Installing TYPO3 for the First Time: What Beginners Need to Know

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 TYPO3 doesn’t mess around—but neither should your setup process. If you’re tired of tutorials that overcomplicate everything, you’re in the right place.


Why Choose Composer to Install TYPO3?

Composer is a PHP dependency manager that helps you download and organize TYPO3 and all required libraries automatically. Installing TYPO3 via Composer makes your project clean, easy to update, and ready for development. This method is recommended by the TYPO3 community and ensures your website is set up correctly from the start.



Step 1: Verify Your System Requirements

Before you begin, make sure your hosting environment or server meets these minimum requirements for TYPO3:

  • PHP version 8.1 or higher: TYPO3 requires the latest PHP features and security fixes.

  • Database: MySQL 8.0 or MariaDB 10.3 or newer. TYPO3 uses the database to store all content and settings.

  • Web Server: Apache or NGINX is recommended. Make sure the server supports URL rewriting.

  • Composer: Must be installed on your system to manage TYPO3 packages.

  • Memory: At least 2 GB RAM to allow TYPO3 to run smoothly, especially during installation and updates.

  • SSL Certificate: Strongly recommended for secure HTTPS connections.

  • Required PHP Extensions: Ensure extensions like mbstring, curl, json, xml, and mysqli are enabled.

Checking these requirements ahead of time saves issues during installation.

Step 2: Create Your TYPO3 Project Using Composer

Once your system is ready, you can create a new TYPO3 project using Composer. This step downloads the TYPO3 core, necessary dependencies, and sets up the folder structure properly.

After running the Composer command, move into the project directory to continue the setup.

Step 3: Configure Your Web Server

TYPO3 stores public files inside a folder named public. Your web server’s document root should point to this folder to serve the website properly.

Also, make sure URL rewriting (mod_rewrite for Apache or equivalent for NGINX) is enabled. This feature is essential for TYPO3 to create clean URLs and navigate pages correctly.

If you’re working on a local machine, update your hosts file to map your domain to localhost for easy access.

Step 4: Create and Prepare the Database

TYPO3 needs a database to save all your website’s content, users, and configuration.

Create a new, empty database on your MySQL or MariaDB server. Remember the database name, username, and password as you will need these during installation.

Step 5: Run the TYPO3 Web Installer

Open your TYPO3 website URL in a browser. You will see the TYPO3 setup wizard which will guide you through:

  • Connecting to your database with the details you provided.

  • Creating an administrator user account for backend access.

  • Completing the installation process.

The installer will automatically check your server environment and highlight any missing requirements or recommended settings.

Step 6: Log In to the TYPO3 Backend and Start Building

Once the installation is complete, go to the TYPO3 backend login page, usually by appending /typo3 to your site URL.

Use the admin credentials you created to log in.

Inside the backend, you can start creating pages, adding content, installing extensions, and customizing your site.

Optional: Install a Site Package for a Quick Start

TYPO3 offers site packages which are pre-built sets of templates, demo pages, and configurations. Installing a site package is an easy way to get started and learn how TYPO3 works without building everything from scratch.

You can install a site package during installation or later through Composer and the TYPO3 Extension Manager.

Summary

Installing TYPO3 with Composer is straightforward when you follow these key steps:

  1. Check system requirements — Make sure your server meets TYPO3’s needs.

  2. Create your TYPO3 project using Composer — Download TYPO3 with all dependencies.

  3. Configure your web server — Point the document root to the public folder and enable URL rewriting.

  4. Create a database — Set up an empty database for TYPO3 to use.

  5. Run the TYPO3 installer — Follow the web-based setup wizard.

  6. Log in and build your site — Start managing content and site structure.

TYPO3 is a reliable and scalable CMS that provides professional tools for creating high-quality websites. Once installed, it offers full control and flexibility for your digital projects.

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