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Wolfgang Wagner - TYPO3 Seminare, Workshops, Tutorials, Support

Learn TYPO3 - structured, practical and up to date

 

Whether you're a beginner or an experienced developer - here you'll find the right way to master TYPO3 professionally.

For beginners        For experienced developers

 

Learning TYPO3 requires a structured approach - this enterprise CMS offers powerful possibilities, but has a steep learning curve. You probably already know that, otherwise you wouldn't be here.

The good news is that there are many ways to learn TYPO3. YouTube tutorials, community forums, AI tools, structured courses. The bad news: not all of them will get you there equally quickly, and some will cost you more time than they'll save.

This page will help you find the right learning path for your situation. No marketing promises, no "become an expert in 7 days" fairy tales. Instead, honest guidance from someone who has been working with TYPO3 every day since 2006 and knows exactly where the stumbling blocks are.

Das Bild zeigt eine abstrakte Darstellung von Straßen, die sich kurvenreich durch einen hellen Hintergrund ziehen. Eine orangefarbene Straße folgt einem gewundenen Verlauf und hebt sich von den grauen Straßen ab, die ebenfalls spiralförmig angeordnet sind.

Learn TYPO3 for beginners - from scratch

You may be coming from WordPress, Drupal or another CMS and see an interesting market in TYPO3. More enterprise customers, higher budgets, more professional projects. That's true - but getting there requires solid basic knowledge.

What you can expect as a beginner: TYPO3 is not a system that you can "just" learn in a weekend. The architecture is complex and the concepts differ significantly from other CMSs. But: If you know HTML and CSS and are prepared to spend a few weeks familiarizing yourself with the system, TYPO3 is absolutely feasible.

Realistic time estimate: Understanding the basics takes 2-3 weeks. You can implement your first small project independently after about 2-3 months. Working professionally - i.e. handling customer projects without constant googling - after about 6 months of regular practice.

The crucial difference between "somehow works" and "professionally done": understanding instead of copying. If you just click together code snippets, you will be helpless at the first unusual problem. If you understand TYPO3 logic, you'll find solutions even for situations that weren't covered in the tutorial.

→ Watch TYPO3 13 video training

Das Bild zeigt eine pyramidenförmige Struktur aus weißen und orangefarbenen Blöcken. Einige Blöcke sind verstreut um die Basis der Pyramide. Im Hintergrund ist eine Tür in einer der Wände zu sehen, die zur Erkundung der Struktur anregt.

The hidden costs of trial-and-error

TYPO3 beginners waste an average of 200+ hours per year on reactive learning. Here's the math: 2-3 Google searches a day of 30-45 minutes each for solutions that don't work or are outdated. That's 1-2 hours per day that you can't bill.

Calculated over a year: 250-500 hours lost. At an hourly rate of €80, that's €20,000-40,000 in opportunity costs.

Structured learning costs you 40-60 hours of time investment. But then you work instead of searching. The math is simple.

Learn TYPO3 for beginners - from scratch

Which learning method is right for you?

After almost 20 years of TYPO3 experience, I have a clear opinion on how effective learning works - and what wastes time:

"YouTube has theoretically democratized TYPO3 learning. You can find tutorials on almost anything - from installation to extension development. The problem: most of it is hopelessly outdated. ChatGPT explains complex TypoScript concepts in plain language. Fantastic, right? The problem: You get answers to questions you ask - but often you ask the wrong questions."

→ To the full article: Video courses vs. community vs. AI - what really works?

You already work with TYPO3, but want to upgrade to modern standards

You have known TYPO3 for years. You've implemented projects, looked after customers, solved problems. But lately you've been hearing more and more terms that are foreign to you. Content blocks. Site sets. Modern Composer workflows. Others talk about them as a matter of course - you nod politely and hope that nobody asks.

Why old methods slow you down: Your tried and tested approaches still work. But they have become slow. What others solve in 20 minutes takes you two hours. Not because you are worse, but because you are working with methods that are now outdated.

TYPO3 13 comes with features that speed up development considerably - if you know and use them. Content Blocks make Custom Content Elements a fraction of the previous effort. Site Sets simplify deployment and versioning. Composer-based workflows have long been standard.

