metaTitle":"Import Order & ID Remapping -- MuRu Migration Docs","metaDescription":"How old-to-new ID maps recorded per import drive automatic remapping, and the tree safety behind them.","contentHtml":"

ID maps

Every import records old-to-new ID maps per source site in #__murumigration_idmaps. Later imports rewrite their references through those maps -- which is why the order (users → articles → menus → modules) is load-bearing, not advisory.

What remaps automatically

Module menu assignments (which pages each module appears on).
Alias menu items (params.aliasoptions targets).
com_content article links in menus (needs articles imported before menus).
Unresolvable references are dropped with a warning, never silently linked to unrelated pages.

Tree safety

Source nested-set values (lft/rgt/level/path) are never reused; the menu, category, and usergroup trees are rebuilt after import.
Groups match by title; home-page conflicts arrive disabled with a warning.

","order":7,"published":true,"views":57,"createdAt":"$D2026-09-23T08:20:19.879Z","updatedAt":"$D2026-10-22T08:45:18.986Z"},{"id":"cmudu1yck0011yoao9dqtdl03","productId":"cmu54ursf000013537h1tdoiz","categoryId":"cmudu1wjs000jyoao9ci61pk2","slug":"j3-to-j4-runbook","title":"Joomla 3 to 4/5/6 Runbook","metaTitle":"Joomla 3 to 4/5/6 Runbook -- MuRu Migration Docs","metaDescription":"Exact export order on the J3 source and import order on the new target, plus the post-migration checklist.","contentHtml":"$28","order":8,"published":true,"views":67,"createdAt":"$D2026-09-23T08:20:20.133Z","updatedAt":"$D2026-11-02T17:57:16.008Z"},{"id":"cmudu1yjl0013yoaoyi0v5pxq","productId":"cmu54ursf000013537h1tdoiz","categoryId":"cmudu1wjs000jyoao9ci61pk2","slug":"re-running-and-overwrite","title":"Re-running Imports & Overwrite","metaTitle":"Re-running Imports & Overwrite -- MuRu Migration Docs","metaDescription":"When to leave overwrite off, how matching works per entity, and how to update already-imported items.","contentHtml":"

First migration: leave overwrite off

On a first import, duplicates are skipped safely. Turn overwrite on only to re-run an import and update items that already came over.

How matching works

Modules: ID or title+type. Menu items: ID or alias+menutype.
Articles: ID or alias. Categories: alias+extension.
Users: ID, username, or email.

Fixing a wrong-order import

If the importer warns about order (e.g. modules before menus), import the missing earlier step, then re-import the later file -- references resolve on the second pass through the recorded ID maps.

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