TYPO3 v10: Everything you need to know [New Features | Benefits | Roadmap | Upgrade Guide]

With enhanced functionalities and stable features, the TYPO3 CMS is all set to reinstate its status in the world of CMS with the LTS release of its latest version - TYPO3 v10.4. Version 10 started with its initial release of v10.0 in July 2019. With the Initiative approach launched last year, the version packs a huge list of improved functionalities for the CMS. 

Version 10 LTS release is expected to be on April 21st 2020. With an eye for improved speed and better user experience, the TYPO3 v10 aims to set a higher benchmark than its predecessors and make the CMS "future-ready."

 

What are the features of TYPO3 version 10?

In a broader sense, the TYPO3 version 10 will focus on:

• Improving the stability of APIs to strengthen the TYPO3 CMS core functionality
• Incorporate innovation from independent and community-driven initiatives. 
• Improving site setup and template handling.

 

Fluid-Based Frontend Login

The extension Frontend login is used extensively for providing users with an efficient way to login to the website. It is easy to use and integrate but has several limitations, which are rectified by the TYPO3 v10. 

With version 10, the Frontend Login Form templates can now be easily edited. It also supports 
sending HTML-based password recovery emails. The extension now supports adjustment and modification of validators as well, to reinforce the password protection.

 

Usage of the keyboard for navigation

With version 10, the backend navigation is made simpler. As opposed to the need for using a mouse to navigate through the page tree in TYPO3 CMS backend, a user can now utilise the keyboard for easy navigation. 

For a laptop user accessing the TYPO3 backend, the new update can reduce the time and efforts involved in page tree navigation. As the previous version used just the mouse for navigation, it can be tiresome while using a trackpad.

 

Improvements in Dashboard

With the new update, the manner in which the database displays information to the backend user is enhanced. Now the developers can create their own widgets for the dashboard, making dashboard navigation faster, personalised and more effective.

The development of version 10 progressed with prime importance for flexibility and expandability. This is evident with how flexible the dashboard is for the backend users. With the new version, the backend users can configure multiple dashboards and swiftly shift between them. They can also add, rearrange or remove widgets, just the way they like.

 

New Translation Server

TYPO3 is known for allowing admins to work at the backend with the language one understands, as long as translations are available for them. This makes TYPO3 a global CMS and helps admins to work faster and more effectively. With the new update, TYPO3 is leveraging the capabilities of Crowdin, to translate even better. Crowdin is a localisation management platform with great functionalities for clear translation. It is a cloud-based content localisation solution and offers a free plan for open source projects.

 

Compatible with latest versions of PHP and MySQL

Just like TYPO3, PHP and MySQL undergo frequent crucial updates to maintain continued performance. Version 10 is built to be compatible for the latest versions of PHP and MySQL, enabling you to use the latest versions of all technologies used for your website.

 

More focus on SEO

With SEO being an essential constituent for your website's searchability and reach, version 10 has brought in some significant changes to facilitate improved SEO. With version 10 aiming to incorporate innovation from communities, the same was done for SEO. The SEO initiative equips TYPO3 CMS to rely more on the best SEO practices rather than third-party plugins as done before. 

With Search Engines giving highest importance to page load speeds and mobile responsiveness, version 10 is developed keeping that in mind. Along with version 9's update on creating progressive images for the website, version 10 adds to this and makes the process even smoother, helping your website load faster. With version 10, there will be a significant increase in page load speeds, resulting in an improved SEO.

 

Frontend Editing is more User-friendly

While the TYPO3 CMS already has a user-friendly interface, the version 10 further improves on it and makes the frontend editing even more comfortable to perform. This makes it easier for a user to create and modify the contents of the website.

With the frontend editing, a user benefits by being able to see real-time changes in the website while editing contents. This helps save time and better understand what works for the webpage and what doesn't. Another advantage of frontend editing is that an editor can place and test contents, real-time, for mobile responsiveness.

