Notion Source (EN)
Makes Notion databases available as a dynamic content source in the YOOtheme Pro page builder · Version 1.2.3 · Stand 07.09.2026

Notion Source at a glance
Notion Source makes your Notion databases available as a dynamic content source in the YOOtheme Pro
page builder. You store your Notion integration token once; after that every database you have shared
with the integration becomes a source in the builder: you pick a database, filter and sort it if
needed, and use the entries and their properties directly in your layouts.
Notion Source is a system plugin for Joomla 6 and produces no output of its own in the frontend —
the content appears where you place it in the YOOtheme builder.
  
The screenshots in this manual were taken on a German Joomla installation. The extension follows
  the language of your installation, so the labels appear in English on an English backend.
  
  
A page built with the YOOtheme builder whose content (title, phone number, description)
  comes from a Notion database.
What you use Notion Source for
  
Maintain content in Notion, publish it on the website. Your team works in
  Notion; the website shows the same data without you maintaining it twice.
  
Lists and directories. Teams, references, events, FAQs, job openings —
  anything held in Notion as a database becomes a YOOtheme grid.
  
Filtered views. Show only the entries with a certain status (for example
  "Published"), sorted by any property you like.
How it works
When you save the plugin, Notion Source reads the property schema of all accessible databases once
and stores it in a local cache. The builder offers you the matching fields from it immediately,
without querying the Notion API on every page view. The API responses are additionally cached for a
configurable period.
Privacy is built in
  
The Notion token lives solely in the plugin configuration on your server and is never
  output to the frontend. The only service contacted is the Notion API; no data goes anywhere
  else.
What Notion Source consists of
You install a package that deploys and enables a single system plugin:
  
The package 
pkg_notionsource — it carries the update site and the
  download key and enables the plugin after installation.
  
The system plugin 
plg_system_notionsource — it provides the Notion
  source to the YOOtheme builder and maintains the schema cache.
How to read on
If you are starting out, this order works best:
  
Requirements and installation
  
Download key and updates
  
Setting up the Notion integration
  
Entering the token and options
  
Using the Notion source in the YOOtheme builder
Applies to version 1.2.3.
Deutsche Fassung

Requirements and installation
Notion Source is installed as one package that deploys and enables the system plugin. This page
lists the requirements and describes what is active after the installation.
Requirements
  
    
Joomla
6.0 or newer
    
PHP
8.3 or newer
    
Template
YOOtheme Pro 4 or 5 (active)
    
Notion
an internal integration token that has been given access to the databases you want
  
  
Notion Source extends the YOOtheme Pro builder. Without an active YOOtheme Pro template the
  plugin can be installed, but no Notion source appears in the builder.
Installation
  
Download the file 
plg_system_notionsource-<version>.zip.
  
In the backend, open System → Install → Extensions and drag the ZIP file into the
  Upload Package File area.
  
After the upload, Notion Source is installed and the plugin is enabled.
  
Notion Source ships as a single system plugin. Earlier versions came as the package
  
pkg_notionsource; if you still have that package installed, remove it under
  System → Manage Extensions before installing the plugin.
  
  
This panel greets you after the installation. It names the installed version and leads
  to the three things now due: storing the Notion token, entering the download key for updates, and
  the manual. After an update, the changelog takes the place of "Getting started".
What is active after the installation
So that the Notion source is available in the builder right away, the installation enables the
system plugin automatically. You do not have to switch it on by hand. Before any content appears,
however, the Notion token still has to be entered — see the chapters
Setting up the Notion integration and
Entering the token and options.
A first check
Open System → Plugins and search for Notion. The plugin System - Notion
Source should have the status Enabled.
What happens when you uninstall
Removing the plugin deletes it and its settings. The local schema cache under
administrator/cache/ is cleared when the token is removed or via Joomla's cache
management; it contains no credentials anyway, only database and field names.
Applies to version 1.2.3.
Deutsche Fassung

Download key and updates
Notion Source receives updates through the official Joomla update mechanism. To allow your website
to fetch them, enter your personal download key once.
Entering the download key
  
Create your download key in your customer account on
  graup-it.de (menu item
  Download IDs). One key applies per website and covers all extensions obtained through it.
  
In the backend, open System → Update → Update Sites.
  
Open the entry Notion Source Update Site and enter the key into the field Download
  Key.
  
Save.
  
Make sure to paste the key without leading or trailing spaces. A space copied
  along with it makes the update fail with an error message ("URL rejected" or "Package download
  failed").
Installing updates
  
Open System → Update → Extensions.
  
If a new version is available, Notion Source appears in the list. Select it and click
  Update.
  
