TYPO3 – an extensive content management system

Since its first beta version in 2000, non-profit organization TYPO3 has been a prominent content management system (CMS), particularly in Europe. It’s changed a lot since then: nowadays, TYPO3 features many new templates, plugins, additional features, and more. The large community presence is helping to ensure that this CMS remains competitive going forwards, too. The timing seems perfect to examine the CMS TYPO3 a little more closely.

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Like other popular content management systems, TYPO3 offers an open source software that users can edit using templates to create their personal web design. The operation is then carried out via the web browser. The program can be downloaded for free here.

But unusually for a CMS, TYPO3 users enter the content for their website’s user interface on a special configuration language called typoscript – no easy task for a beginner. Though, if website security is your number one concern, it may just be worth it: TYPO3 is considered the most secure content management system. Other benefits include its high flexibility and very large, active community. There are tons of extensions for TYPO3: templates, plugins, and many other things that are usually free of charge. Should you encounter issues, there are numerous online forums and tutorials within the community as well as professional service assistants on-hand to offer TYPO3 support.

TYPO3 makes it possible to create web presences of all kinds and sizes. Due to its impressive functionality, TYPO3 can cater for even the most specific web design demands. The following is a brief overview of the most important TYPO3 features:

• Multiple editors can contribute to web content. This can be easily controlled and adjusted thanks to the Workflow function, which also saves all drafts in its history, allowing you to restore older versions easily.
  
  
• Changes to content and layout can be tested in workspaces. A workspace is a specially designed working environment that simulates the front end of the site.
  
  
• It’s possible to set detailed instructions for who has access to which areas of your website, both front end and back end. Numerous settings allow you to modify the access rights of individual users, editors, administrators or particular groups.
  
  
• There are no restrictions on the management of multiple independent sites. Installations only need to be made once for all sites.
  
  
• There are over 6,000 extensions and applications to choose from. The Extensions Manager makes them easy to locate and install.
  
  
• Making a web presence or several websites available in different languages is simple. There are more than 50 localizations available for this.
  
  
• Both the front and back end are responsive. It is also possible to set special previews of the front end for mobile devices.

Anyone interested in this free content system can find the most up to date version on the official homepage of the project. Before you busy yourself with how to install TYPO3, you should first make sure that you have the correct software and hardware setup. TYPO3 makes certain demands of a web server that need to be fulfilled before an installation takes place. This is to ensure that there are no problems with installation and future use.

TYPO3 is one of the SMS systems that spans across many platforms. When it comes to selecting an operating system you have a free choice, as the TYPO3 Association offers various installation packages for Windows, macOS, and Unix/Linux. Even when it comes to the issue of web server software, the decision lies with you. While Apache is the optimal solution suggested by the development team, TYPO3 projects can also be run using NGINX, Microsoft IIS, or other applications that have a PHP module. The components of the content management system are based on this scripting language, which is why the installation of an up to date version of PHP is among the prerequisites of TYPO3:

• TYPO3 v6: PHP 5.5
• TYPO3 v7: PHP 5.5-7.1
• TYPO3 v8: PHP 7+

When it comes to the installed PHP environment, it is of paramount importance that you have a memory limit of at least 64 MB (recommended: 128 MB) and the ‘globals’ value is deactivated. Additionally, the authorized period of time for the execution of scripts (‘max execution time’) should be at least 30 seconds (60 is even better). In terms of database, the developers recommend MySQL (from version 5.5 upwards). Thanks to the standard extension DBAL (Database Abstraction Layer), TYPO3 also supports other database systems, for example, PostreSQL and Oracle, as well as Maria DB. Similarly, the hardware demands of TYPO3 are also quite minor, with 200 MB free web space and 256 MB working memory respectively. However, as with any database supported application; the more computing and processing power, the better.

There are two possibilities for installing TYPO3:

1. Download the relevant installation package and unpack it on your web server. Alternatively, you can also open it on a local PC and then upload the unpacked files to the server. However because the package is made up of thousands of files, this is not always recommended.
2. Or you can also install TYPO3 with the help of extra tools like TYPO3Winstaller. This installation assistant (for Windows) not only takes over the installation and setup of the content management system, but also ensures that the required versions of Apache, PHP, and MySQL are installed on the web server.

Once all of the required program files are on the web server, the installation tool will carry out the rest of the installation and configuration process. The installation tool can be found in the folder titled ‘typo3/install’. This can be launched via the browser of your choice by entering the exact directory path in the address bar. Follow the instructions of the TYPO3 tool to create databases and regulate access to them, for example setting up an administrator account for your TYPO3 project.

Even in its basic version, TYPO3 delivers an excellent CMS package that can be used in so many different web projects. The core of the program, as well as the front and backend, can be adjusted and extended if required. For this reason, there are TYPO3 extensions available for use – modules with specific functions and that can be integrated via specific interfaces. This allows you to add useful features to the content management system, e.g. security features – to do with the acceleration of backend passwords or the automatic blocking of certain IP addresses displaying unusual login behavior, as examples. Furthermore, there are also extensions for the optimization of user administration, the integration of specific interactive elements, or the implementation of additional formulas.