How long does the upgrade process take? That depends on your current status. The good news is that you don't have to start from scratch. Your TYPO3 knowledge is valuable. The point is to bring your knowledge up to current standards. Expect 4-6 weeks of structured learning to master the most important modern approaches.

Your years of experience are not lost - they become the foundation on which you can quickly build new techniques.

→ Watch TYPO3 13 video training

Das Bild zeigt einen Schreibtisch, auf der linken Seite eine alte Schreibmaschine, auf der rechten Seite einen modernen Laptop. Der Raum wirkt hell und einladend, mit Fenstern, die Tageslicht hereinlassen. Der Kontrast zwischen analoger und digitaler Schreibtechnik wird deutlich.

Do you recognize yourself here?

Maybe you've already found yourself in this situation:

"You're standing at a TYPO3 meetup with a coffee in your hand. Another freelancer is talking enthusiastically about his latest project: 'We implemented it entirely with site sets and content blocks. The custom elements were ready in no time at all. You nod with interest and hope that he doesn't ask what you think of this approach. Inside you're thinking: 'Content blocks? Site sets? What is he talking about?"

If so, you're not alone. Many experienced TYPO3 developers feel the same way.

→ Read the full article: Why old methods are slowing you down

How to learn TYPO3 most effectively

→ To the full article: Why old methods slow you down

My conviction after almost 20 years of TYPO3 work: The best learning strategy combines structured knowledge with the ability to help yourself.

Helping you to help yourself means: I don't just show you how to solve specific problems. I show you how to learn to tackle new problems on your own. Where to find documentation. How to use it correctly. How to ask the right questions in the community. How to use AI tools effectively without falling into the "wrong answer to the wrong question" trap.

The goal is not for you to know everything about TYPO3 by heart. The goal is for you to know how to acquire missing knowledge - quickly, reliably and without hours of trial-and-error sessions.

Why YouTube hopping and ChatGPT roulette wastes time: You probably know the situation. A problem arises, you google it, end up on YouTube. Three hours later, you've seen five videos - three of them for outdated TYPO3 versions, the other two contradict each other.

Or you ask ChatGPT. The answer sounds convincing, the code looks professional. You implement it. It doesn't work. What ChatGPT gave you was for TYPO3 9 - not for the version you're working with.

The problem is not YouTube or AI per se. The problem is a lack of foundation. Without structured basic knowledge, you can't judge what information is current and relevant. You collect puzzle pieces but don't see the picture.

The math: If you spend 1-2 hours a day looking for solutions that don't work in the end, that adds up to 200-500 hours a year. Structured learning means investing 40-60 hours, then working instead of searching.

The efficient combination:

  1. Create a foundation: A structured course gives you the solid basic knowledge. You understand the TYPO3 architecture and get to know proven workflows.

  2. Deepen and update: YouTube and AI help with specific questions and keep you up to date with new features.

  3. Practice and exchange: Communities give you feedback on your projects and show you alternative solutions.

Eine dreieckige Pyramide mit vier verschiedenen horizontalen Schichten in hellen Farbtönen, wobei die unterste Schicht orange ist. Die oberen Schichten sind in hellen Beige- und Cremetönen gehalten. Schatten fallen auf die Pyramide und erzeugen einen visuellen Effekt.

What help for self-help means

In my training courses and video courses, I place great emphasis on teaching you not only how to implement TYPO3 projects - but how to solve your own requirements and problems independently.

"I show participants where to find help and documentation and how to use it properly. I also encourage them to discuss their questions and problems in the TYPO3 community and help each other. By helping participants to help themselves, they become more self-sufficient and independent in the implementation of TYPO3 projects."

There are no shortcuts - but there are efficient ways instead of time-consuming detours.

→ To the full article: Learn TYPO3 by helping people to help themselves

Frequently asked questions about learning TYPO3

How long does it take to learn TYPO3?

That depends on your goal and your previous knowledge. You will understand the basics of TYPO3 13 in 2-3 weeks of intensive work. You will be able to implement your first small project independently after about 2-3 months. Working professionally - i.e. handling complex customer projects without constant googling - takes about 6 months with regular practice.

Important: These times apply to structured learning with a clear plan. Trial-and-error with YouTube videos can cost you months longer because you waste a lot of time with outdated or incorrect approaches.

Do I need programming skills?

HTML and CSS are absolute basic requirements. You need to understand how websites are structured and how styling works.

