TYPO3 Insider Scoop - 2024 January Edition

Welcome to the "TYPO3 Insider Scoop - 2024 January Edition," your comprehensive guide to the latest developments and noteworthy events within the TYPO3 community. As we kick off the new year, this edition brings you insights into key happenings, including the selection of funded ideas, significant updates from FOSDEM, and the TYPO3 Partner Program.

Delve into the world of TYPO3 as we explore reports from T3CON23, discussions on the future of FOSS Content Management at FOSDEM, and the introduction of the TYPO3 Community Mediation Policy. Stay tuned for updates on TYPO3 releases, maintenance releases, and the thriving Motivation Research Team's efforts. Join us on a journey through the diverse land of TYPO3, where innovation, collaboration, and community spirit continue to shape the trajectory of this open-source CMS platform.

You can Explore the insights and developments from the previous month in TYPO3 by revisiting the "TYPO3 Insider Scoop - 2023 December Edition”.

Breaking News, On 31st January 2024 TYPO3 Association announced the appointment of Mr. Daniel Fau as the CEO of TYPO3 GmbH. After serving as interim CEO for over 12 months, this official appointment will bring stability and predictability in TYPO3 GmbH. In December 2022, Daniel Dau took the leadership of TYPO3 GmbH as an interim CEO.

Great news! TYPO3 just released version 13.0, and it's a big step towards making TYPO3 better. They're planning to support this version for a long time. They upgraded some important things under the hood, and now TYPO3 can be used in more languages around the world. This is a big deal for people who use TYPO3 internationally.

If you're curious about the details, they improved the system's ability to work with languages that are read from right to left, like Arabic. This makes TYPO3 more accessible to a wider audience.

So, in a nutshell, TYPO3 is getting better, and version 13.0 is a significant update with improvements for international users.

Key Changes in TYPO3 v13.0

RTL Support:
TYPO3 backend now supports right-to-left (RTL) text direction for languages like Arabic and Hebrew.

Optional Modules:
Admin Tools and Extension Manager are decoupled for Composer-based installations, boosting security.

Entry Point Simplified:
No dedicated "/typo3/" directory needed for backend access, offering configurable backend URI.

Search in Form Framework:
Form Manager eases finding forms with a new search input field.

Password Recovery Enhancement:
Improved customization options for password recovery emails in “felogin.”

Hotkeys in Backend:
Custom keyboard shortcuts added for backend users.

Clean-Up and Upgrades:
Deprecated components removed, jQueryUI and RequireJS dropped, recycler page type eliminated.

System Requirements:
PHP version 8.2 required, supporting Symfony v7 and updated Doctrine DBAL.

Database Support:
MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, SQLite versions specified.

TYPO3 Association Announces Funding for Four Winning Ideas in Quarter 1/2024

The TYPO3 Association has concluded its member poll for Quarter 1/2024 budget ideas, with four winning proposals selected for funding. The chosen projects, covering Development, Community, and TYPO3 CMS, will receive a total budget of €32,500.

The selected initiatives include implementing Rector rules for easier TYPO3 v12 updates (€5,000), reviving the image rendering initiative (€10,000), developing the TransFusion Extension for TYPO3 v12+ (€10,000), and working on ACL Improvements, including predefined users and groups during installation (€7,500).

The winners will be supported by the Business Control Committee (BCC) and are expected to report progress on typo3.org. Despite close voting results, all ideas were deemed worthy by the BCC. The association encourages continued participation in the next round for Quarter 2/2024, with the call for ideas scheduled for February 2024.

FOSDEM Hosts Drupal, Joomla, TYPO3, and WordPress Collaboration on 4 February 2024

The Drupal, Joomla, TYPO3, and WordPress communities are coming together for a one-day track at FOSDEM in Brussels on 4 February 2024.

This free event aims to facilitate discussions, learning, and collaboration on issues affecting FOSS CMS projects, covering topics from policy and development to security. The focus is on caring for community, contribution, and code across different CMS projects, emphasizing the shared challenges and opportunities in the FOSS ecosystem.

The event, hosted by Jeffrey A. "jam" McGuire, includes topics ranging from accessibility and editing interfaces to open-source leadership. The day concludes with a roundtable discussion among representatives from all participating CMSs, exploring collaboration to strengthen the FOSS community. TYPO3 community members will also be present, offering opportunities for networking and engagement at the Meet TYPO3 event.

Attendance is free, and other FOSS CMS projects and communities are encouraged to join the conversation.

After the anticipation following the announcement at T3CON23 and gathering valuable insights from our Early Adopters, we are delighted to introduce the revamped TYPO3 Partner Program starting in 2024. Shaped by user feedback, this program offers a diverse range of benefits, aiming to provide substantial value for TYPO3 Partners in the ever-evolving landscape of web development and content management systems. 

Thoughts Behind the New Partner Program

Emphasizing collaboration and expertise as essential components of success, the program is built on transparency, trust, communication, and collaboration. It marks a new era for the TYPO3 Project.

New Partnership Levels

TYPO3 Consultant Partner: Tailored for freelancers, consultants, and trainers, offering benefits such as a 10% yearly Kickback option, inclusion in marketing campaigns, and direct leads for training and client requests.
TYPO3 Solution Partner: Geared towards agencies and service providers, featuring a 20% yearly Kickback option, marketing collaboration opportunities, and prominent placements on TYPO3 landing pages.
TYPO3 Technology Partner: Designed for hosters and integration partners, with a 45% yearly Kickback option, joint marketing measures, and active communication as top technology partners.