Regardless of the area of application, PHP is the basis of every TYPO3 extension. As a result, being familiar with the script language is one of the most important requirements for setting up such TYPO3 extensions. However, the content management system offers two valuable and useful tools to make the development process a lot easier. The template engine Fluid helps to generate the extension in the user interface. Then the MVC framework Extbase acts as a template for the software architecture to keep the data from the processing and the presentation separate. In this way, the source code is made clearer and the removal of bugs becomes easier. On top of this, Extbase has a function that makes the registration of newly developed extensions easier.

Anyone looking to enter the world of TYPO3 extension development themselves in order to program their own extension should familiarize themselves with Extension Builder. This allows for the quick and uncomplicated generation of a basic framework for the planned extension. All necessary files are generated automatically, which saves a lot of time and work.

TYPO3 is a simple way of giving your TYPO3 project the layout and design that you desire. When it comes to optical design, instead of having to start from scratch, you can use handy templates to create a basic framework, upon which content can be built. The selected structure can also be changed at a later point or also completely scrapped – in this case, the content will simply be transferred and integrated into the new system.

Many programmers have made it their mission to develop TYPO3 templates and make them available to users. Either they make the templates available for download on their own site or else on the websites of providers that specialize in the sale of such things. However, keep in mind that the price should not necessarily be the gauge of the quality of the website template.

When searching for TYPO3 templates for your web project, you will encounter both free, as well as fee-based options. Some sites offer various templates, whereas others will only have the one. However, prices and choices should not decide whether or not you download a template. Much more important are the optical components of a template.

Next, you should ask yourself whether the design and layout of the envisaged template fit both your vision and more importantly your web project (not only thematically but also functionally). For example; imagine if you use an unchanged template because it gives your website a long-envisaged navigation structure but at the same time this structure distracts from the actual content or is even unsuited to it. This will then quickly lead to an unwanted devaluation of your project. If a template contains only a few elements of interest to you, then you should weigh up whether the subsequent necessary adjustment work is worth your time and money. Furthermore, consider the following things before downloading a TYPO3 template:

• Responsive web design: Use a TYPO3 responsive template from the very start. Having such a flexible template as a basis means that your website will fit automatically to the display size of different devices. This allows desktop users and those with a tablet or smartphone to have the optimal user experience, without you having to create and manage an additional mobile version of your project.
• Compatibility: before you use a certain template for your project, you need to make sure that it will even be compatible with your version of TYPO3. Normally, providers will include details in the description of a template, regarding which versions the template is suitable for. However, if this is not the case then you should carefully consider whether you wish to take the risk that the TYPO3 template doesn’t work. This becomes an even more important decision if you are paying for the template. If you plan on updating your TYPO3 regularly, then you should search for templates that keep you up to date with the newest versions of the content management system.
• Licensing: TYPO3 templates are published with very different licenses; something which later has an effect on potential uses. Regardless of whether you are dealing with a commercial or a free license, you should always check whether the applicable guidelines fit your plans. In some cases, it is prohibited to modify a template or use it for commercial purposes. Most of the time, it is at least required of you to include a link to the developer or provider.
• Reliability: Downloading TYPO3 templates brings with it all the risks typically associated with the online world. It could happen that you end up using the wrong provider and then along with the desired template, also end up unwittingly downloading Adware or even Malware. These types of dubious providers are not always immediately recognizable, meaning that there is always a certain amount of skepticism that accompanies the emergence of new service providers in this area. Keep an eye out for the signs of an established and honest provider; these could include positive comments from users, as well as details regarding contact and support. Additionally, it is also a good sign if there are demo versions and example screenshots available from the TYPO3 templates on offer.

TYPO3 is particularly popular in Europe. To see what can be achieved using this CMS, here are a number of famous organizations across Europe who use TYPO3 for their website:

• Deutscher Fußball-Bund (the German national soccer association)
• France’s central airline company Air France
• Germany’s largest airline Deutsche Lufthansa
• Subway’s European internet presence
• Internationally-recognized electronics brand Philips

If you’d like to see TYPO3 in action, you can try a demo version in your browser.  

Compared to other content management systems, TYPO3 is less user-friendly. For those with absolutely no CMS experience, it may take a while longer to get to grips with TYPO3’s operation and many different functions than with some of the other options.

On the other hand, this is an enormously flexible CMS that offers endless possibilities (with the right know-how). The diverse range of plugins allows you to equip your TYPO3 website with a large variety different features, while the workflow tool makes organizing collaboration between several editors and admins easy. 

The ease of localization for many languages gives TYPO3 an advantage over WordPress and it’s also easy to manage several websites on the CMS. When it comes to troubleshooting, tutorials, or just new updates, the large community on TYPO3 is on hand to help. While admittedly complex, TYPO3 is a comprehensive CMS, offering almost limitless web design opportunities.