TYPO3 in Oldenburg
Sharpness Solutions GmbH has been based in Oldenburg, in north-west Germany, since 1999 and has worked with TYPO3 since 2004. From Edewechter Landstraße 161 we build new TYPO3 websites and relaunches, run and maintain them on our own servers under a contract with an SLA (service level agreement), develop extensions and bring older installations up to TYPO3 v14, the current long-term support (LTS) version since 21 April 2026. This page is for companies, associations and institutions in Oldenburg and the wider north-west that want a TYPO3 provider within reach. What proximity brings is quickly said: meetings at our office or at yours, by arrangement, and people you know by name. We still fix faults remotely. The response time is set by the SLA, not by the distance.
Hardly any enquiry starts with a blank page. There is usually a TYPO3 website that has been running for years, editors who keep it up to date, and a question that cannot be put off any longer. Six starting points come up again and again. Each has a way forward — but rarely the same one.
Free support for v12 ended in April 2026, for v11 and v10 even earlier. After that, security updates are only available through paid Extended Long Term Support (ELTS) from TYPO3 GmbH, and for v9 and older not at all. The website carries on as if nothing had happened. So do the vulnerabilities.
The developer has moved on, the agency has closed, tickets sit untouched for weeks. Nobody is quite sure where the code is, who holds the credentials or in whose name the domain is registered. That is no reason for a rebuild. It is a reason to take a look now rather than at the next outage.
Departments, facilities or branches maintain their own pages, and over the years a page tree has grown that nobody can see the whole of any more. Permissions are either too broad or so narrow that everything goes through one person. TYPO3 can bring order to this. But the structure has to be set up properly once, not just added to.
Public bodies are required to make their websites accessible, consumer services in e-commerce have been covered by Germany’s Accessibility Strengthening Act (BFSG) since 28 June 2025, and sometimes a visitor simply reports that a form cannot be used with a keyboard. An old template can only be retrofitted so far. Often accessibility belongs in the same project as the upgrade.
A directory of counselling centres, vehicle stock from a dealer management system, data from the merchandise management system. The TYPO3 Extension Repository has something similar, but not the right thing. Three third-party extensions with modifications then usually cost more than one of your own — at the latest when the next upgrade comes round.
A TYPO3 website usually stays with an organisation for many years. Video calls and the phone are enough for day-to-day work. For the concept, acceptance testing and the question of what happens after the upgrade, a meeting round a table is often quicker than three phone calls — and within Oldenburg it needs no travel planning.
TYPO3 earns its place when a website is more demanding organisationally than technically: several departments or branches maintaining their own pages, graded editing rights, more than one language, a page tree that has grown over the years. Its permission system — backend user groups, page permissions and separate file areas — was built for exactly that. We have used TYPO3 since 2004, and we also say when it is too much. For a company website in one language, with a modest number of pages and a single editor who posts the occasional news item, we build with WordPress and a custom theme. And if the website needs to sell, you get TYPO3 coupled with Shopware 6 rather than a shop squeezed into the CMS. A system the editors avoid is the wrong size.
A new project starts on TYPO3 v14 as a Composer installation. Configuration lives in files and therefore in the Git repository: site configuration and site sets, TypoScript, Fluid templates, and content elements built either with Content Blocks — an extension, not part of the core — or with our own data structures defined in TCA, TYPO3’s table configuration. Editors then see fields that match their content instead of a generic page builder. We build on a staging system you can reach at any time, and approvals happen there, not on screenshots. That is how M&S Armaturen, a company in industrial valves, got a multilingual corporate website that brings products, sustainability, careers and service together in one structure, editable in-house and with its Shopware shop connected. The website explains, the shop sells. Each system does what it was built for.
A relaunch carries over content, page structure, files and URLs; templates and extensions are rebuilt or cleaned up. Every old address that changes gets a 301 redirect, tested on staging before the switch. We estimate in person-days, with separate line items for concept, templates, content elements, extensions, data migration and testing, so you can see what you are paying for. We give the hourly rate and a price on request, after looking at your project, not before. How new builds and relaunches run in detail is described on our TYPO3 agency page. One thing is settled from the start: the domain is registered in your name, and the source code sits in a Git repository that belongs to you.
A TYPO3 website is not finished at launch. TYPO3 regularly publishes maintenance and security releases for the supported LTS versions, extensions get their own security advisories, and PHP versions reach end of life. For us, maintenance means: checking every TYPO3 security bulletin against your installation on the day it is published, testing updates on a staging copy before they go live, keeping extensions and the underlying stack current, backups with tested restores, monitoring and a log of the work done. Major upgrades are not included; they are a project in their own right. Our TYPO3 maintenance page sets out exactly what the contract covers. Maintenance does not prevent an attack. It shortens the time a known vulnerability stays open.
You choose the response time through the SLA tier: 24, 8 or 4 hours, as a monthly flat fee excluding VAT, which we quote after the initial review. Without an SLA, requests are handled in order of arrival within 48 hours during our business hours, Mon–Thu 9:00–16:00, Fri 9:00–13:00 (CET); on-call cover outside those hours is only available with an SLA. Your TYPO3 runs on our own servers, a Proxmox VE cluster in Hetzner’s data centre in Falkenstein — in Germany, but not in Oldenburg. That way hosting and maintenance come from a single provider. The trade website of Manotura GmbH & Co. KG, a specialist in irrigation and water technology, runs exactly like this: on TYPO3, editable in-house, operated on our own servers in Germany. For conversations, proximity counts. For servers, what counts is operation and restores, not the postcode.
