Embedding video in Joomla is still often problematic. Editors generate heavy iframe code, layouts break easily, and you have very limited control over user experience. DC jVideo was created to solve exactly these problems by giving you full control over how and where video appears on the page.

The plugin works as a content plugin and uses a simple shortcode instead of editor buttons or visual builders. This makes it predictable, clean and easy to use in any Joomla article.

DC jVideo supports inline video embedding directly inside article content. With a single shortcode, a video can be displayed responsively inside the text without breaking the layout. The video scales correctly, keeps its aspect ratio and works well on both desktop and mobile devices. The default preload behavior is optimized for performance and SEO.

In addition to inline playback, DC jVideo offers a lightbox mode with a custom animation. When lightbox mode is enabled, the article displays a button instead of the video. After clicking the button, the screen is covered by an animated backdrop that expands from a small circle into a full-screen overlay. The video then slides in from the bottom with a smooth bounce animation. The lightbox can be closed using the close button, the ESC key or by clicking outside the video area.

DC jVideo automatically detects the video source and renders it appropriately. Supported sources include local HTML5 video files such as MP4 (optionally WebM), YouTube videos and Vimeo videos. The user does not need to specify the video type manually. The plugin recognizes the source based on the provided URL and handles everything automatically.

For local HTML5 videos, DC jVideo provides full control over the video source without using external iframes. For YouTube and Vimeo, videos are embedded using clean iframe players with autoplay support in lightbox mode.

The plugin does not depend on jQuery. It is built entirely using modern, vanilla JavaScript. This makes it fully compatible with Joomla 5 and Joomla 6, avoids conflicts with templates and reduces unnecessary overhead.

DC jVideo focuses heavily on user experience. When the lightbox is open, scrolling of the page behind it is blocked. All dynamically created elements are removed from the DOM after closing the lightbox, preventing memory leaks or leftover elements.

The plugin is designed for developers and site builders who want full control over video presentation. It is ideal for technical blogs, product pages, landing pages with video content and any Joomla site where UX matters more than simply pasting an iframe.

Shortcode usage examples:

Inline video playback:
{video href="images/video/example.mp4"}

Lightbox video playback:
{video href="images/video/example.mp4" mode="lightbox" anchor="Watch video" poster="images/video/example.png"}

YouTube example:
{video href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIDEO_ID
" mode="lightbox" anchor="Watch demo"}

Vimeo example:
{video href="https://vimeo.com/VIDEO_ID
" mode="lightbox" anchor="Watch video"}

DC jVideo is fully compatible with Joomla 5 and Joomla 6 and does not use deprecated APIs.

The plugin can be installed using the standard Joomla extension installer. You can download it from the Design Cart website or from GitHub.