Why is it so hard to find a TYPO3 developer in Germany right now?
Because demand spiked while supply stayed flat. TYPO3 v12 lost free community support at the end of April 2026, so many German organisations needed an upgrade at the same moment, and the pool of experienced TYPO3 developers is small compared with WordPress or general PHP.
TYPO3 is especially common among German Mittelstand firms, associations (Verbände), universities and public bodies, where multi-site structures, editor permissions and long-term stability matter. Those are also organisations that often run large, customised installations, which makes an upgrade more than a button click. When everyone’s deadline is the same, agencies prioritise their largest retainer clients, and a mid-sized association with a two-site installation can wait months.
A remote TYPO3 developer outside Germany fills that gap. The code base, APIs and documentation are the same everywhere; what changes is language and on-site presence. We work in English, read German backend labels and content comfortably enough to test, and leave German copywriting to you.
- Typical enquiry: “The agency that built the site can start the upgrade next spring. Can you do it sooner?”
- Typical enquiry: “The developer who built our extensions has left.”
- Typical enquiry: “We need someone to apply security patches every month.”
TYPO3 LTS lifecycle: what v12, v13 and v14 mean for your site
Every TYPO3 long-term support version gets free security and bug fixes for a fixed period, then either an upgrade or paid Extended Long Term Support. Knowing where your version sits tells you how urgent the work is.
According to TYPO3’s own news, free support for TYPO3 v12 LTS ended on 30 April 2026: from 1 May 2026 the community no longer provides security updates for it. The same article gives v13 LTS support until December 2027 and v14 LTS security updates until June 2029. TYPO3’s roadmap lists v13.4 LTS as released on 15 October 2024 and v11 support as ended on 31 October 2024.
The practical reading for a German organisation: if you are on v11 or older, you are already running unsupported software unless you pay for ELTS. If you are on v12, you are now in the same position. If you are on v13, you have until the end of 2027 but should plan the step to v14 well before then.
Check the dates yourself on the TYPO3 announcement before you plan.
ELTS or upgrade: which should you pay for?
Buy ELTS when you need time, not as a permanent answer. It keeps an old version patched while you plan a proper upgrade or a move away from TYPO3.
TYPO3 GmbH sells Extended Long Term Support for versions past their free support window. Its announcement for v12 says ELTS provides security updates and bug fixes for up to three additional years beyond the standard support period, with a fourth year available to TYPO3 partners. You buy the subscription from TYPO3 GmbH; prices are set by them.
The case for ELTS: your site is large, the upgrade touches many custom extensions, and you want to avoid rushing it. The case against: every year on ELTS adds a subscription cost while the upgrade gap grows, and third-party extensions may stop receiving updates for your old version even if the core is patched. That last point is the one people miss.
Our usual advice is to use ELTS as a bridge of months, not years, and to spend the same budget moving to v13 or v14. We compare both paths in the quote, so the decision rests on your numbers.
How a TYPO3 developer upgrades from v12 to v13 or v14
Upgrade one major version at a time on a copy of the live site, fix what breaks at each step, and switch only when the copy passes a written test list. Skipping steps saves little and hides problems.
Our sequence: clone the live site to staging and put it under Git if it is not already; inventory every extension with its version and TYPO3 compatibility; run the extension scanner to find deprecated API calls in custom code; use Rector rules for TYPO3 to automate the mechanical changes; update the core and extensions with Composer; run the Upgrade Wizards for database changes; then fix templates, TypoScript and TCA by hand where needed.
Testing is where time goes. We check every content element type, every plugin, forms, search, redirects, backend user permissions, scheduler tasks and each site in a multi-site installation. Editors test the backend too, since permissions and page modules often change between versions.
PHP versions matter as well. TYPO3’s roadmap lists PHP 8.2 as the minimum for both v13 and v14, so an upgrade often includes a hosting change.
- Staging copy with production data, under Git
- Extension inventory with a decision per extension: update, replace or drop
- Automated refactoring with Rector, then manual fixes
- Written regression test list, signed off by your editors
- Planned switch time with rollback ready
Extbase and Fluid extension development done the current way
Custom TYPO3 extensions should use the current APIs: Extbase for domain models and controllers, Fluid for templates, TCA for backend forms, dependency injection through Symfony services and PSR-14 events instead of old hooks. Extensions written that way survive upgrades far better.
Many older installations carry extensions written for TYPO3 6, 7 or 8 that still use deprecated hooks, global objects and piBase code. Each upgrade then turns into archaeology. When we touch such an extension, we rewrite it in current style with a clear composer.json, namespaced classes and tests where the logic is non-trivial.
Common requests from Mittelstand firms and associations: member directories with login areas, event and seminar registration, product finders, download centres with access rules, job boards connected to an HR system, and forms that send data to a CRM. If a maintained extension from the TYPO3 Extension Repository does the job, we recommend it first, because every custom line needs maintaining.
Content element
New editor-facing block with its own backend fields and Fluid template; the most common request.
Extbase plugin
A small application inside a page: lists, detail views, forms, filters.