Knowledge of PHP is helpful, but not essential. Many successful TYPO3 integrators work mainly with TypoScript, Fluid templates and ready-made extensions. For extension development, however, you need solid PHP knowledge.

If you are already familiar with other CMS such as WordPress or Drupal, you have an advantage - you understand the basic web concepts. However, TYPO3 has its own logic and terminology that you will need to learn.

Is TYPO3 harder to learn than WordPress?

Yes, TYPO3 is more complex and has a steeper learning curve than WordPress. This is due to its more powerful architecture and its focus on enterprise requirements.

WordPress is quick to learn because it is optimized for simple use cases. TYPO3 is slower to learn because it was built for complex scenarios - multilingual sites, granular rights management, structured workflows.

The advantage: What quickly reaches its limits with WordPress is stable with TYPO3. You invest more time in learning, but in return you get a system that remains performant even with 10,000 pages and 50 editors.

Can I learn TYPO3 for free?

Yes, there are free resources. The official TYPO3 documentation is extensive and freely available. The community is active and helpful. There are YouTube tutorials and forums.

But free doesn't mean efficient. You can spend hours searching for up-to-date, relevant information. The documentation is an excellent reference, but not a structured learning course. YouTube is full of outdated videos.

Structured courses cost money but save time - often dozens of hours. The question is not "free or paid", but "how much is your time worth". If you save 40 hours and can take on a single additional customer order in that time, a course has paid for itself several times over.

Why not just google it when you need it instead of taking a course?

Because reactive learning costs you more time in the long term than structured learning from the outset.

The typical calculation looks like this: You invest 40-60 hours in a structured course. After that, you understand the TYPO3 logic and find solutions on your own.

Without this foundation, you spend 1-2 hours a day on Google, YouTube and ChatGPT - for solutions that are often outdated or don't work. This adds up to 200-500 hours per year.

At an hourly rate of €80, that's €20,000-40,000 in opportunity costs per year. The course investment is amortized after a few weeks.

The question is not "free or paid". The question is: How much is your time worth?

Which TYPO3 version should I learn?

Learn TYPO3 13 - this is the latest version with long-term support. Even if you are still working with older versions, you should learn with the latest version.

Why? Because TYPO3 13 shows the modern best practices. Content blocks, site sets and current workflows are the standard that the community follows. If you learn with old versions, you will learn outdated methods that you will have to relearn later.

If you need to migrate existing TYPO3 projects: Learn the modern version first, then take a look at the migration documentation. This is more efficient than the other way around.

Will learning TYPO3 still be worthwhile in 2025?

Yes, learning TYPO3 is worthwhile in 2025. TYPO3 is well established in the enterprise sector - government agencies, universities, large companies rely on it. These organizations need qualified TYPO3 developers and pay accordingly.

The market is smaller than for WordPress, but also less saturated. A good TYPO3 freelancer will find challenging, well-paid projects more easily than an average WordPress developer in a crowded market.

The demand for TYPO3 expertise remains stable. As long as large organizations value security, scalability and professional workflows, TYPO3 will remain relevant.

What is the difference between video training and masterclass?

The TYPO3 13 video training is a self-study course. You get over 35 hours of tried and tested video tutorials, work at your own pace and have access to an active community. Ideal for developers who want to learn in a structured way and can help themselves with questions.

The TYPO3 13 Masterclass also offers personal support. You will receive regular live coaching, direct 1:1 support with your projects and can discuss specific questions directly with me. Ideal for developers who want more intensive support or who are implementing complex projects while learning.

Both offers are based on the same video material - the difference lies in the level of support.

→ More questions? You can find detailed answers here

Ready to learn TYPO3 professionally?

You have two options:

Not ready for a course yet?

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Ready to get started now?

See which learning path is right for you:

For self-learners: the TYPO3 13 video training offers structured knowledge to work through independently.

With personal support: The TYPO3 13 Masterclass combines video training with live coaching and 1:1 support.

→ To video training & masterclass

Eine geöffnete Tür steht vor einem hellen Licht, das hindurch scheint. Die Tür hat einen grauen Rahmen und befindet sich an einer kleinen Treppe. Der Hintergrund ist schlicht und einfarbig, was die Tür und das Licht hervorhebt.