History

TYPO3 4.4

This is the main project page for the development of TYPO3 4.4 which is planned to be released in June 2010. All changes of this page are done through the Release Manager.

Goals of the TYPO3 4.4 Release

The release of TYPO3 4.4 has these high-level goals:

  1. To increase adoption of TYPO3
  2. To stabilize the TYPO3 Core package by finishing open tasks
  3. To pave a way for a smooth transition to TYPO3 v5
  4. To ensure maximum backwards compatibility

The primary goal for this release is to shape the current feature set of the TYPO3 core, so TYPO3 4.4 will feel more like a finished product with no half-baked features or "dead ends". The initial idea from the TYPO3 Developer Days 2009 (T3DD09) was to focus on "the last 20%" of the current product -- rather focus on stability of the available features than to incorporate any new bleeding edge technologies. This of course doesn't mean that your feature will be left off. Anything that's ready in time will get a chance to get in the TYPO3 4.4.

Considered Tasks of "the last 20%"

New Distribution - the TYPO3 Introduction Package (from T3UXW09)

  • A state-of-the-art replacement for the quicksite package, which was maintained until TYPO3 v3.8
  • Templateable Install Tool
  • Possibility to add more options to the 1-2-3 installer and create your own distributions.

Refactoring

  • TypoScript FORM Element Rewrite
  • New "Grid view" for the page module (from T3UXW09)
  • TCEforms Rewrite in an object-oriented manner

Ext JS in the TYPO3 Backend

  • API for Toolbar Menu on top, based on Ext JS (from T3UXW09)
  • Ext JS based Tab menus (from T3UXW09)
  • Ext JS based Page tree (from T3UXW09)
  • Open: All other trees in the TYPO3 Backend in Ext JS as well
  • Open: Mass Uploader in TCEforms

Skinning (from T3UXW09)

  • Introduce the new skinning API
  • Updated t3skin
  • Updated icons, with a sprite generating engine
  • CSS & JS script merger and compressor

Workspaces

  • Create documentation for setting up Workspaces and working with Workspaces
  • Streamline the TYPO3 Backend user interface
  • Fix bugs related to workspace handling

Bugfixing

  • Currently there are over 2100 bugs open in the TYPO3 bugtracker for the TYPO3 core. The goal is to have less than 1000 open bugs once TYPO3 4.4 is released.

Long-standing tasks and documentation

  • Handle migration to UTF-8 based databases
  • Update CSH screenshots and documentation with current behaviour and look&feel
  • Best practice documentation on how to get a site up and running quickly

...as well as many updates related to performance, security and stability.

The above list will grow (or shrink) during the development phase. If you want another fix or feature or have another idea for the TYPO3 4.4 Core release, please get in touch with the TYPO3 4.4 Release Manager (benni(at)typo3/org). We're certainly not limited to the list above and happy for any contribution.

A-Class Extensions

With the TER growing and keeping over 4200 extensions available for free and ready-to-install within a few clicks, one can easily loose track of what are common extensions for common problems. That's why we want to mark some extensions as very valuable, mostly because of the following reasons:

  • The extension is not a one-man-show and is actively maintained by team, keeping up the community spirit
  • The extension was at least once checked by the TYPO3 security team to ensure basic security measurements
  • The extension is well documented
  • The extensions' code is following the TYPO3 Coding Guidelines
  • The extension is used by a high percentage of the TYPO3 community and serves a general purpose

We will present these A-Class Extensions shortly before the TYPO3 4.4 and hope that this list will make it easier for users to decide which extensions are available and recommended. If you have a suggestion for an A-Class Extension, let us know (benni(at)typo3/org).

Release Cycle for the Next 4.x Versions

We want to release major versions of TYPO3 4.x more often. Thus, TYPO3 4.4 will be available roughly six to seven months after TYPO3 v4.3 was published (Nov 30th, 2009). We want to follow this new release cycle in all future TYPO3 4.x versions. With TYPO3 4.4 we want to incorporate the following strategy:

  • There will be roughly four (4) months developing new features until a fixed date (feature freeze).
  • There will be two (2) months of shaping the Core package and finishing it for the next release.

This means that the TYPO3 Core Team will release set on a fixed date rather than on the completeness of single features. The "feature freeze" is set with the release of beta1 of the next major versions. This package should be usable for new projects you want to set up. Details about the maintenance of the new release will be revealed by our new Maintenance policy in the next weeks.

Release Dates

The release dates, which are set and might only differ by a matter of days, are the following:

  • 23.02.2010 - Alpha 1 (Developer Preview)
  • 16.03.2010 - Alpha 2 (Developer Preview)
  • 13.04.2010 - Beta 1 (Feature Freeze)
  • 03.05.2010 - Beta 2
  • 18.05.2010 - Beta 3
  • 08.06.2010 - RC 1
  • 15.06.2010 - RC 2 (optional)
  • 22.06.2010 - Final Release

Getting Involved

The TYPO3 Core is maintained and released by the TYPO3 Core Team, but the whole work is a community effort. This means that anybody equally participates and contributes, and everybody's work is welcomed. If you want to help, get in touch with us. There are plenty of possibilities to get your hands dirty.

  • Coding
  • Design
  • Documentation
  • Communication / Spread your knowledge of TYPO3
  • Monetary sponsoring of development

Share your talent and contact us (benni(at)typo3/org)!

--
2009-12-21: Benjamin Mack - Release Manager TYPO3 4.4