Installing TYPO3 on Hosting: Complete Guide

TYPO3 is an enterprise content management system that is perfectly suited for complex websites and portals. In this guide, you will learn how to install TYPO3 via Composer on Theory7 shared hosting.

Why Choose TYPO3

TYPO3 stands out due to:

  • Enterprise-level scalability
  • Extensive multilingual support
  • Advanced rights management
  • Strong community in the Netherlands and Europe
  • Long-term support (LTS)
  • Excellent security

TYPO3 is used by governments, universities, and large companies.

System Requirements

Check if your hosting meets the requirements.

PHP Requirements

TYPO3 13 requires:

  • PHP 8.2, 8.3, or 8.4
  • Required extensions:
    • gd or ImageMagick
    • curl
    • zip
    • xml
    • mbstring
    • json
    • session

Database Requirements

  • MySQL 8.0 or higher
  • MariaDB 10.3 or higher
  • PostgreSQL 10 or higher (alternative)

Server Requirements

  • At least 256MB PHP memory (512MB+ recommended)
  • mod_rewrite for clean URLs
  • Composer for installation
  • SSH access

At Theory7 hosting, all requirements are available by default.

Activating SSH Access

Installing TYPO3 requires SSH.

Setting Up SSH

  1. Log in to DirectAdmin
  2. Go to Account Manager and then SSH Keys
  3. Generate or upload your SSH key
  4. Activate SSH access

See also: Activate SSH Access

Connecting

ssh username@yourdomain.nl

Installing TYPO3 via Composer

The recommended installation method.

Creating a Project

# Go to your domain folder
cd ~/domains/yourdomain.nl
# Create new TYPO3 project
composer create-project typo3/cms-base-distribution myproject
# This creates a folder 'myproject' with TYPO3

Verifying Installation

cd myproject
ls -la
# You should see: public/, var/, vendor/, composer.json, etc.

Configuring Document Root

TYPO3's public folder must be the webroot.

cd ~/domains/yourdomain.nl
# Backup existing public_html
mv public_html public_html_backup
# Symlink to TYPO3 public
ln -s myproject/public public_html

Alternative via DirectAdmin

  1. Go to DirectAdmin
  2. Open Domain Setup
  3. Change document root to `myproject/public`

Creating a Database

TYPO3 needs a database.

Creating a Database in DirectAdmin

  1. Go to Account Manager and then MySQL Management
  2. Click on Create new Database
  3. Fill in:
    • Database name
    • Username
    • Strong password
  4. Note all details for the installation wizard

Running the Installation Wizard

Now you can start the web-based installation.

Opening the Wizard

  1. Open your browser
  2. Go to `https://yourdomain.nl`
  3. You will be redirected to the installation wizard

Step 1: System Check

The wizard automatically checks:

  • PHP version
  • Required extensions
  • File permissions
  • Memory limit

Resolve any issues before proceeding.

Step 2: Configure Database

Fill in the database details:

  • Database host: localhost
  • Database port: 3306
  • Database name: your_database
  • Database username: your_user
  • Database password: your_password

Click on Continue.

Step 3: Initial Data

Choose what you want to install:

  • Start empty: No pre-set content
  • Introduction Package: Demo site with examples

For a new site, you usually choose to start empty.

Step 4: Create Administrator

Create the admin account:

  • Username: Choose a secure name (not "admin")
  • Password: At least 12 characters, strong
  • Email: Your email address

Step 5: Complete Installation

TYPO3 is now configuring the database and the system. This may take a few minutes.

Configuring the Backend

After installation, you can set up the backend.

Opening the Backend

  1. Go to `https://yourdomain.nl/typo3`
  2. Log in with your admin credentials
  3. You will enter the TYPO3 backend

Initial Configuration

  1. Go to Settings in the left navigation
  2. Click on Configure Installation-Wide Options
  3. Check and adjust:
    • Site name
    • Default language
    • Email settings

Site Configuration

  1. Go to Sites
  2. Click on + Create new site configuration
  3. Configure:
    • Base URL
    • Language settings
    • Error handling

Installing Extensions

TYPO3 can be extended with extensions.

Via Extension Manager

  1. Go to Admin Tools and then Extensions
  2. Search for the desired extension
  3. Click on the installation icon
  4. Follow the configuration wizard if necessary
cd ~/domains/yourdomain.nl/myproject
# Install extension
composer require vendor/extension-name
# For example:
composer require georgringer/news
composer require in2code/powermail

Then activate in the Extension Manager.

Production Optimization

Optimize TYPO3 for production.

Configuring Cache

In `config/system/settings.php`:

return [
    'SYS' => [
        'caching' => [
            'cacheConfigurations' => [
                'hash' => [
                    'backend' => 'TYPO3\\CMS\\Core\\Cache\\Backend\\FileBackend',
                ],
            ],
        ],
    ],
];

Setting Up Scheduler

  1. Go to Admin Tools and then Scheduler
  2. Configure tasks such as clearing cache
  3. Set cron job via DirectAdmin:
    4. */15* * * * cd /path/to/myproject && vendor/bin/typo3 scheduler:run

Common Issues

Installation Wizard Not Visible

  1. Check the document root
  2. Check if `public/index.php` exists
  3. Check the error logs

Permission Denied Errors

chmod -R 775 var
chmod -R 775 public/typo3temp
chmod -R 775 public/fileadmin

Database Connection Failed

  1. Check the database details
  2. Test the connection via phpMyAdmin
  3. Check if the database exists

Security Best Practices

Secure your TYPO3 installation:

  1. Use strong admin passwords
  2. Restrict backend IP addresses if possible
  3. Keep TYPO3 and extensions up-to-date
  4. Configure HTTPS
  5. Make regular backups

Need Help?

We are here for you! Are you facing any issues or do you have questions? Our support team is happy to assist you personally. Send us a message via the ticket system - we usually respond within a few hours and are happy to help you out.