Joomla hosting is set to be boosted after software giant Microsoft gave its backing to the open-source content management system.

The firm has signed an agreement to contribute code to the custom web hosting platform - a move which could help cement its popularity among businesses and home users.

Microsoft developers will now be permitted to work on improvements to the Joomla offering, which is available to download for free online.

As well as potentially gaining new features, Joomla is set to become more compatible with older browser versions, making it accessible to an even greater number of web users.

Joomla's Sam Moffatt commented: "This is just part of a natural progression related to a lot of work that has been going on for a long time with Joomla.

"New code contributors are always welcome, of course, especially when they can bring new expertise."

According to Biz Community, Joomla hosting is "one of the most powerful website building tools available today".