A fast website is essential for both user experience and SEO. At Theory7, we often see TYPO3 websites that are slower than necessary. With the right optimizations, you can often improve loading times by 50% or more. In this guide, we share our best tips for TYPO3 performance.

Why Performance is Important

Google uses loading speed as a ranking factor. Visitors abandon slow websites - every extra second of loading time can lead to 7% fewer conversions. A fast TYPO3 site means better rankings, more visitors, and higher conversions.

Optimizing TYPO3 Caching

Caching is the most important factor for TYPO3 performance. TYPO3 has an advanced caching system that you need to configure properly.

Enable Page Caching

Ensure that page caching is active for all content pages. You can configure this in your site config. Page cache stores fully rendered pages so that TYPO3 does not have to regenerate them on each visit.

Configure Cache Backends

By default, TYPO3 uses file-based caching. For better performance, you can switch to Redis or Memcached. Redis is significantly faster than file caching, especially under heavy traffic. In LocalConfiguration.php, you can change the cache backend to Redis or Memcached.

OPcache for PHP

OPcache stores compiled PHP code in memory. This is essential for TYPO3 performance. Configure OPcache with sufficient memory (at least 128MB) and a reasonable revalidation frequency.

Frontend Optimizations

Compress and Combine Assets

TYPO3 can automatically combine and minify CSS and JavaScript files. This significantly reduces the number of HTTP requests and file size. Activate this via TypoScript configuration with compressCss, compressJs, concatenateCss, and concatenateJs options.

Optimize Images

Use lazy loading for images that are not immediately visible. Also, configure automatic image resizing in TYPO3 so that images are not sent larger than necessary. Consider using WebP format for modern browsers.

Browser Caching Headers

Set correct cache headers via your web server or TYPO3. Static files such as images, CSS, and JavaScript can have long cache times, often a year. This prevents unnecessary downloads for returning visitors.

Database Optimization

Update Reference Index

The Reference Index keeps track of relationships between content. An outdated index significantly slows down queries. Regularly schedule a reference index update via the TYPO3 command line tool or a cron job.

Clean Up Database

Regularly remove old versions and cache entries. TYPO3 provides cleanup commands for deleted records, flexforms, and orphan records. This keeps your database lean and fast.

MySQL Configuration

Optimize your MySQL configuration for better query performance. Query cache, InnoDB buffer pool size, and other settings make a big difference in active TYPO3 installations.

Server-Side Optimizations

PHP-FPM Tuning

Configure PHP-FPM for optimal TYPO3 performance. The process manager mode (dynamic, static, ondemand), max_children, and other settings determine how many concurrent requests you can handle without delay.

Enable HTTP/2

HTTP/2 loads multiple resources in parallel and uses header compression. Most modern web servers support this by default. Activate HTTP/2 in your web server configuration for faster page loads.

Use LiteSpeed

The LiteSpeed web server is significantly faster than Apache for PHP applications. If you have the option, consider LiteSpeed with LSCache for the best TYPO3 performance. At Theory7, our servers run on LiteSpeed.

Performance Monitoring

TYPO3 Admin Tools

Use the built-in Admin Tools to identify bottlenecks. Check the Environment module for PHP information and system information. The Extension Scanner helps find deprecated code.

Browser DevTools

Check the Network tab in Chrome DevTools to identify slow resources. Pay attention to Time to First Byte (TTFB), Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), and Total Blocking Time. These are Core Web Vitals that Google uses for ranking.

Server Monitoring

Monitor your server resources to see if CPU, memory, or disk I/O is the bottleneck. Tools like htop, iostat, and vmstat provide insight into real-time performance.

Common Performance Issues

Too Many Extensions

Each extension adds overhead. Deactivate extensions that you are not actively using. Periodically audit which extensions are truly necessary for your site functionality.

Unoptimized Images

Do not upload large images of several megabytes. Resize and optimize images before uploading them. Use WebP format where possible for smaller file sizes.

No Caching Active

This is the most common cause of slow TYPO3 sites. Always check if caching is working correctly. Test by loading a page twice and comparing the loading times.

External Resources

External scripts, fonts, and widgets can slow down your site. Audit external resources and consider locally hosting critical assets. Use async or defer for scripts where possible.

Need Help?

We are here for you! Are you facing any issues or 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.