How to get the best help in the TYPO3 forum

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06/06/2024 | General | Estimated reading time : min.

This article was automatically translated using DeepL. Therefore, inaccuracies may occur.

Do you have a TYPO3 problem and need help? How you formulate your question will determine how quickly and effectively you receive help. A few simple rules make all the difference.

Why good questions get better answers

I regularly see questions in my TYPO3 forum. Some get a solution within hours. Others remain unanswered for days. The difference often lies in the way the question is asked. Of course there are also problems for which nobody has an answer. But a well-formulated question increases the chance that someone will take the time to think along.

A few simple rules will help you to get help faster and better.

Before you ask: do some quick research

Before you post a question, have a quick look to see if someone has already had the problem. The TYPO3 ecosystem has good places to go:

The official TYPO3 documentation
The TYPO3 forum on t3forum.net
Stack Overflow with the tag "typo3"
The TYPO3 slack channels

If you find a similar question, but the solution doesn't work for you, write that in your question. This saves time for everyone involved.

What makes a good TYPO3 question

Anyone who is supposed to help you must be able to understand your problem. This requires:

TYPO3 version and PHP version: "TYPO3 13.4, PHP 8.3" is enough. Without this information, every answer is a guess.
What you have done: What steps led to the problem?
What you expected and what happened instead
Error messages: Complete, not summarized. Copy the message from the TYPO3 log or the browser console.
Relevant code: TypoScript, Fluid templates or PHP snippets belong formatted in the question. No screenshot of code.

What you can leave out: Your entire project history, excuses for asking, and "Urgent!!!" in the title.

After the question: Keep at it

A good question is the beginning. What comes next is just as important:

If someone asks a query, reply promptly.
If a suggestion doesn't work, write exactly what happened. "Can't" doesn't help anyone.
If you have found a solution, even by yourself, post it. The next person with the same problem will be grateful.

Conclusion

Good questions get good answers. This applies to any forum, but especially in the TYPO3 community, where many people volunteer their time. The easier you make it for the helpers, the quicker you will get a solution.

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Do you have a question or want to discuss the topic?

In the Community Hub for TYPO3 you can exchange ideas with other TYPO3 users. And if you don't want to miss any new articles: The TYPO3 Newsletter comes once a month, without spam.

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

Hi, I'm Wolfgang.

I have been working with TYPO3 since 2006. Not in theory, but in real projects with real deadlines. I've probably had the problems you're having three times already.

At some point, I started putting my knowledge into video courses. Not because I like being in front of the camera, but because I kept hearing the same questions over and over again. There are now hundreds of videos. Every single one was the result of a specific question from a specific project.

What makes me different from a YouTube tutorial: I not only know the solution, but also the context. Why something works. When it doesn't work. And which mistakes you can avoid because I've already made them.

My participants use me as a sparring partner. Not in the sense of "call me anytime", but like this: You come to the live session with a specific problem, post your question in the community or watch the appropriate video. And get an answer that works because it comes from practical experience.

As a member of the TYPO3 Education & Certification Committee, I make sure that the certification exams are kept up to date. What is tested there flows directly into my courses.