Joomla downloads the package using your download key, verifies the checksum and installs the
  new version. Your Notion token and your settings are preserved.
If Joomla finds no update although a new version exists, click Check for Updates first to
refresh the cache.
The manual route
You can also install any version by hand: download the ZIP and install it via System →
Install → Extensions, just like the first installation. An update through the package overwrites
the existing installation and keeps your settings.
Applies to version 1.2.3.
Deutsche Fassung

Setting up the Notion integration
For Notion Source to read your databases it needs an integration token from Notion
and the databases in question shared with that integration. You set up both in
Notion — once, and in a few minutes.
1. Create an internal integration
  
Open notion.so/my-integrations
  and click New integration.
  
Give it a name (for example "Website") and select the workspace it belongs to.
  
An internal integration with read permissions (Read content)
  is enough. Write permissions are not needed.
  
Save and copy the Internal Integration Secret shown. It starts with 
ntn_
  (with 
secret_ for older integrations).
  
This token is a key to the shared content of your workspace. Treat it like a password and do not
  pass it on.
2. Share databases with the integration
A fresh integration sees nothing — you have to share every database (or a parent
page) with it explicitly:
  
Open the database in Notion as a full page.
  
Click ••• at the top right → Connections → Connect to and choose your
  integration.
  
Repeat this for every database that is to appear on the website. If you share a parent page, the
  databases below it count as shared automatically.
  
Whatever you do not share with the integration does not show up in Notion Source. If too few
  databases — or none at all — are offered in the builder later, this sharing step is almost always
  what is missing.
Back to Joomla
Now enter the copied token in the plugin — see
Entering the token and options.
Applies to version 1.2.3.
Deutsche Fassung

Entering the token and options
Notion Source has two settings. You find them under System → Plugins → System - Notion
Source.
  
  
The settings: Notion integration token and cache lifetime. The token is masked as a
  password field.
Notion integration token
Paste the token you created in Notion here (it starts with 
ntn_ or
secret_). Without a valid token the builder offers no Notion source.
Cache lifetime (seconds)
For this long the answers of the Notion API are cached before they are fetched again. The default
is 300 (five minutes). A higher value relieves the API and speeds up the pages; a
lower value shows changes in Notion sooner. The value 0 switches the cache off — not
recommended on production sites.
What happens when you save
On saving, Notion Source reads the property schema of all shared databases and stores it locally.
If that succeeds, a green message names the databases found, for example:
  
Notion Source: schema loaded – Team (6 fields), References (9 fields)
The builder then offers the fields from this schema — without querying the API on every page
view.
  
After changes in Notion — when you add or rename a property (column) or share a
  new database — save the plugin once more. Only then is the schema updated and the
  new fields appear in the builder.
If no token is entered
If you remove the token and save, the schema cache is deleted and the Notion source disappears
from the builder. If the token format is invalid, the plugin says so on saving and does not build the
schema.
Applies to version 1.2.3.
Deutsche Fassung

Using the Notion source in the YOOtheme builder
As soon as the token is entered, the Notion source is available in the YOOtheme builder. This page
shows how to fill an element with data from a Notion database.
  
  
The YOOtheme builder. Via Dynamic Content you bind an element to the Notion
  source.
Choosing the source
  
Open the page in the YOOtheme builder and insert an element that can display lists (a
  grid, for example).
  
Enable Dynamic Content in its settings.
  
Choose Notion Database Items as the source.
  
In the field Database, select the Notion database you want from the list.
Filtering, sorting, limiting
The source comes with several options for narrowing down the entries:
  
    
Filter: property name
Name of the Notion property to filter on (for example Status). Empty = no filter.
    
Filter: value
The value being looked for (for example Published).
    
Filter: property type
Type of the property: select, status, text, checkbox (true/false) or number. It must match the field in Notion.
    
Sorting: property name
Property to sort by. Empty = no sorting.
    
Sort direction
Ascending or descending.
    
Number of entries
Maximum number of entries. 0 = load all.
  
  
Property names are expected exactly as they are spelled in Notion — including
  capitalisation and spaces. A typo means the filter does not take effect.
Assigning fields
Inside the dynamic element you assign the Notion fields to the individual parts (title, text,
image, link …). Which fields exist and how they are grouped is described in the chapter
Fields and properties.
Applies to version 1.2.3.
Deutsche Fassung

Fields and properties
Notion Source provides two kinds of fields: the properties (columns) of your
databases and a few meta fields of the Notion page itself. In the builder they are
grouped by topic and labelled with their type, for example "Status (select)".
Supported properties
  
    
Text
Title, text (rich text)
    
Selection
Select, multi-select (tags), status
    
Date
Date, created time, last edited time
    
Number
Number, checkbox
    
Media
Files (returns the URL of the first file)
    
Contact
URL, email, phone
    
Person
Person(s), created by, last edited by
    
Relation
Relation, rollup
    
Computed
Formula, unique ID
  
Multi-value fields (multi-select, person, relation) are output as a comma-separated list, a
checkbox as 
true/
false.
Meta fields of the page
In addition to the properties there is the group Notion Meta:
  
    
Page ID
the Notion-internal ID of the entry
    
Page URL
the link to the Notion page (useful as a "read more")
    
