TYPO3 Upgrade Case Study for Leading True-Crime Media Brand, Crime + Investigation
Industry
Media / Pay-TV Brand (DACH)
TYPO3 Project Type
TYPO3 Upgrade & Modernization
TYPO3 Extensions
23
Visit Website
https://www.crimeandinvestigation.de/
CrimeandInvestigation.de: A True-Crime Platform Built for Fast Content Discovery
Crime + Investigation is a true-crime focused TV brand in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The website supports users who want quick access to shows, schedules, and editorial content across devices.
For this kind of content platform, speed, clarity, and stable publishing workflows are critical. The website needs to stay fast and reliable while content is updated on a regular basis.
Partnership: NITSAN × Mokom01 TYPO3 Agency
This TYPO3 upgrade was delivered in partnership with mokom01 TYPO3 agency.
mokom01 supported delivery coordination and alignment with stakeholders. NITSAN handled the TYPO3 and PHP upgrade, extension modernization, CI/CD setup, testing, and go-live stability.
The Task & Challenges
The goal was to modernize the platform without disrupting daily publishing and content updates. The website needed a clean and future-ready TYPO3 base, better search, modern layouts, and improved performance.
Key challenges and goals:
- Upgrade TYPO3 from v10 to v12 and PHP from 7.4 to 8.2
- Run compatibility analysis and prepare upgrade reports
- Improve search to support fast content discovery
- Migrate from legacy layout tools to modern TYPO3 standards
- Set up GitLab CI/CD and a safe go-live process
- Test across devices and backend workflows
- Improve performance, SEO, and accessibility
TYPO3 & PHP Upgrade Foundation
We prepared technical and compatibility reports and upgraded the core platform with a controlled process.
Key work delivered:
- TYPO3 v10 → v12
- PHP v7.4 → v8.2
- Technical and compatibility analysis reports
- Modern TYPO3 site configuration, templates, and redirect setup
Search Migration for Better Findability
To improve content discovery, we replaced the legacy search setup with a modern TYPO3 search solution.
Key work delivered:
- Migration from EXT:indexed_search to EXT:ke_search
Layout Migration to Modern TYPO3 Standards
We modernized the layout system to reduce future upgrade risks and improve editor workflows.
Key work delivered:
- Migration from EXT:gridelements to EXT:container
Extension Additions
We added required business features while keeping the TYPO3 setup clean and maintainable.
Key work delivered:
- Added EXT:ci_shop
- Added EXT:newsletter
- Setup of EXT:typo3_console
QA, CI/CD & Go-Live Stability
We focused on testing, automation, and safe deployment to avoid surprises at launch.
Key work delivered:
- New GitLab CI/CD pipeline
- Cross-platform, UX/UI, functional, and backend usability testing
- Improved coding standards (extension scan, TCA fixes, error resolution, log review)
- Safe go-live and re-upgrade strategy to avoid data loss
Results at a Glance
- Modern TYPO3 v12 and PHP 8.2 base for long-term support
- Better search for fast content discovery
- Cleaner layouts for editors and future upgrades
- Stronger release process with CI/CD
- Performance and SEO targets aligned with 90+ PageSpeed goals
Newsletter & Retention Support
With EXT:newsletter, the platform can support audience engagement and campaign-driven communication while staying easy to manage inside TYPO3. This helps the brand build ongoing relationships with its audience.
