Best Practice for TYPO3 Template Flux Integration

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The different ways of TYPO3 template integration is an interesting topic for TYPO3 integrators from beginners to experts who have always been enthusiastic about adapting new ways/techniques. Generally, TYPO3 integrators work with their fixed TYPO3 cheat pack, which are sometimes a bit outdated methods. This article will help you to choose best TYPO3 template integration approach to get following advantages:

Compatibility with future Versions of TYPO3
A flexible solution that covers the modern frontend development requirements
Quick implementation to safe your very precious time for more important topics
Easy maintenance (especially if you are maintaining couple of TYPO3 instances)

Different TYPO3 templating method:

TYPO3 is one of the most powerful enterprise level Content Management Systems and it is very easy to integrate your own tailored made HTML Template. There are different approaches available and even you can develop your own custom framework or TYPO3 Template dummy which can be reused for all your projects.

The Survey at T3POLL DAY:

The ‘T3POLL DAY’ is a special day which has been arranged by iTUG (India TYPO3 User Group). On this day we create polls on different social media channels to get to know the opinion of the TYPO3 community about ongoing hot topics concerning the TYPO3 CMS. In May 2016 we asked the TYPO3 community which TYPO3 template integration method they like best and use for their projects. The participation was on a very high rate. Thanks for all your great comments and responses! Please find below the summary.

The Nominees for TYPO3 templating method:

We have defined a number of the well known TYPO3 templating methods, so the TYPO3 Integrators from beginners to experts can vote for. Here is the list:

Fluid + EXT:Gridelements + EXT:DCE
Fluid + Gridelements (w/o DCE etc)
Pure Extbase/Fluid
FluidTYPO3.org (Fluid/Flux/VHS etc.,)
Fluid +EXT:mask
TYPO3-Themes.org
EXT:bootstrap_package
bsdist.ch
EXT:automaketemplate (still?)
EXT:TemplaVoila (still?)
Traditional Templating (still?)

The Top 3 templating methods for TYPO3 CMS:

1st - Pure Extbase/Fluid Extbase/Fluid is modern templating method which was introduced at TYPO3 4.3 at November 2009 in TYPO3 Core. The whole template can be developed within available core TYPO3 like Fluid templates, TypoScript, Extbase code etc.

2nd runner up - Fluid + EXT:Gridelements + EXT:DCE The combination of Fluid template & other extensions. EXT:Gridelements: It’s one of the famous TYPO3 extension which provides Grids/Columns. EXT:DCE: Dynamic Content Element This TYPO3 extension is very useful to develop flexible content element.

3rd runner up - FluidTYPO3.org (Fluid/Flux/VHS etc.,) It’s one another widely used method with combination of multiple extensions like EXT:flux, EXT:vhs, EXT:fluidpages, EXT:fluidcontent. It provides very quick implementation of Backend layout & frontend output with XML & Fluid template.

Reference: www.facebook.com/groups/typo3/permalink/1194001313981188/

What about other methods?

There are many startup packages (TYPO3 Dummys) to develop TYPO3 site in different ways like typo3-themes.org, bootstrap_package, bsdist.ch which are powerful but not popular yet.

The old-school approaches like TemplaVoila, Automaketemplate, Traditional markers templating are not being used more either their old approach or the incompatibility with the latest TYPO3 version like 7.6.x LTS.

Conclusion:

TYPO3 developers mostly believe in using the available core Extbase/Fluid templating method. Because there are few problems with ready-made TYPO3 extension like compatibility issues on future releases of the TYPO3 CMS, or the extension support can be stopped at any moment, content data should be relying on TYPO3 core instead of any third party extensions etc. Checkout the following comments on this topic by Jigal - One of the most active TYPO3 contributor on Facebook TYPO3 Public group.

On the other hand, the authors & contributors of TYPO3 extensions eg. DCE, Gridelements, FluidTYPO3.org, Mask, Gridelements, TYPO3-Themes.org & many others are continuesly giving their great support to TYPO3 Community. Nowdays, those extensions are widely used because of simple, flexible & faster development. TYPO3 integrators try to implement different combinations using backend layout, fluid template, other extensions for FCE. Personally, I would like to thank to all of them for their such good contribution to TYPO3.

Which one is your favorite TYPO3 templating approach? You can provide us your feedback/suggestions/questions at below comment section.

Best Practice for TYPO3 Template Integration