Created / last edited
the timestamps of the page
    
Cover image URL
the cover image of the Notion page
    
Icon
the icon (emoji or image URL)
  
Date format
Every date field has the argument date format — a PHP 
date() pattern.
Examples: 
d.m.Y gives "24.07.2026", 
d.m.Y H:i gives "24.07.2026 09:30". If a
value cannot be read as a date, it is output unchanged.
Important: fields belong to the selected database
  
The builder shows the fields of all shared databases together. If you assign a
  field to an element that does not exist in the currently selected database, the value stays empty.
  So take care to use only fields that match the database chosen in the source element.
Properties of the same name in different databases (for example a "Title" field everywhere) share
one entry in the field list — that is intended and returns the right value for every entry.
Applies to version 1.2.3.
Deutsche Fassung

Permissions and privacy
Notion Source is built so that your credentials stay protected and no data leaves your website
unnecessarily.
The token stays on the server
  
The Notion token lives solely in the plugin configuration (database table
  
#__extensions) on your server.
  
In the backend it is masked as a password field.
  
It is never output to the frontend. All Notion requests run server-side; your
  visitors' browsers never see the token.
Only Notion is contacted
The only external connection goes to the Notion API (
api.notion.com). No other
services, no statistics or tracking servers are contacted. The data fetched is cached locally (see
Entering the token and options).
The cache holds no secrets
The schema stored locally (under 
administrator/cache/) contains only database and
field names, no token. It is stored as a PHP file with access protection, so calling it directly in a
browser reveals nothing.
Image and file URLs from Notion
  
Files and cover images from Notion are embedded via URLs hosted by Notion. For uploaded files
  these URLs are time-limited and may expire after a while. For images embedded
  permanently, better use an external URL in Notion or load the image into the Joomla media
  manager.
Who may change the settings
The plugin configuration — and with it the token — is accessible only to users with the
corresponding backend permissions (usually administrators). Notion Source creates no frontend forms
of its own and accepts no input from visitors.
Applies to version 1.2.3.
Deutsche Fassung

Common questions and troubleshooting
Answers to common questions and the quickest routes to fixing things.
No Notion source appears in the builder
  
Is a YOOtheme Pro template active? Without YOOtheme there is no builder
  source.
  
Is the plugin System - Notion Source enabled under System → Plugins?
  
Is a token entered? Without a token the source is not loaded.
The database selector is empty
  
Is the token valid (starting with 
ntn_ or 
secret_)? An invalid format
  is reported by the plugin when saving.
  
Have you shared the databases with the integration? That is the most common
  reason — see Setting up the Notion integration.
  
Save the plugin again to rebuild the schema.
A new Notion property is missing in the builder
The schema is read when the plugin is saved. After changes in Notion (new column, rename, newly
shared database) save the plugin once more — the new fields are available
afterwards.
A field stays empty
  
Does the field belong to the selected database? The builder shows the fields of
  all databases together; a field from elsewhere returns empty.
  
For filters, is the property name exactly right (capitalisation, spaces) and
  does the chosen property type match the field in Notion?
Changes in Notion appear with a delay
The API responses are cached for the configured cache lifetime (default 5 minutes). For
faster updates lower the value; for an immediate test you can set it to 0 briefly (not recommended
permanently on production sites).
The update is not found or fails
  
Click Check for Updates first to refresh the cache.
  
Is the download key entered at the update site — and without
  spaces at the beginning or end? A space copied along with it leads to "Package download
  failed".
  
If need be, download the new version manually and install it via System → Install.
An image from Notion stops being displayed after a while
URLs hosted by Notion for uploaded files are time-limited. For permanent images use an external URL
in Notion or the Joomla media manager.
Applies to version 1.2.3.
Deutsche Fassung

Changelog
This changelog lists every released version of Notion Source, the most recent first.
  
This page is generated automatically from the product's changelog file when a
  release is made. Changes made by hand are lost at the next synchronisation.
Version 1.2.3 – 16 August 2026
Fixed
  
The links in the overview panel always led to the German manual. They now follow the configured language.
  
The panel shown after the installation named licence version 2. It now shows the GNU General Public License version 3 or later, as everywhere else.
Version 1.2.2 – 1 August 2026
Changed
  
In the extension manager the extension is now called "System - Notion Source". Nothing changes about its function or settings.
Version 1.2.1 – 31 July 2026
Added
  
The plugin is enabled automatically on a first installation.
  
After an installation or update an overview panel appears with version, status and entry points to getting started, download key and manual.
  
The extension manager now shows the list of changes behind the version number.
  
The installation messages are available in German and English.
Changed
  
Notion Source ships as a single plugin; the earlier package version is gone.
Fixed
  
Automatic updates failed with "403 Invalid Domain". The download key is now passed in the form the update server expects.
  
The extension looked for updates at the wrong address and therefore found none.
Deutsche Fassung