TYPO3 is one of the most functional and powerful content management systems (CMS). Offering both functionality and expansiveness, TYPO3 is a relevant competitor for commercial solutions.
One of the advantages of using TYPO3 is that this CMS has expandability possibilities that are called “extensions”. Using these extensions, you can extend the TYPO3 functionality. You can manage shops, galleries, forums, or even a small community portal.
You can download extensions from the TYPO3 extension repository (TER): http://typo3.org/extensions. *.t3x is the file format used for extension files. This package is partly compressed using GZIP and it contains the necessary files for the extension (SQL dump, tables, functions, templates, image resources, and so on). This site is a recommended easy way to search for appropriate and suitable extensions. Also, you can find an overview of the extension functionality and additional documentation. For easy extension installation, use its import through Extension Manager.
In the extensions section, http://typo3.org/extensions, you’ll find the following:
- New and updated: the latest updated or recently added extensions from the last 20 days—as per the claim on the repository.
- Popular: a list of the most downloaded extensions on TER.
- Full list: a complete list of extensions sorted by alphabet.
- Search: search the form to find an appropriate extension you need. A Search form is also provided in the section New and updated.
All the extensions are sorted in groups according to their status:
- Reviewed extensions: extensions that are secure. These extensions don’t affect the normal operation of the system and are qualitative.
- Alfa: early stage of extension development.
- Beta: early stage of extension development but operates partly.
- Stable: stable extension that can be used to provide page functionality.
- Test: test extension. These kinds of extensions are usually without functionality or are used for concept examples.
- Obsolete: extensions that are included in the TYPO3 core or are associated with other extensions.
For our new shop, we need an eCommerce extension that provides product catalogue and functionality of a shopping cart. You can type shop or commerce in the search area and get a few versions of online shop extensions and those extensions that provide extra functionality to basic extensions.
Note the most popular and downloaded online shop extensions:
- Shop System (tt_products) by Franz Holzinger
- Webformat Shop System (extendedshop) by Mauro Lorenzutti
- Commerce (commerce) by Ingo Schmitt, Volker Graubaum, and Thomas Hempel
