Torben Hansen
In the TYPO3 Extension Repository (TER), extensions have traditionally been uploaded manually or via the outdated SOAP or current REST API. TYPO3 extension authors had to bundle all essential files and external dependencies within each extension in order to provide an extension that can be installed using the TYPO3 extension manager.
The Quest for Centralization in a Fragmented Landscape
The adoption of Composer for TYPO3 installations marked a pivotal shift, leading numerous extension authors to dual-publish their creations on both TER and Packagist. However, this dual-distribution landscape has inadvertently created a challenge - a lack of a centralized overview of available TYPO3 extensions. Some authors have chosen to exclusively release their work on Packagist, creating a dispersed ecosystem. This fragmented approach has made it challenging for users to access a comprehensive directory of TYPO3 extensions, emphasizing the need for a centralized solution to enhance accessibility and simplify the extension discovery process.
TER's Integration of Packagist: Unifying TYPO3 Extensions
To overcome the challenges posed by the dispersed ecosystem, we’ve introduced a solution. The TER will now conduct regular imports of package metadata from Packagist. Specifically, this process targets extensions categorized as "typo3-cms-extension" and whose package names are not yet recognized by TER. This inclusive approach ensures that TYPO3 extensions exclusively available on Packagist are visible in the TYPO3 Extension Repository, providing users with a more comprehensive and centralized overview of TYPO3 extensions.
Packagist-only extensions in TER all have the same icon (a package). The download stats are currently not yet available but we hope to implement this in the future.
