Mastering TypoScript: TYPO3 Website, Template, and Extension Development

Free, open-source, flexible, and scalable, TYPO3 is one of the most powerful PHP content management systems. It is well suited for creating intranets and extranets for the enterprise. While providing an easy-to-use web interface for non-technical authors and editors of content, its messaging and workflow system enable shared authoring and collaboration. TYPO3 provides flexible and powerful interfaces for both content editors and administrators, giving them full control of the core aspects the system. However for developers who need to customize the system, TYPO3 offers a powerful configuration language called TypoScript. Good knowledge of TypoScript is really a prerequisite for implementing complex applications with TYPO3 and gives developers full control over the configuration of TYPO3 and its template engine. TypoScript enables the complete output template to be created and manipulated, giving you full control over the layout of the site.

TypoScript also allows you to integrate dynamic contents, JavaScript-based menus, Flash, Graphics, etc. with ease. You have maximum control over the design of the website and can control all options that would otherwise be addressed by HTML—simple text output, formatting, and much more. TypoScript also allows you to generate graphics at run time and display different content dynamically.

TypoScript is a declarative programming language that offers developers, administrators, and designers full control over the configuration of TYPO3 and its template engine. Only with a good command of TypoScript can you leverage the powerful capabilities of the TYPO3 engine, to customize and control all aspects of your TYPO3 sites. If you're serious about TYPO3 as your content platform, you need to master TypoScript.

• Design and develop templates in TYPO3—design templates, pure TypoScript templates, and TemplaVoila
• Develop extensions in TYPO3; build extensions using Kickstarter
• Understand the objects, properties, operators, and data types in TypoScript
• Use and customize different text editors like HTMLAreaRTE and Rich-Text-Editor
• Understand the entire TYPO3 back end, including the Info/Modify tool, the Object browser, the Template Analyzer, and the TypoScript Properties display
• Edit the front end using the Admin panel
• Work with design templates using markers, subparts, and HTML comments
• Understand how to present different views of content with different menu entry types
• Understand TYPO3 database structure and query it using SQL
• Use user groups to distribute the editing and management of content on your site
• Customize the back end with Page TSConfig and User TSConfig

Written in a clear, easy-to-read style, the book provides step-by-step instructions on using TypoScript for TYPO3 website development, template and extension development, and back-end and front-end administration. Each topic is tackled in a clear and practical way with many examples to develop your skills.

This book is suitable for TYPO3 developers, administrators, and designers who want to develop fully featured TYPO3 websites using the power of TypoScript. A basic knowledge of TYPO3 is expected, and PHP and MySQL programming experience is useful, though not essential for using this book.