TYPO3 CMS: A Beginner's Guide (2025)

TYPO3 is your favorite CMS platform for creating and managing websites, whether it's a personal blog or a large corporate site. Let me show you how TYPO3 can become your all-in-one CMS for all your needs.

Sounds confusing? Let me explain it simply!

Developed in 1997 by Kasper Skårhøj,TYPO3 is an open source content management system (CMS) that allows companies to create, manage and expand their online presence. It is based on PHP and uses TypoScript, a powerful configuration language that allows for extensive customization and flexibility. Output is done in the browser with HTML and JavaScript, without the need for specialized software. TYPO3 is used by thousands of websites worldwide, especially in Europe, from small and medium-sized businesses to large corporations.

Here are a few brief facts about TYPO3:

• 3 million users worldwide
• 500,000+ active websites
• 9000+ available TYPO3 extensions
• 100% free & open source
• 900+ TYPO3 Association members
• Among the top 10 most secure CMS
• Supports 175+ languages
• 10,000+ exciting features
• 30,327 commits from 902 contributors
• Dedicated training system
• 595,857 lines of code
• TYPO3: CMS with the maximum number of extensive features.

Source: 1-2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12

TYPO3's journey began in 1997, when the Danish developer Kasper Skårhøj launched it as a personal TYPO3 project. His vision was to create a professionally flexible content management system that could handle complex website structures while remaining user-friendly.

Later, this platform reached a significant milestone when Kasper Skårhøj released TYPO3 as open source software under the GNU General Public License in 2001. This decision triggered rapid growth and innovation within the platform.

As you know, TYPO3 was developed in 1997. By 1999, the technical foundation was completed, and in 2000, the first public beta version was released. In 2001, TYPO3 became open source, and one year later, in 2002, the official websites typo3.com and typo3.org were relaunched.

The name "TYPO3" was chosen to emphasize the focus on typography. Originally, there were versions 1, 2 and 2.5 of Typo. But with the success of version 3, which established the brand essence, the "3" was added to the name. Since version 4, TYPO3 has been the official product name - and will remain so in the future.

Source: https://typo3.org/history

TYPO3 must first be installed on your server in order to use it. Here is a quick overview:

• System requirements
  First, check that your server meets the requirements for TYPO3. You will need PHP, a web server such as Apache or Nginx and a database such as MariaDB or MySQL.
• Get TYPO3 now
  Download the latest TYPO3 version from the download page. You can use Composer or download a ZIP file.
• Upload files
  Upload the TYPO3 files to your server. If you are using FTP, make sure you upload to the correct directory. Alternatively, you can use Composer by using the command composer create-project typo3/cms-base-distribution
• Set up database
  Create a database for TYPO3. Follow the steps in the TYPO3 documentation to configure your database connection.
• Install TYPO3
  Open your web browser and go to your TYPO3 installation to start the setup process. Follow the TYPO3 installation guide for step by step instructions.
• First configuration
  After the installation of TYPO3 some basic settings have to be made:
• Backend access
  Login to the TYPO3 backend with the credentials you created. You can usually do this at yourdomain.com/typo3.
• Configure basic settings
  Go to the "Admin Tools" module to set up the site configuration, language settings and e-mail settings. Further details can be found in the TYPO3 site configuration documentation.
• Install extensions
  TYPO3 can be extended with additional features through extensions. To add or customize extensions, go to the "Extension Manager" in the backend. You can find popular extensions in the TYPO3 Extension Repository.
• Create first page
  Create and manage the pages of your website with the "Page Module". This allows you to create the structure and content of your website.
• Check security settings
  Following the TYPO3 Security Guide will help you to ensure the security of your TYPO3 website.

Further information and help can be found in the TYPO3 manual.

The TYPO3 Login is the access to your TYPO3 Content Management System. It allows administrators, editors and developers to log in securely and manage website content, settings and features. Logging in to TYPO3 is quick and easy. Here's how it works:

• Go to the TYPO3 login page:
  Open your browser and go to yourwebsite.com/typo3. Here you will find the TYPO3 login page.
• Enter your details:
  Enter your username and password. These are the details that your administrator has given you. Once entered, click on the "Login" button to continue.
• Access the dashboard:
  Once you have successfully logged in, you will see the TYPO3 dashboard. This is your control center where you can edit pages, upload images and manage content.
• Secure your TYPO3 login:
  Always use a strong password to protect your account. If your website supports it, enable two-factor authentication (2FA) for added protection.

The TYPO3 login process is simple and secure, making it easy for you to manage your website while protecting your data. If you have problems logging in, check your login details or contact your administrator for help.

Templates define the visual layout and design of a TYPO3 website for the topics they cover and ensure consistent and professional styling across all pages. Extensions add additional features to the website, such as forms, SEO tools or e-commerce capabilities, and allow customization beyond the basic TYPO3 features.