Backend module
Tools for editors or admins inside the TYPO3 backend, such as import screens or reports.
TYPO3 developer or TYPO3 integrator: which do you need?
You need a TYPO3 integrator for configuration, templates and TypoScript, and a TYPO3 developer for PHP code in extensions. Upgrades and custom features usually need both skill sets, which is why small teams that cover both tend to move faster.
The distinction comes from how TYPO3 work is organised in Germany. An integrator sets up page trees, site configurations, backend layouts, Fluid templates, TypoScript and editor permissions. A developer writes extensions: Extbase models and controllers, repositories, backend modules, scheduler tasks, API connections and custom content elements with their own logic. Certification tracks from the TYPO3 Association reflect the same split.
For a German organisation this matters when you write the brief. “Change the header layout and add a new content element for team members” is mostly integrator work. “Import member records nightly from our association software and show them in a searchable directory with login” is developer work. “Upgrade from v10 to v13” is both, because TypoScript, templates and PHP code all change between versions.
On our side, one of us handles the PHP and extension work, another of us covers hosting, performance and technical SEO, and the third of us runs the plan, test lists and communication with your editors. You get both skill sets without coordinating two suppliers.
Moving a classic TYPO3 install to Composer mode
Composer mode means TYPO3 core and extensions are installed and updated through Composer, with the project’s dependencies declared in one file. TYPO3’s getting-started guide is built around a Composer-based installation, and most modern tooling assumes it.
Classic installations, where the core sits in a symlinked folder and extensions are uploaded through the Extension Manager, still exist on many older German sites. They work, but they make upgrades slower, deployments manual and security patching harder to automate.
A TYPO3 developer moves you to Composer mode in a few steps: create a composer.json that requires the core and every extension, move custom extensions into a local packages folder, adjust the folder layout so the web root is separate from the code, and set up an automated deployment from Git. It is usually worth doing together with a version upgrade, since both touch the same files.
After the move, a security patch becomes a Composer update, a test on staging and a deployment. That is a routine task instead of a half-day of manual copying.
Multi-site and multilingual page trees in TYPO3
TYPO3 can run several websites, each with its own domain and languages, from one installation and one backend. That is a major reason associations and groups of companies choose it, and it is also where maintenance gets complex.
Each site has its own site configuration: base URL, languages, fallback rules, error handling and route enhancers for readable URLs. Content can be shared across sites through references or central storage folders, and editor permissions can be limited to specific branches of the page tree.
Our checks on multi-site installations: every site configuration loads and resolves the right domain; language fallbacks behave as editors expect; hreflang tags point to the right translations; shared content appears where intended; and backend user groups see only their own branches. On upgrades we test each site separately, because a TypoScript change that looks harmless on the main site can break a regional one.
We build multilingual structures in any language combination. You supply or approve translated content; we do not write native German, French or other copy.
Security patches and response times for a TYPO3 site
Patch as soon as a relevant advisory appears. The TYPO3 Security Team publishes advisories for the core and for third-party extensions, and anyone can subscribe to its security feed.
Our maintenance routine for a TYPO3 installation: we watch those advisories, check whether your versions and extensions are affected, apply updates on staging first, run a short smoke test and then deploy. Routine core minor updates follow the same path. Each month you get a short note listing what was updated and why.
Response times for urgent patches are agreed in writing in your maintenance quote, not promised here. Because we work in IST, a patch published during the German evening is often already tested when your office opens. For anything not covered in the quote, our terms apply.
- Advisory tracked for core and every installed extension
- Update applied on staging, smoke-tested, then deployed
- Backups checked before each production change
- Backend admin accounts reviewed for unused logins
- Monthly written summary of updates
Hosting, PHP and integrations: what a TYPO3 developer checks around the CMS
A TYPO3 site is only as healthy as the server under it. Before touching the CMS, check the PHP version, database version, caching and backup routine, because an upgrade frequently fails on hosting rather than on code.
Most German TYPO3 installations sit with German hosting providers, which keeps data inside the EU and makes the data processing agreement (AVV) straightforward. Some organisations move to a cloud region such as AWS Frankfurt when they want automated deployments, separate staging and production servers and easier scaling for peaks like annual conferences. Another of us on our team handles AWS setups and will say plainly when your current managed host is the simpler answer. The hosting contract always stays in your organisation’s name.
Integrations deserve the same attention. Many association and Mittelstand sites send form data to a CRM, pull member data from an association management system, sync events from a calendar or connect single sign-on for a members’ area. Each connection is a place where an upgrade can quietly break something, so we list them in the inventory and test them one by one. If your forms feed sales, our custom CRM development page explains how a lean internal CRM can receive them directly.
- PHP version supported by the target TYPO3 release
- Database version and character set checked
- Caching and image processing libraries available
- Daily backups with a tested restore
- Every external integration listed and tested after the switch
How to vet a TYPO3 developer before you hire
Ask about the version you run and the version you want, not about TYPO3 in general. A TYPO3 developer who has done upgrades recently will talk specifically about deprecations, Rector, Upgrade Wizards and the extension scanner.
