sh404SEF 
NEW: built in caching database layer, can speed up sh404SEF and Joomla database operation. Backed by memcache, APC, etc
NEW: Pinterest support. Including tracking in Google Analytics of Pinterest actions!
NEW: full support for Google rel="prev" and rel="next" header tags, to improve SEO of paginated content
New: sh404SEF goes social!
- Create and insert Open Graph data
- Insert Facebook, Tweeter, Pintrest, G+ and G+ pages icons
- track all likes, shares, tweets, pinnings, pluses clicks in Analytics dashboard in your site backend.
And still with:
- Built-in Google Analytics support, including reporting right in your site backend
- your own tiny urls: shUrls
- Full urls and meta data management
- QR codes
- canonical headers for pdf, etc
Multi-lingual support
Easily redirect 404s to suggested SEF URLS
Use Joomsef or AceSEF extensions for increased compatibility
sh404SEF rewrites Joomla URL to user-friendly format (SEF URL or URL rewriting): mysite.com/index.php?option=com_content&Itemid=69&id=34... becomes mysite.com/en/sh404SEF-and-url-rewriting/list-of-available-plugins.html).
It is also a security component. Page title and meta tags manager for every page. With or without .htaccess file. Joomfish compatible. Caching system for high speed and very small DB queries overhead.
Support many components natively: VirtueMart, K2, FlexiContent, Kunena, Jomsocial, Community Builder, mosetsTree, Sobi2, myBlog and more. SSL switch, automatic 301 redirection from non-sef to sef, insert Google news style numerical ID,.. Many backend parameters to control URL construction behavior.
Since 2.1: mobile visitor detection and template switcher
Hi
It is possible that depending on the extensions involved and the site design, a performance penalty may occur. If it goes beyond 10-20%, then you got a setup issue, and you should contact support to get you sorted out.
When using the built in cache system, especially the memcache backend, you can actually expect performance increase, as sh40SEF does not need to rebuild the full SEF url each time, as Joomla does, but can get it from cache almost instantly.
Note that the sh404SEF cache can also optionnally be enabled to provide caching for ALL Joomla database operation (ie: non-sh404SEF related), thus further speeding up the site.
Rgds
I did 2 clean new installations and gave the sh404sef a try in Joomla 3. In both cases it caused errors and conflicts with other updated (paid) extension with sh404sef enabled. The support for the issues I had was that it could be this could be that, if you like to know we have to copy your website on our servers and please use our premium support at 75 usd hour.
For me having built websites with other sef extensions and the sh404sef, currently no more paid sef components for me, too much hassle, useless costs and an increase for errors conflicts with other extensions. Then also the need for the periodical updates of these sef component for which you need a (paid) current membership.... and for what, most sef functions are now standard in Joomla 3, and a paid extension really does NOT improve your ranking.
Hi
First, thanks for using sh404SEF for several years!
As someone who's very familiar with Joomla SEF, I have to say I'm a bit surprised by your statement that basically one doesn't need sh404SEF because SEF is good enough in Joomla 3 compared to what it was in Joomla 1.5
The reason I'm surprised is because there was no change in Joomla 3 SEF system, and there was also no change in Joomla 1.6,1.7 and 2.5 SEF system.
The SEF system was created in Joomla 1.5, and was never modified. It's still based today on menu items, generate duplicate content and create lengthy urls as soon as an item is not directly linked for a menu. Please just install sh404SEF on a standard Joomla 3, and go check the "duplicates" column to see for yourself.
In case of conflicts, we need to figure out which extension is causing the real issue - it's not because the issue appears when sh404SEF is switched on that it is causing the problem!!!. On extreme cases, this may require custom work.
We can always discuss the pros and cons of paid vs free extensions. Many people (see other reviews) appreciate having someone to rely upon when needed but most importantly like that extensions are still there and actively developed and updated to changing environment: search engines, Analytics, Facebook or twitter API changes for instance - by the way, Facebook has an API breaking change on July 10. sh404SEF will be updated accordingly, don't worry.
