Standard Joomla XML Field Type - Note

The note field type in Joomla XML is designed to display static text within forms, such as section headings, explanations, tips, and warnings. It does not generate input elements, store data in the database, or require backend processing — its sole purpose is to provide information to the user. It renders correctly in both the administrator interface and the frontend.

Field Attributes

Below are the main attributes supported by the URL field type. Use them inside the <field> tag of your XML manifest.

Attribute	Type	Description
`type`	string	Required. Must be set to "note". Defines the field type and its behavior.
`name`	string	Required. Unique system identifier for the field. Used only for internal form markup; data is not saved to the database.
`label`	string	The note heading visible to the user. Can be a language constant (e.g., COM_EXAMPLE_NOTE_LABEL).
`description`	string	The main text of the note. In Joomla 3 it appeared as a tooltip when hovering over the heading; in Joomla 4/5/6 it is displayed immediately as regular text within the block.
`class`	string	CSS classes for styling the block. For colored alerts, use the standard classes: alert alert-info (blue), alert alert-warning (yellow), alert alert-danger (red), alert alert-success (green).
`heading`	string	HTML tag for the heading. Allowed values: h1, h2, h3, h4, h5, h6, or none (no heading). Default is h4. Works reliably in Joomla 4 and later.
`showlabel`	boolean	Determines whether the heading (label) is displayed. Values: true (default) or false. When set to false, only the description text is shown.
`close`	boolean	Adds a close button (cross icon) to the alert block. Values: true or false. Works only in Joomla 4 and later, as it relies on Bootstrap 5.
`hidden`	boolean	Hides the field when the form loads. Values: true or false. Often used together with the showon attribute for conditional display.
`showon`	string	Conditional display rule. The field is shown only when conditions of other form fields are met. Example: showon="field_name:value" (shows when field_name equals value).
`layout`	string	Path to the layout override for rendering. Allows you to modify the note's HTML structure without editing the core. Supported since Joomla 3.7.

Visual Examples

Below are screenshots showing how the field appears in different Joomla versions and admin panel themes.

Joomla 3 Isis

Note field variations in Joomla 3.x settings (Isis admin template)

Classic field appearance in the Isis template.

Joomla 4 / 5 / 6 Cassiopeia (Light)

Visual appearance of the Note field with different variations in Joomla 4/5/6 - Cassiopeia admin template (light theme)

Modern Cassiopeia design. Light theme.

Joomla 4 / 5 / 6 Cassiopeia (Dark)

Visual appearance of the Note field with different variations in Joomla 4/5/6 - Cassiopeia admin template (dark theme)

Admin dark theme. High-contrast text and dark background.

XML Usage Example

Add this code inside the fieldset section of your form's XML file. The type="note" attribute displays static text in the interface without generating input fields or participating in data storage.

<!-- 1. Plain text note (no styling) -->
<field name="note_default" type="note"
       label="Note"
       description="This is a plain text note without additional styling." />
<!-- Displays simple text without background or borders. Suitable for general explanations within a form. -->

<!-- 2. Informational note (blue) -->
<field name="note_info" type="note"
       label="Info"
       description="Additional information or configuration hints are placed here."
       class="alert alert-info" />
<!-- Standard informational block. Renders via Bootstrap 2/3 in J3, via Bootstrap 5 in J4+. -->

<!-- 3. Warning note (yellow/orange) -->
<field name="note_warning" type="note"
       label="Warning"
       description="Before saving, ensure all required parameters are correctly set and meet system requirements."
       class="alert alert-warning" />
<!-- Used to draw attention to important nuances or limitations. -->

<!-- 4. Critical notification (red) -->
<field name="note_danger" type="note"
       label="Error"
       description="This feature is unavailable in the current configuration. Contact your administrator or check environment settings."
       class="alert alert-danger" />
<!-- Highlights critical limitations. In Joomla 4+ automatically receives ARIA attributes for accessibility. -->

<!-- 5. Success status or confirmation (green) -->
<field name="note_success" type="note"
       label="Success"
       description="All parameters have been verified and fully meet system requirements. You may continue working."
       class="alert alert-success" />
<!-- Static status indicator. Does not replace system flash messages, but remains visible in the form permanently. -->

Retrieving Value in PHP

The note field is intended exclusively for displaying information within the interface. Upon form submission, the browser does not send its value to the server, so it requires no processing in the component code.

<?php
/*
 * Fields with type="note" are not sent to the server when the form is saved.
 * They do not store data, are not validated, and are not sanitized by the system.
 * No processing for this field is required in the component's code.
 * Simply define it in the form's XML file — Joomla will render the text
 * in the interface and will ignore the field when saving data.
 */
?>

The Joomla core automatically skips note fields during data filtering and storage. Adding validation rules to them or attempting to read their value from the request is unnecessary and may trigger validation errors.

Tip: do not add validation or filtering rules to this field in the XML, otherwise the form may fail to load or return an error; move all text to language files to simplify maintenance and translation without modifying the markup; and for conditional display, use the standard showon attribute, as manual hiding via CSS or scripts breaks accessibility and is often reset after system updates.