Good signs: they ask for your composer.json or a list of extensions before quoting; they want a staging copy; they talk about testing with your editors; they recommend removing extensions you no longer need. Weak signs: a quote without seeing the installation, promises to finish a multi-site upgrade in two days, or a plan to edit core files.
The TYPO3 Association offers certifications for integrators and developers. They are a helpful signal; so is a short screen-share where the developer walks through an extension they wrote. We are not a TYPO3 Association member and hold no TYPO3 certification; we show you our code instead.
- Which TYPO3 versions have you upgraded in the last year?
- How do you handle an extension that has no version for v13?
- Do you use Rector or the extension scanner?
- What does your written test list cover?
- Who holds Git, hosting and backend admin access afterwards?
How much does a TYPO3 developer cost?
With us, TYPO3 maintenance starts at US$120/mo, custom extensions and applications are scoped individually with larger applications from US$900, and a new large site starts at US$300. Upgrades are quoted per installation after we see the extension list.
Across the market, quotes vary widely and depend on who you hire, how old the installation is and how much risk the supplier prices in. We do not quote other developers’ rates. What we can tell you is what drives an upgrade quote: number of custom extensions, number of third-party extensions without a current version, number of sites and languages, classic versus Composer install, and how many versions you are jumping.
One cost many organisations forget is the editors’ time for testing and training. Newer TYPO3 backends look and behave differently in places, so budget a few hours for each editor group.
For typical budgets across German web projects, see website development cost in Germany.
Working with a TYPO3 developer in India from Germany
India is three and a half hours ahead of German summer time and four and a half hours ahead in winter. Your morning overlaps with our afternoon, which covers stand-ups, test sessions with editors and screen-shares.
The first two weeks usually run like this. You send the site URL, TYPO3 version, composer.json or extension list and hosting details. We reply with questions and, within about two working days, an itemised quote in USD. After written approval, you grant access to Git and hosting in your organisation’s name; we create the staging copy and the extension inventory in week one, and in week two we report the upgrade plan with each extension’s decision and start the first version step.
Calls are in English over video. You pay in USD or EUR by Wise or bank wire, per milestone, and invoices come from India. Ask your Steuerberater how to book them; we do not give tax advice.
Keeping rankings and AI search visibility through a TYPO3 upgrade
An upgrade should not change your URLs, but it often does, through changed route enhancers, language prefixes or slug handling. Check every important URL before and after the switch.
We crawl the live site before starting, keep that URL list, and compare it with the staging crawl. Any change gets a redirect in TYPO3’s redirect module. We also check canonical tags, hreflang on multilingual sites, the XML sitemap and structured data, and verify the site in Google Search Console so problems show up quickly.
For AI search features such as Google’s AI Overviews, pages that answer questions plainly, with clear headings and current facts, tend to be easier to quote. An upgrade is a good moment to fix outdated pages. Nobody can guarantee rankings or AI citations, and we do not promise either. Ongoing SEO starts at US$150/mo.
Signs it is time to leave TYPO3
TYPO3 is excellent for large, structured, multi-site and multilingual sites with many editors. It is heavy for a ten-page company site with one editor. If your needs have shrunk, a simpler system may cost less to run.
Consider leaving when most of these apply: one site, one language, a handful of editors; no custom extensions anyone depends on; upgrade costs every few years that exceed what a rebuild would cost; difficulty finding anyone to maintain it; and editors who find the backend harder than they need.
Consider staying when you run several sites or languages from one backend, rely on fine-grained editor permissions, have complex custom extensions, or have invested heavily in training. Moving such a setup is a real project.
If you do move, WordPress is the most common destination for smaller sites. We plan content export, URL mapping and redirects so rankings survive. Our TYPO3 vs WordPress comparison goes deeper.
Worked example: a trade association with a v10 multi-site installation
This is a hypothetical scenario to show the approach, not a client story.
Say a trade association in Bonn runs its main site plus four regional sites on TYPO3 v10, in German and English, with a members’ area, an event calendar and a download centre. Two extensions were written in-house years ago; its agency can start an upgrade only next year.
Our quote would propose: a staging copy under Git and a switch to Composer mode; upgrades through v11 and v12 to v13 on staging; the two in-house extensions rewritten in current Extbase style; the event calendar replaced with a maintained extension if one fits; each regional site tested separately; a redirect check against the pre-upgrade crawl. We would compare this with ELTS for v10, if available, as a bridge. The association’s editors test on staging before the switch, and maintenance follows from US$120/mo.
TYPO3 upgrade readiness checklist
Gather these before you contact any TYPO3 developer. The quote will be faster and more accurate.
- Current TYPO3 version and PHP version
- composer.json, or a list of extensions from the Extension Manager
- Which extensions are custom and who wrote them
- Number of sites, domains and languages
- Hosting provider and whether you can create a staging copy
- Backend user groups and their permissions
- Forms, search and integrations with other systems
- Accessibility requirements for your audience
- Who on your side can test and approve
Handling personal data from members or customers? Our GDPR-compliant website guide covers consent and data processing on the front end.