The TYPO3 Community released the latest TYPO3 version 7.5. This is the last step before the final Long Term Support (LTS) version coming in the next weeks. The focus for the 7.x release cycle lies on improving the code base to be unified as well as a redefined TYPO3 Backend for improving the editor’s experience.
Since the release of TYPO3 CMS 7.4 which happened exactly 8 weeks ago, the following improvements were added to the TYPO3 Core.
Streamlined Icons
A new Icon API was introduced and all existing icons in the backend were replaced by a streamlined interface to use unified font-based icons as well as SVGs for all icons around the TYPO3 Backend. This allows to easily add or replace existing icons throughout the backend interface in one central place (the icon registry). All places in the TYPO3 Core have been adapted to use the new standard, most icons have been already replaced by newly-created sharp icons that look great regardless of resolution and zoom.
TYPO3 now includes native support for Online media data sets. Editors can now add external videos and media resources just like any other image in a few clicks The core ships with built-in support for Videos and streaming from Youtube and Vimeo to any website, and is flexible enough so extensions can build their own media handlers as well.
Fluid-based Content Elements
New content types are shipped with the new extension “Fluid Styled Content”. Those can be adjusted easily, as the templating is all done with Fluid. Integrators will love 7.5 for this feature since it enables them to work with Fluid for outputting content elements by default. Additionally digging into complex TypoScript code, as the previous standard “CSS Styled Content” did, is not necessary anymore. Existing installations that base on CSS Styled Content can still run smoothly side-by-side to the new content structure.
Form Extension Overhauled
The Form extension that is used to render frontend forms such as registration forms or contact forms on websites has been completely refactored to be more flexible than before, and uses Extbase and the simple templating engine Fluid under the hood for outputting the form and sending out emails. Thanks to Tritum and especially Ralf Zimmermann who spent days and nights on this task. This brings the system extension “form” closer to the rest of the TYPO3 Core code base, and helps integrators to easily change the templates of such forms on a practical fluid-based way.
A simple but efficient search tool allows to look up files inside the file list. One step closer to help editors with TYPO3 when used as an Asset Management Tool.
… and tons of more things
A total of 51 features were merged in the last 8 weeks. This is an all-time-record in such a short time frame for the TYPO3 project. Next to the mentioned features, a lot of changes happened such as porting a lot of backend modules to Extbase + Fluid instead of the old code base which mixed logic (PHP-code) and styling within one module. Additionally, there was another step in the rendering of Backend Forms (FormEngine) to be split up in smaller chunks and to make FormEngine more robust and to be used in different places than just record editing throughout the Core. Backend Routing changed for Backend modules as well to allow the recently introduced PSR-7 standard and to unify the Request/Response handling. The ongoing process of cleaning up JavaScript code brought the removal of some parts of ExtJS (namely the Flash and Chart components) to reduce the usage of the external library to a minimum.
Try it out now
TYPO3 7.5 is available for <link>download, as well as our downloaders on <link http: get.typo3.org>get.typo3.org and <link http: composer.typo3.org>composer.typo3.org. Also be sure to read our <link https: wiki.typo3.org typo3_cms_7.5.0>Wiki page about all 51 new features and other important changes.
Also, the What's new slides will be available shortly for download on a <link>dedicated page.
Outlook
There are a few missing pieces left over for the final LTS release which will be available as soon as all features have been completely done and stabilized. After that, the team kicks off the next release cycle for TYPO3 v8 where a lot of changes and feature requests are already planned and a first release is targeted for the end of this year.
Any feedback is always welcome, just drop me an <link>email or join our development efforts on <link http: forger.typo3.org slack>forger.typo3.org/slack.
Thanks to all contributors and all helping hands making this release possible!
