TYPO3 Update / End of Support for TYPO3 8.x

TYPO3 support for the eighth version ended recently

The eighth version of the well-established content management system TYPO3, currently used by many businesses, had a Long Term Support (LTS) period, as is customary with TYPO3 upgrades. This ensures that users receive regular security updates. Because this TYPO3 support usually contains no breaking changes, updates can be carried out quickly and without complications. In March 2020, LTS for the eighth version of the content management system came to an end, because frameworks, PHP and other technological foundations are regularly updated. If you're currently using TYPO3 8 LTS, you have the following options to stay up to date with current technology:

- You use Extended Long Term Support (ELTS). However, this comes with additional costs.
- You upgrade your CMS to version 9.

If you don't know which TYPO3 version you're currently working with, simply log in to your backend. In the upper left corner you'll find the exact indication of your TYPO3 version. If neither of the above options is suitable for you, the only remaining possibility is a complete website relaunch. If your content management system contains countless individual customizations, these cannot be migrated within a short period of time. In this case, Extended Long Term Support would at least give you regular security updates if you don't have time for an upgrade. The security updates can be applied with little time investment, but they are quite expensive due to their annual license costs. If you need more than one license, you naturally pay even more. In the long run, upgrading to new software versions is not only more cost-effective, but also gives you, in addition to the usual security updates, many further features and improvements that matter for your business.

 

TYPO3 update to version 9

The ninth version of the popular content management system also comes with LTS. If you update your system to this TYPO3 successor, you'll benefit from free security updates until the end of September 2021. A complete upgrade to the ninth version offers you a whole range of advantages. You get a dedicated SEO module that lets you optimize your company website for search engines. It also performs better with the upgrade to TYPO3 9. If you want speaking URLs, for example, you no longer need to install any third-party extensions: the upgrade already brings this useful feature with it. In addition, the ninth TYPO3 version scores points with an optimized frontend and new site handling.

 

TYPO3 update to version 10

If you're working with the ninth TYPO3 version, an upgrade to the tenth version is recommended. Since April 21, 2020, the latest LTS release of the content management system has been available. It will deliver free security updates until an expected April 2023. Version 10 contains even more new features: integrators make configuration easier. Extensive site management has been updated. In addition, there are new APIs and PHP packages, as well as email templates that can be customized individually.

 

Why a TYPO3 upgrade is the better choice

If you decide to update, you don't just get the obligatory security backups. Every update to the main version includes additional features, bug fixes and technical optimizations. You can recognize the main version by the first digit of the version number, for example 9.x.x for the ninth version of the content management system. Main versions always bring new features and structural improvements with them. A minor version, for example, is 9.5.x. This is the fifth minor version (second digit). Such a sub-version usually contains the development of individual, extensive features. The most recent minor version is also the release of the Long Term Support. You can tell which patch version your ninth TYPO3 update has by the third number of the version number. As the name suggests, patch versions only make smaller adjustments that update the minor version.

Every main version receives at least three years of security backups and bugfixes after its transition from the stabilization phase into the LTS phase. During this time, no further minor versions are released. So if, for example, you use the 9.5 version with LTS, which has been in common use since early October 2018, along with correspondingly adapted TYPO3 extensions, you won't need a new upgrade until the end of September 2021 at the earliest. Many users bridge the time until purchasing the new upgrade with the paid ELTS version. This support is then available for a further two years. Even though it's generally possible to use the respective main TYPO3 version until the new upgrade is released, this approach is not recommended for security reasons. This is because support for certain parts of the CMS, such as PHP versions, runs out earlier. This can lead to security vulnerabilities that LTS and ELTS support cannot fundamentally prevent, since they arise from the use of outdated software and hardware. Once LTS and ELTS versions expire, your system is no longer protected at all.

To prevent security risks, it's advisable to carry out an upgrade before this support phase expires. In addition, using the latest technology brings faster load times and better performance for the entire CMS. You increase the usability of your website and also contribute to a better Google ranking. TYPO3 upgrades can be carried out without any problems. Later on, operating costs will be lower than with an outdated system. It also makes later TYPO3 updates easier to carry out. If your software has extensions that increase its functionality, these will of course also need to be adapted. It's even possible that some of these extensions and system features are no longer available for your upgrade. If your previous TYPO3 version has various extensions and even custom-built code, the migration will take more time. An upgrade carried out at the latest after three years is also important for you as a business owner, because your website must always comply with current regulations, such as the German Telemedia Act.