Farewell to Mask - Content Blocks takes over

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02/18/2025 | Estimated reading time : min.

Today there was an important announcement in the TYPO3 Slack: Nikita Hovratov, the maintainer of the popular TYPO3 extension Mask, has announced that further development will be discontinued. Bug fixes will be available until April 30, 2026 - after that it's over. Support for TYPO3 v14 is not planned. Instead, Content Blocks will be the future.

Why this is important

Mask was a real game changer for many integrators - myself included. The ability to put together your own content elements with a click has made countless projects easier. I've used Mask a lot over the years and know that many in the community feel the same way.

However, there is already a modern alternative in the form of Content Blocks. This has been massively developed over the last two years and offers all the functions that Mask provided - only better. Nikita's recommendation is clear: anyone using TYPO3 v13 should migrate to Content Blocks now. According to him, and my personal experience, it's pretty easy.

What does this mean for existing projects?

If you are currently still using Mask, you have until April 2026 to migrate. After that, there will be no more updates. Important to know: Content Blocks does not currently have a graphical user interface, but there is a JSON schema for IDEs with auto-completion. I - and apparently many others - do not miss the graphical user interface, as the configuration via YAML is very easy and quick to learn. Anyone who has worked with YAML so far will quickly find their way around. However, a GUI will probably be added in the future.

A big thank you to Nikita and Gernot

I would like to take this opportunity to say a big thank you to Nikita. Mask was originally developed by Gernot Ploiner before Nikita took over and continued the project. Gernot also deserves a big thank you for the idea and the first implementation of this great extension. Mask was one of the most important extensions for individual content elements in TYPO3. His work has made the development of projects much easier and will certainly be used in many TYPO3 setups for a long time to come. Thank you for the years of work, support and passion you have put into the project!

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the migration, check out the Slack channel.

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[Translate to English:] Wolfgang Wagner, TYPO3 Experte und Trainer

Who writes here?

Hi, I am Wolfgang.

Since 2006, I've been diving deep into the fascinating world of TYPO3 - it's not only my profession, but also my passion. My path has taken me through countless projects, and I have created hundreds of professional video tutorials focusing on TYPO3 and its extensions. I love unraveling complex topics and turning them into easy-to-understand concepts, which is also reflected in my trainings and seminars.

As an active member of the TYPO3 Education Committee, I am committed to keeping the TYPO3 CMS Certified Integrator exam questions current and challenging. Since January 2024, I am proud to be an official TYPO3 Consultant Partner!

But my passion doesn't end at the screen. When I'm not diving into the depths of TYPO3, you'll often find me on my bike, exploring the picturesque trails around Lake Constance. These outdoor excursions are my perfect balance - they keep my mind fresh and always provide me with new ideas.