Running Health Checks

This guide explains how to execute health checks and navigate the Health Checker interface.

Prerequisites

• Joomla 5.0 or later
• Super Admin access (Health Checker is only available to Super Admins)
• Health Checker component installed and enabled

Accessing Health Checker

1. Log in to your Joomla administrator panel
2. Navigate to Components → Health Checker from the main menu
3. You'll see the Health Checker dashboard

Running a Health Check

First-Time Setup

When you first access Health Checker, you'll see a welcome screen explaining what the tool does. Click "Run Health Check" to perform your first scan.

Subsequent Checks

1. Click the "Run Health Check" button in the toolbar
2. Health checks begin executing immediately
3. Watch the progress bar as checks complete
4. Results appear in real-time as each check finishes

What Happens During a Check

• Parallel Execution: Multiple checks run simultaneously for speed
• Safe Operation: All checks are read-only; nothing is modified
• Session Storage: Results are stored in your PHP session only
• No Background Tasks: Checks only run when you click the button

TIP

Health checks typically complete in 10-30 seconds depending on your site size and server performance.

Understanding the Interface

Toolbar Actions

• Run Health Check: Execute all health checks
• Export JSON: Download results as JSON data
• Export HTML: Download a formatted HTML report
• Clear Results: Remove current results from session

Results Summary

At the top of the results page, you'll see:

• Total Checks: Number of checks executed
• Critical Issues: Count of critical findings (🔴)
• Warnings: Count of warnings (🟡)
• Good: Count of optimal results (🟢)

Filtering Results

Use the filter dropdown to focus on specific results:

• All Checks: Show everything
• Critical Only: Show only critical issues
• Warnings Only: Show only warnings
• Good Only: Show only good results
• By Category: Filter by System, Database, Security, etc.

TIP

When troubleshooting, start by addressing Critical issues first, then move to Warnings.

Check Execution Tips

When to Run Checks

Run health checks:

• After installing or updating Joomla
• After adding/updating extensions
• Before major site changes
• After server migrations
• Monthly as part of routine maintenance
• When experiencing unexplained issues

Performance Considerations

• Checks are read-only and safe to run anytime
• Some checks may query large database tables
• On shared hosting, avoid running during peak traffic hours
• Results are cached in session for quick re-viewing

What If Checks Fail to Complete?

If checks timeout or fail:

1. Check your PHP max_execution_time setting (should be ≥60 seconds)
2. Verify your PHP memory limit (recommended ≥128MB)
3. Try running checks during off-peak hours
4. Check your server error logs for clues

Next Steps

• Reading Results - Learn how to interpret findings
• Exporting Reports - Generate shareable reports
• Understanding Checks - Learn what each check does