Who should use TYPO3 8 LTS?

This question cannot be answered so simply, as web projects can become very complex through the use of extensions and specially developed features, among other things. A list of pros and cons (especially with regard to the joy of use for editors and usability, technical security, costs and new possibilities in the CMS) should be considered here. We would like to provide a rough guideline with this article, but consider it necessary to seek advice from an expert regarding a relaunch or upgrade.

If your website still uses one of the older LTS versions such as TYPO3 4.5. or 6.2, you should consider an update not only because of the improvements for editors, but also because of the security aspect. For versions such as TYPO3 4.5, free security updates are no longer made available, which means that these systems could be potential targets for attack. In addition, most systems that still use an older TYPO3 version are not optimized for mobile devices. As a result, you will not rank well on Google and other search engines. For the older systems, we recommend a relaunch with TYPO3 8 LTS, as an upgrade across several versions can cause problems and the design and information architecture are usually also managed and can tolerate a new look.

An upgrade should be considered by those of you who are satisfied with your current website, e.g. in terms of design, but want an up-to-date and therefore secure system. And if you still have bad memories of updates from 4.5 to 6.2 or even from 6.2 to 7.6, we can reassure you. In the meantime, there are clever migration concepts that prevent upgrade projects from getting out of hand financially. But as already mentioned, the decision whether to upgrade or relaunch is often much more complex than we can explain in a blog post.

But no matter what you decide. With one of the new TYPO3 versions you will be faced with a lot of new things, even if the basic functionality remains the same. In the meantime, we have started our first project with TYPO3 8 LTS and will go online with it at the beginning of May. We have been able to learn a lot and gain practical experience and do not have to rely on release reports:

Why our developers value TYPO3 8 LTS

• Replacing the old Rich Text Editor and the subsequent configuration of the new CKEditor is very easy
• The backend is now significantly faster thanks to adjustments for the current PHP version 7
• The options for clearing the cache have been simplified
• Integration of different databases such as MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, MSSQL, etc. is possible
• Deployment on a proServer is super easy and fast thanks to improved Composer support
• More options to clearly mark up and configure special page types and content in the backend
• New core features require fewer additional extensions, resulting in leaner projects
• Through the regular and reliable scheduled releases, the TYPO3 Core Team has succeeded in making it easier for us to work with TYPO3

Why our customers and editors will love TYPO3 8 LTS

• Many areas of the TYPO3 core have been reprogrammed or revised, which also ensures increased security
• Editors can now even change content on their smartphone if desired
• Clever image editing with predefined settings for different devices is possible
• Forms can now be "clicked together" with just a few clicks (and without programming knowledge!!!)
• More freedom when translating
• The system can be adapted even better to individual workflows
• The new TYPO3 is up to date again in terms of technologies and code and is faster to use and less error-prone thanks to a major code clean-up
• and much more