Rgds
I have used almost more then 1000 extensions of joomla. bt this is the worst of worst extension.
Hi
No, sh404SEF will not destroy your site, your ranking and all the rest, including slowing down your site.
Extreme slowness is usually linked to misconfiguration, and we'd be very happy to fix that if you were to contact support.
Rgds
Nothing to loose. Install it fastly- ready !
Roughly a month ago I activated sh404SEF with .htaccess. It's an excellent component and does exactly what it has to do.
Activating SEF does of course rewrite all the urls and this can create problems.
Thanks to jimie's great help, who made a visit on my site, these problems could be solved.
Perhaps a suggestion which might allow sh404SEF to be event better as it already:
To take care also of the various components, plugins which are not SEF compatible.
Of course sh404SEF will not be able to rewrite these urls...but lets say offering options being able using these non sef urls perhamps in META etc.
Just a suggestion which might help to enhance the offer.
Please note that you have to spend some time to read the manual and FAQ. If you have something special like a multilingual site you have to spend even more time in learning how you can configure it.
For me the most important thing for a commercial component is the support. The support here is very very customer-oriented and helpful. Additionally you get very fast answers.
Recently, when launching a new site (had to start from scratch) I had a couple of issues with things not working the way they had in the older version of Joomla - all resolved quickly via their support forum!
Very happy and would recommend this to anyone.
Hello
As with a previous reviewer, it is unfortunate that you didn't try to contact us for support.
An extension that multiply page load time by 8 is not acceptable and would have disappeared from the Joomla! world a long time ago.
In the case of that recent reviewer, he was not using the appropriate setting for his forum sef urls. After he posted his review we had a quick discussion on our support forum, to clear the issue.
I'd only like again to invite you to do the same and I'm sure we can figure out what's happening on your site.
Rgds
sh404sef slows down your website. You can find proof all over the sh404sef forum and other places where people complained about their site becoming slower and slower due to an increase of SEF URLs in the database.
After uninstalling sh404sef, page load decreases from 7-8 seconds to 1-2 seconds are not uncommon.
The support is obviously overwhelmed by this since their typical response is to upgrade your host, turn cache on (as if people weren't turning cache on from the beginning) or other excuses. However they also offer you to get a refund if you want.
The difference between sh404sef and Loomlas own core SEF is that sh404sef builds URLs on first page visit and stores them in the database. Joomlas Core SEF doesn't store any SEF URLs in the database, but creates them on-the-fly, eliminating performance issues.
There is another SEF extension for Joomla that also creates SEF URLs on-the-fly. I have tried it and pages load as fast as with Joomla's Core SEF.
If Anything Digital, the company behind sh404sef wants to stay in business with their product, I highly recommend them to completly rewrite how sh404sef works. sh404sef could be much better with on-the-fly SEF URL creation. The best way to convince them or Yannick, the coder behind sh404sef, is to go to their forum and tell them.
Hi
Thanks for your message and for your concern for SEF extensions technology.
If you had a concern about speed and your server, you could have tried. But instead you wrote this text in our pre-sales forum, then cut and pasted it here as a review - without downloading sh404SEF and thus without trying. You actually didn't even pretend trying but only gave general comment on a technology vs another one. That's not really what I call a fair review of an extension!
As usual, there are pros and cons in each case. Storing urls in database allows many things that are not possible with the on-the-fly method, and this is why all SEF extensions use it.
We're very much concerned with speed of course, as very slow sites have a real SEO penalty.
But speed isn't a problem, even with busy sites. If you need proof, our own site has a lot of urls and runs pretty fast.
That said, we are not standing by, and we introduced last year features to not only make sh404SEF itself faster, but even speed up the Joomla site it's running on, by caching Joomla and other extensions database queries.
Now a final comment: you consider on-the-fly creation faster than store-to-database: where do you think elements of on-the-fly urls (article or category titles for instance) are coming from, if not from the database?
Rgds
