NorrCompetition 3.0 Released: Native Joomla 6 Support, OTP Vote Verification, New Rating Systems & More
We are proud to announce the release of NorrCompetition 3.0, a major update to our voting contest extension for Joomla.
This version has been fully modernized and now runs on native Joomla 6 code, with no Backward Compatibility plugin required. NorrCompetition 3.0 is faster, cleaner, and better integrated with the latest Joomla platform.
This release introduces several highly requested features and usability improvements for both site administrators and contest participants.
OTP Vote Verification (Email Confirmation)
One of the most important new features is OTP-based vote confirmation, designed to improve vote quality and prevent abuse.
The voting process now works as follows:
- The Vote button is clicked.
- A voting modal window appears.
- An email address is entered to receive the verification code
- A one-time verification code (OTP) is sent to the specified email.
- The code remains valid for a limited time.
- The user enters the received code to confirm the vote.
- Once verified, the vote is counted.
This adds an extra layer of protection against fake or automated voting while keeping the process simple for users.
New Rating Systems
NorrCompetition 3.0 expands voting options with new rating modes.
In addition to the classic Vote / Remove Vote system, administrators can now choose:
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Participants can rate entries directly in the voting modal, and the selected ratings are also displayed in the participant listings.
This makes NorrCompetition suitable not only for simple contests, but also for review-based competitions and scored evaluations.
Joomla Mail Template Integration
Email templates have been completely moved into Joomla’s native Mail Templates system.
This means administrators can now edit email content using standard Joomla 6 tools: Templates → Mail Templates.
Available mail templates include:
| Template | Description |
| Edited Entry | Notification sent when an entry is edited. |
| New Entry | Notification sent when a new entry form is submitted. |
| Vote Token | Notification sent when a vote token is generated. |
| Entry approved | This email is sent to the author when their entry is approved. |
| Entry published | This email is sent to the author when their entry is published. |
| Entry declined | This email is sent to the author when their entry is moved to the trash or declined. |
| Entry unapproved | This email is sent to the author when their entry is put back to moderation. |
| Entry unpublished | This email is sent to the author when their entry is unpublished. |
| Unvote for entry | This email is sent to the author when their entry has lost a vote. |
| Vote for entry | This email is sent to the author when their entry has earned a vote. |
This provides much more flexibility for customizing notifications via Joomla Administrator Panel.
New “Editor” Custom Field Type
A new Editor field type has been added to custom fields.
Contest administrators can now create additional fields with full WYSIWYG editor support, allowing entry submitters to enter formatted content such as:
- Rich text
- Descriptions
- Biographies
- Formatted project details
This significantly improves flexibility when building advanced submission forms.
Assign Notification Recipients for New Entries
A new option has been added to configure notification recipients for contest submissions.
Administrators can now define who should receive alerts about new entries in:
Settings → Contest
This is especially useful for teams managing submissions together.
Improved “My Entries” Section
The My Entries area has been updated with new participant controls.
Users can now:
- Unpublish their own entries
- Delete their own entries
In addition, new permission settings have been introduced in the Permissions tab, giving administrators more control over what users can manage.
Built for Joomla 6
Highlights include:
- Native Joomla 6 code
- No Backward Compatibility plugin required
- PHP 8.5 compatibility
- Improved performance and maintainability
- Better administrator experience
- More secure voting workflows
Demo Site and Playground Updated
We have updated both the NorrCompetition Demo Site and the Playground to reflect the latest features and improvements introduced in version 3.0, now running on Joomla 6.
The Demo Site is designed to showcase NorrCompetition in action, highlighting the component’s key features and user experience from the visitor’s perspective.
The Playground offers a hands-on environment where you can explore the extension from the administrator’s side. It allows you to test settings, create and manage contests, upload and edit entries, configure voting options, and experience how NorrCompetition works behind the scenes.
Whether you want to evaluate front-end functionality or familiarize yourself with the Administrator Panel before purchasing, the Playground gives you the opportunity to fully explore the component and its capabilities.
Update from version 2.0 to 3.0
No special actions are required to update NorrCompetition. However, please note one important change: version 3.0 is now distributed as a package, so this update must be installed manually.
After installing version 3.0, all future updates can be performed through the Joomla Update System.
If you are using old NorrCompetition 1.8, you should first migrate to version 2.0. Please read this article: Migrate NorrCompetition from Joomla 3 to Joomla 4. After completing the migration, you can update from version 2.0 to 3.0.
Changelog:
See the component changelog for full details.
We are excited to bring these improvements to the Joomla community and look forward to your feedback.
Further Plans
We have been actively working on NorrCompetition User Points — a new product designed to bring a flexible points system to Joomla voting contests.
This upcoming extension will allow site owners to reward users with points and introduce new ways to increase engagement and participation. Even more importantly, it opens the door to monetizing your voting contests through integrations with popular Joomla eCommerce extensions.
The release is on its way and will be released in a few weeks — stay tuned!
We highly recommend using the latest versions of both Joomla and NorrCompetition to keep your site secure and running smoothly. Remember to always perform a backup before updating.
