Without support it will be tight: Who will take over the TYPO3 Extension Builder?

The Extension Builder - an indispensable tool for many TYPO3 developers. But what happens when the person behind the updates and bug fixes can no longer continue due to time constraints?

This is exactly the case now: Philipp Kuhlmay, the maintainer of the Extension Builder, has announced that he wants to hand over responsibility.

I spoke to him in a virtual interview about how he got involved in the project, the challenges he has faced and what needs to happen for the Extension Builder to have a future.

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Philipp, tell us a bit about yourself and how you came to join the TYPO3 community and the Extension Builder.

In September 2022, I took part in an Extbase course with Gernot Ploiner. During the course, I came across some bugs and went straight to debugging. I was so committed that I immediately created an issue with a merge request.

When I then asked when my changes could be merged, I also offered my support.

What happened next took me completely by surprise: I was appointed maintainer virtually overnight and was given all the rights to merge and manage the project. The reason for this was probably that they were looking for a maintainer at the time and I was just what they needed.

What motivated you to take on responsibility for the Extension Builder back then?

It was very important to me to further develop and improve this important tool for the TYPO3 community. Many developers use the Extension Builder on a daily basis and I wanted to help make it more stable and work better. I really enjoyed it at first.

You said that you felt overwhelmed as the sole maintainer. What were the biggest challenges during this time?

The biggest challenge was definitely the update to TYPO3 v12, which I still haven't been able to complete. I was basically thrown in at the deep end - there was no one who could explain the code to me, explain how template generation works or familiarize me with the JavaScript framework used.

Were there any particular moments that encouraged or frustrated you?

It was particularly frustrating when people kept asking when the new version would finally be released. Of course, that puts you under pressure and at some point you don't feel like justifying why it's taking so long to develop.

On the other hand, I was motivated by moments when people simply said "thank you" to me at TYPO3 camps or in the community channel. Hearing that the time and effort invested was appreciated was always an incentive to keep going.

How has the outdated technology affected further development? Can you give an example of where this has particularly slowed you down?

Further development was made very difficult by outdated technologies. A particularly big problem was the lack of documentation for Wire-It, which is used for the connections within the Extension Builder.

Yahoo UI is also now so old that there is hardly any useful information to be found. This has made it extremely difficult to adapt or extend existing functions.

You recently announced that you would like to relinquish the role of maintainer. What prompted you to make this decision?

I simply no longer have the time to continue the project and would like to concentrate on other projects in the future.

How difficult was this step for you?

It wasn't an easy decision, because I really enjoyed developing the Extension Builder. I even redeveloped the entire GUI with React JS, which was an exciting challenge.

Unfortunately, there were a few weak points, which is why I ended up going back to the old GUI. Nevertheless, it was an instructive time and I find it hard to say goodbye.

How do you see the future of the Extension Builder? Do you think it has a chance without a complete reboot?

In terms of the code base, the Extension Builder would have to be completely overhauled. There are many outdated parts of the code, and the template generation in particular should be revised.

Currently, the templates are written with Fluid, but there are certainly more modern and clearer approaches to implement this. A thorough overhaul would help the project to remain future-proof in the long term.

What would have to happen for the Extension Builder to continue to exist?

In order for the Extension Builder to have a future, a dedicated team would have to get behind it - with developers who bring different strengths to the table. The entire GUI would have to be completely redeveloped, and the code, especially the generation of files, would also have to be comprehensively revised and modernized.

What would you say to someone who is considering taking over the further development of the Extension Builder?

Under no circumstances should you take on the further development of the Extension Builder on your own.

In my opinion, an initiative or even a real team should be formed around the project. This team could take over the further development and maintenance of the Extension Builder with the support of a budget from the TYPO3 Association. This is the only way the project can be continued in the long term.

Is there anything else you would like to pass on to the TYPO3 community - be it an appeal, a thank you or an experience that is particularly important to you?

Open source should not be taken for granted.

It doesn't just mean benefiting from software, but also actively contributing to it.

It's not just about making demands or helping yourself. Everyone can contribute something to make the Extension Builder successful again - be it by testing new versions, creating issues or making small sponsoring contributions.

But this is not just about the Extension Builder. Many projects in the TYPO3 environment are developed by developers who do this partly in their spare time. I have never received a single cent for the development of the Extension Builder.

Everyone sees the development as a matter of course. I actually turned down a sponsorship once, but only because at the time I couldn't even say when the version for v12 would be ready and I didn't want to accept a sponsorship for a version that I wouldn't be able to deliver.

Now that you are retiring from Extension Builder, is there a project or idea that you would like to focus on in the future?

Yes, I already have some ideas for the future. One project I'm particularly looking forward to is an astronomy dashboard that I want to develop with Vue.js. I'm also planning a career change and will be taking on new challenges.

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That concludes our interview. A big thank you to Philipp Kuhlmay for his openness and the exciting insights into his work with the Extension Builder!

If you are interested in supporting the project - be it through collaboration, testing or even becoming one of the maintainers - please contact Philipp in the TYPO3 Slack. You can get in touch with him and the community directly in the #extension-builder channel. Every help counts, so that this important tool remains stable and further developed in the future!

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