Benefits Based on Three Pillars

Financial Benefits & Discounts: Partners enjoy up to 45% yearly Kickback on GmbH services, reduced sponsorship rates, and an event support budget.
Communication & Marketing: Partners gain visibility on typo3.com and official channels, establishing themselves as experts and leveraging TYPO3's extensive outreach.
Exchange & Collaboration: Regular roundtables focus on security, product strategy, and TYPO3 development, ensuring partners stay informed and shape TYPO3's future.

Pricing Structure

Transparent pricing aligned with association goals. Each partnership level has a set default price, reflecting the value of benefits. Membership level in the TYPO3 Association reduces the partnership price, acknowledging commitment to TYPO3.

The new TYPO3 Partner Program is not just a collaboration; it's a recognition and celebration of partners' commitment to the TYPO3 Project.

Navigating the Content Crisis and Industrializing Content Production

Mathias Reinhardt's T3CON23 talk highlighted the challenges of managing content in the face of rising demand. Focusing on an industrialized approach, he emphasized the importance of measurability, decoupling content creation from production, breaking down silos, and cautiously integrating AI solutions. The session provided valuable insights into efficient content management in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. To explore more talks, catch up on T3CON23.

TYPO3 has announced the release of maintenance updates for its Enterprise Content Management System. The versions 12.4.10 LTS and 11.5.34 LTS are focused on maintenance, with no further database upgrades required.

Users can download TYPO3 through traditional methods, such as using the source package at get.typo3.org or setting up a project with the composer. Additional details and release notes can be found at the following links:

• TYPO3 12.4.10 Release Notes
• TYPO3 11.5.34 Release Notes

The TYPO3 Community introduces the Community Mediation Policy, focusing on arbitration, mediation, and conflict resolution to maintain harmony within the organization. Rachel Foucard, a member of the TYPO3 Board, emphasizes the importance of addressing disagreements and preventing conflicts, especially in a global organization with diverse teams.

The policy aims to create an open environment for feedback and complaints, with a two-level resolution process: the Complaint Handling Process and the external mediation-based Dispute Resolution Process. The article underscores the significance of harmony in organizational efficiency and motivation and outlines the principles and benefits of mediation in conflict resolution. The TYPO3 Board is actively working on enhancing governance and structured teams. Stay tuned for further updates!

The TYPO3 Motivation Research Team reflects on a dynamic year in 2023, marked by growth, presentations, surveys, and collaboration with the EMPAMOS research project. The team expanded by three members and updated its mission to encompass both on-site and online community team activities.

Exploring motivation psychology and gamification, the team engaged with the EMPAMOS project, attending workshops and barcamps to enhance their skills. A community survey identified key motivation factors, leading to the development of tools addressing conflict resolution, code review enhancement, and fostering learning and growth.

The team is currently beta-testing these tools within TYPO3 community teams, with plans to make them publicly available soon. If interested in trying these tools, teams are encouraged to reach out to the TYPO3 Motivation Research Team for collaboration.

The TYPO3 community invites users to participate in a survey focusing on Access Control Lists (ACL) improvements. The aim is to gather insights into configuring access permissions in TYPO3, understanding user experiences, challenges, and suggestions for enhancement.

With the goal of refining ACL to provide a more user-friendly, versatile, and community-aligned system, feedback from developers, content managers, and end-users is crucial. The short survey, accessible until February 1, 2024, allows participants to contribute their thoughts, which will play a significant role in shaping the future of TYPO3's ACL functionality.

The community is dedicated to transparency, promising updates on progress and how user feedback influences ACL features in TYPO3.

The TYPO3 Developer Days 2024 invites participants to contribute to an exciting edition centered around the theme "Future & Innovation." The call emphasizes original talks exploring cutting-edge ideas and pushing the boundaries of TYPO3 development. First-time speakers are actively sought to introduce fresh perspectives and new insights.

The event aims to create an environment for learning, sharing, and envisioning the future of TYPO3 development. Submissions are encouraged in specific categories, including Extension Development, Frontend Development (CSS/JS/Accessibility), Infrastructure, Project Best Practices and Stories, AI in web development, and Beyond Horizons – exploring diverse topics beyond the TYPO3 ecosystem. The deadline for submitting talk suggestions is March 31, 2024. Contributors are encouraged to align their proposals with the specified categories and follow the submission guidelines for detailed information.

The TYPO3 Documentation Team underwent dynamic changes in 2023, marked by resilience and innovation in maintaining and enhancing the project's documentation. The year began with Martin Bless stepping down as team leader, succeeded by Lina Wolf, with Chris Müller becoming the new Co-Lead.

Team changes included the departure of David Bruchmann and Tom Warwick and the addition of Florian Thiele and Sarah McCarthy. The team actively worked on updating documentation for TYPO3 v12, preparing for the v13.0 release, software maintenance, optimizing rendering methods, and participating in community events.

In 2023, TYPO3 documentation saw collaboration from 79 contributors, resulting in 1554 changes. The 'edit on GitHub' button became a hub for community involvement, symbolizing active participation and improvement. The report highlights the team's commitment to excellence, resilience, adaptability, and sustained progress in TYPO3 documentation throughout the year.

In 2023, the TYPO3 community experienced dynamic changes, including leadership shifts in the Documentation Team and the introduction of new partner programs. Events like FOSDEM and T3CON23 provided platforms for discussions on open-source CMS projects, emphasizing collaboration. The TYPO3 Motivation Research Team focused on tools to enhance motivation, while a Community Mediation Policy was introduced for conflict resolution.

A survey on Access Control Lists (ACL) sought community insights for improvements. The community is gearing up for TYPO3 Developer Days 2024, with a call for innovative talk submissions. Overall, TYPO3 remains active, collaborative, and forward-thinking in 2024.