I've Been Hiding Things on Websites for Years

I have a confession to make.

For as long as I can remember, I've been hiding things on websites. Not malware. Not tracking pixels. Not cryptocurrency miners. Little surprises.

Some people call them Easter eggs, but if you've ever sat through one of my presentations over the last fifteen years, you'll know I've always preferred hidden secrets. It just sounds more intriguing.

Sometimes they're completely pointless. Hover over an image and it rotates. Click something that doesn't look clickable and a hidden message appears. Other times they're genuinely useful.

One of the nice things about hidden secrets is that people like discovering them. Better still, they like telling other people about them.

"Have you seen what happens if you...?"

That's the sort of word-of-mouth marketing you can't buy.

It turns out I'm not alone. One pattern I've started seeing on several websites is a hidden feature on the site logo. Right-click the logo and, instead of the browser's normal context menu, a popup appears offering downloadable versions of the logo in different sizes and formats. It's a neat idea for media kits, brand assets or just providing quick access to useful information.

It's a lovely little touch. It's hidden enough that it doesn't clutter the interface, but easy enough for someone to discover accidentally or be told about.

That got me thinking.

So I wrote a new Joomla 6 system plugin called Hidden Secrets.

The plugin is deliberately simple. Create a module containing whatever you want to reveal, publish it in the hiddensecret module position, configure the plugin, and tell it which CSS selector should act as the trigger.

Now, when someone right-clicks that element—perhaps your logo, perhaps your navigation bar, perhaps something completely unexpected—the browser's context menu is suppressed and a Bootstrap modal appears containing your module.

Because it's just a normal Joomla module, you're free to put almost anything inside it.

• Maybe it's downloadable logos.
• Maybe it's contact information.
• Maybe it's a support link.
• Maybe it's a discount code.
• Maybe it's a photograph of your cat.

I'm not here to judge.

Of course, one hidden secret didn't seem quite enough. Every hidden secret deserves another hidden secret, so there's also support for the Konami Code.

If you're old enough to remember feeding pocketfuls of coins into arcade machines or spending far too many hours in front of a Nintendo console, then you'll probably recognise this sequence immediately:

↑ ↑ ↓ ↓ ← → ← → B A

The famous Konami Code.

Originally it unlocked hidden features in Konami games, but over the years it's become something of an internet tradition. Websites, applications and even operating systems have quietly supported it as a nod to those who know.

So Hidden Secrets can now do the same for your website. Enable the option, type the Konami Code anywhere on your site, and your hidden module appears.

If you've absolutely no idea what I'm talking about, congratulations. You've just discovered that you're younger than I am. Or perhaps you simply spent your childhood outdoors.

Either way, there's a good chance someone visiting your site will know exactly what to do.

Will everyone discover your hidden secrets?

No.

Should they?

Probably not.

That's the fun of them.

Web development and websites have become a little too serious. Everything is measured, optimised, A/B tested and funnelled towards a conversion. There's still room for a little delight, a little curiosity, and something that simply exists because it's fun.

Hidden secrets aren't there for everyone. They're there for the curious visitor who explores a little further than everyone else. They create those small moments of delight that people remember and sometimes even share with others.

And if someone messages a friend saying, "Have you tried right-clicking the logo?", then your hidden secret has done exactly what it was meant to do.

Hidden Secrets won't make your site faster. It won't improve your SEO. It almost certainly won't increase your Core Web Vitals score. But it might make someone smile. And sometimes that's reason enough to build something.

If you'd like to add a few hidden secrets of your own, the plugin is completely free and available on GitHub and the Joomla Extensions Directory

Just don't blame me when your users start right-clicking everything on your website.