 

How can your business benefit from TYPO3 v10?

From a business point of view, an increase in the number of customers and sales is what matters. With the TYPO3 v10, your website gets equipped for just that. The enhanced user experience will deliver the best online experience to each visitor, trying to know more about your business.

Even from an employee's perspective, the CMS must be user-friendly for effective utilisation of its capabilities. Only then, they can create and manage the contents easier. With the new upgrade, frontend editing is made simpler, and it can save a considerable amount of time. An editor can now make changes to the contents of the website and see those changes in real-time.

To catch up with the demands of the middlewares and the DBMS, updating your CMS into the latest version is a necessity. This would ensure your website is performing at its peak level, leaving no room for incongruity. With version 10, TYPO3 supports SameSite cookies, helping in improving user’s privacy. 

Irrespective of businesses, every customer seeks services that are relevant and updated. By updating to the latest version, you are protecting your website from vulnerability issues that were unresolved in the previous version. This, in turn, helps in providing a safe online experience to your site's visitors. 

An impressive characteristic of  TYPO3 CMS is that it can be easily upgraded to the latest version. For a business website with a significant number of visitors, frequent updates will help in terms of security and improved functionalities. By updating to version 10, you are equipping your CMS to magnify your site's efforts in exceeding a visitor's expectations.

 

TYPO3 v10 - Roadmap

A striking advantage of TYPO3 CMS is that a version upgrade is accompanied by several updates to make the CMS as stable as possible, ensuring uncompromised performance. A version undergoes several important updates until its LTS release. An enthusiastic community of developers constitutes the backbone of TYPO3 by rectifying errors and perfecting each component of the TYPO3 CMS. Version 10.0 was released on July 23rd, 2019 and its LTS release is expected to be on April 21st, 2020.

 

How to upgrade to TYPO3 version 10?

For TYPO3, upgrading to the latest version is easy. The compatibility issues with the extensions are what make the process a bit intricate. But, if you follow a systematic process with the help of detailed instructions, then the upgrade would be slick as a whistle. if you feeling struggle in updating Typo3, Feel free to contact us

 

Preparing for the Upgrade

As crucial as upgrading is, the preparation ensures there is no data loss, and the website is safe from errors. To make the upgrading process seamless:

• Check whether your system is compatible with the TYPO3 version 10.
• Check whether the extensions you have used are compatible with version 10. If not, disable those extensions to avoid compatibility issues.
• Make sure all extensions are updated to their latest versions.
• Backup all files of TYPO3 installation and the database, so that in case something goes wrong, you can always go back to the older version.
• Check whether the Live server is compatible with the latest version.
• Disable the backend access so that no one else will make any changes during the upgrading process.

 

Upgrading to the latest version

• Download and set up the installation from Live to a Local server. Never perform the upgrade on the live site.
• Upgrade the TYPO3 core to the latest version in the Local server
• Upgrade extensions
• If there are some incompatible extensions, try for alternative extensions with same functionalities
• Perform QA testing to ensure the upgrade hasn't introduced any potential bugs

 

Recheck backend permissions

If your website has multiple contributors, including backend users with limited access like an editor, then there will be a need to adjust the permissions, as the upgrade may have caused some minor irregularities in permission levels.

For example, if the new version has an addition of a new extension, then a backend user with limited permissions must be granted access to it.

 

Update the language packages 

Even the language packages need an update after the version upgrade to ensure it is compatible and seamless in functioning. As there will be additional language functionalities with the version, matching it with the latest language packs will ultimately boost the website's performance.

Once the upgrade process is completed, and the CMS works smooth, reassess for potential errors and if everything works fine, upload the installation to live, and you are good to go. Also, perform a database comparison once again to ensure no data is lost. 

After the upgrade, a little bit of cleaning is required to ensure maximum performance. For this, delete the unused extensions, and your TYPO3 CMS installation will be robust and safer like never before.