NITSAN is also involved in providing most extensions and templates for TYPO3 and offers a variety of TYPO3 templates and TYPO3 extension to enhance your website. Some of the top templates are T3 Bootstrap, T3 Karma and T3 Shiva, while popular extensions include Simple Cookies Bar, Zoho CRM Integration and Facebook Comment Plugin. These solutions help in creating visually appealing sites and add important features to fulfill your requirements.

User friendliness

• WordPress: Very beginner-friendly. You can set up a simple website quickly - without any programming knowledge. The user interface is intuitive and the Gutenberg editor lets you drag and drop content.
• TYPO3: Made for experts. Quite complicated for non-developers. The setup requires technical knowledge and the interface seems overwhelming at first.

Security

• TYPO3: More secure by default, especially for large organizations. It is less likely to be targeted by hackers and offers built-in features such as strict user permissions.
• WordPress: Relies on plugins (e.g. Wordfence) for security. Due to its popularity, it is a frequent target, but regular updates and good plugins ensure protection.

Scalability

• TYPO3: Ideal for large, complex websites (e.g. multinational companies or governments). It supports multiple languages, large teams and high traffic smoothly.
• WordPress: Best for small to medium-sized sites (blogs, online stores). It can scale with plugins and optimizations, but requires additional effort for enterprise-level projects.

Cost

Both are free (open source), but the costs differ:

• TYPO3: Requires developers for setup and maintenance, which can be expensive.
• WordPress: Cheaper in the initial phase. Costs increase if you buy premium themes/plugins or hire developers for customization.

SEO

• WordPress: Easier for SEO beginners. Plugins like Yoast give you tips in real time.
• TYPO3 SEO: Powerful built-in SEO tools, but requires technical know-how to use effectively.

Who should use what?

• Choose WordPress if you're looking for a quick and easy solution for a blog, portfolio or small business. Perfect for DIY users.
• Choose TYPO3 if you're a large organization looking for a secure, multilingual platform with complex workflows. Worth the investment for enterprise requirements.

View detailed comparison

TYPO3 is scalable, customizable and fully featured and reliable with true scalability - ideal for websites of any size, especially if you take the plan do check act approach. With support for multiple languages and a user-friendly interface, even non-technical users can easily manage content. Adapts perfectly to the needs of any business, be it e-commerce, corporate websites or news portals.

Use cases for TYPO3 in digitalization : The roadmap for TYPO3 v14 shows the future development and application areas.

• E-commerce: Create seamless online stores with TYPO3's powerful e-commerce integrations.
• Enterprise websites: Develop professional, scalable websites that reflect your brand.
• News portals: Manage and share news quickly and efficiently with TYPO3's content sharing tools.
• Educational websites: Organize and deliver educational content effectively with TYPO3's flexible structure.

TYPO3 is the most secure, scalable and flexible CMS - perfect for businesses of all sizes, and especially for TYPO3 the professional flexible solutions. Thanks to extensive customization options that can be tailored to high level objectives and strategic goals and business needs, while support for multiple languages makes it ideal for international companies. With integrated workflows, robust security and the flexibility of open source, TYPO3 enables the creation of user-friendly, professional websites that can grow with your business.

In 2025, TYPO3 remains a popular choice for many organizations, powering over nearly 500.000+ websites worldwide, especially in Europe. Even though TYPO3 only accounts for 0.6% of websites worldwide, it continues to evolve with regular updates and remains relevant. TYPO3 has a strong presence and is trusted by numerous companies in industries such as finance, healthcare, education and more. Its focus on sustainability, accessibility and the integration of new technologies makes it the preferred choice for organizations with demanding digital requirements.

Release schedule

• TYPO3 version 14 LTS is planned for the end of April 2026 .

Overarching goals

• Improve the user experience (UX): Modernize the backend user interface to increase speed and usability.
• Lower the barrier to entry: Simplify installation and setup with best practice recommendations and improved documentation
• Simplified migration and upgrades: Ensure easy upgrades from TYPO3 v13 to v14 with clear documentation and automated processes.
• GenAI Toolbox: Integrating AI features by providing APIs that enable external AI services to assist editors with content creation and management.
• Marketing and customer acquisition: Developing the partner program to help agencies showcase their expertise and providing resources such as presentations and ROI calculators for customer acquisition.

The TYPO3 community and development team are constantly working to improve the CMS platform with features such as improved cloud integration, higher performance and stronger security. Another focus is the support of headless CMS to help users create omnichannel experiences. The most important new releases are the TYPO3 AI Extension and the TYPO3 Headless Architecture, which improves the user experience.

The next release is TYPO3 Web Accessibilitya highly anticipated update that aims to make websites built with TYPO3 more accessible and user-friendly for everyone. The future growth of TYPO3 will be driven by the community to ensure that the platform evolves with the needs of the modern web.

Ready to create a TYPO3 website or improve your existing one? Whether you're a developer exploring or a business owner looking for a reliable solution, TYPO3 offers everything you need in the professional flexible content management space. For expert advice you can contact NITSAN - Agency for TYPO3to turn your project ideas into reality - we will help you with customized solutions that fit your needs exactly.