The most common reason clients come to us is a TYPO3 installation somebody else built. Whether that agency is in Oldenburg or elsewhere makes no difference. Before we commit, we review the system: core version, extensions, custom code, TypoScript, PHP and database versions, backend accounts, backups. We need backend access with administrator rights, SSH access to the server, the repository if there is one, and ideally control of the domain. If your previous provider does not respond, we request the credentials ourselves. We document the state we find and have it confirmed in writing, so it stays clear later what we inherited and what we changed. The installation then moves to our servers and into the regular maintenance cycle. And we decline if a system is built in a way we cannot stand behind.
A custom extension pays off where your process departs from the standard and no maintained extension from the TYPO3 Extension Repository (TER) fits. Typical cases are structured data sets with search and filters, imports from other systems, forms with business logic, and backend modules in which editors maintain data that are not pages. Before we build anything, we check whether an existing extension can do the job; a well-maintained solution from the TER is often the better choice. Every extension — from the TER, from a third party or written by us — is an item that has to be checked again with every update. Sometimes the best extension is the one that is not installed.
We build against the interfaces TYPO3 provides for the purpose: Extbase and Fluid for plugins and output, TCA for data structures, PSR-14 events instead of changes to the core, PSR-15 middlewares for requests handled before the page is rendered, and Symfony dependency injection for services. Recurring jobs such as imports run as Symfony Console commands via the Scheduler, and writes to content go through the DataHandler so that permissions and logging apply. Under v14 we register plugins as their own content type instead of using list_type, which has been removed. An extension that only takes the intended routes keeps the next upgrade small. One that works around the core makes it expensive.
At Autohaus Brüggemann — six sites from Rheine to Rostock, eight franchised brands — the TYPO3 website brings a vehicle stock in the four figures together in one shared search, fed from the dealer management system rather than by the editors. At Eschen Nutzfahrzeuge (used trucks and commercial vehicles), the vehicle stock is held as structured records, editable in-house and usable on mobile. For tasks like these there is rarely an off-the-shelf extension that fits without changes. TYPO3 extensions are licensed under the GPL; your own extension sits documented in your repository and is checked again with every update as part of maintenance. Our TYPO3 extensions page describes how we plan, build and look after them. An extension is only finished once it survives the next upgrade.
TYPO3 v14 has been the current LTS version since 21 April 2026 and receives free support until 30 June 2029. v13, the previous LTS, still gets security updates, free of charge until 31 December 2027. Free support for v12 ended on 30 April 2026; since then security fixes have only been available through ELTS, the paid service of TYPO3 GmbH. For v11 and v10 that has been the case for longer, and for v9 and older there are no updates at all, not even for payment. ELTS buys time, for instance until a relaunch that is already scheduled. It does not solve a technical problem: when it runs out, the same question is waiting, only with a greater distance to the current version.
An upgrade starts with a review and an extension audit: is there a v14 release for each extension, is it still needed at all, is there a replacement? The Extension Scanner checks your own code, TYPO3 Rector takes care of part of the changes, and the rest is manual work. We move up through the LTS versions on a test instance; your website stays online until the switch. For many existing systems the biggest single item in v14 is the removal of list_type: plugins still registered that way have to be converted and their content migrated. From v9 and older, the step is technically a rebuild with data migration. We tell you that before the quote, not during the project.
Updates within an LTS line are part of maintenance; the jump between major versions is a project of its own, with a fixed price for the clearly defined parts. Whether v14 directly, v13 as an interim step or a rebuild is the right route depends on the starting version, the amount of custom development, the interfaces and the state of the frontend. In one place proximity genuinely helps with an upgrade: acceptance testing on the test system can be done together round one table, with the people who use the website every day. Support deadlines, ELTS prices and the breaking changes in v14 are covered in detail on our TYPO3 update page. An upgrade that meets its deadline starts well before it.
TYPO3 is widespread among the kind of organisations that shape a university city and regional centre in north-west Germany: universities, public administration, chambers, associations, social welfare organisations. Their websites have one thing in common. Many people maintain them, often alongside their actual job, and each of them should only be able to change their own section. At Diakonisches Werk Oldenburg, facilities, services and counselling centres sit under one roof. Its TYPO3 website reflects this branched structure, can be maintained by many editors and is accessible to all. For websites like this, TYPO3 is the obvious choice. Not because of the technology, but because of the organisation behind it.
A website with many editors stands or falls with its permissions concept. In TYPO3, every facility, department or branch gets a backend user group with access to exactly its part of the page tree and its own file area. We build content elements so that editors enter content rather than design it: headings, text, images with alternative text, contact persons and opening hours as fields instead of freely formatted text. That keeps the website consistent however many people work on it, and turns accessibility into a property of the system instead of a task for every single editor. A field that only accepts the right input needs no instructions.
Public bodies are subject to their own accessibility rules: at federal level BITV 2.0, the German accessibility regulation for public-sector websites, plus corresponding rules in the federal states. Consumer services in e-commerce have also been covered since 28 June 2025 by the BFSG, Germany’s implementation of the European Accessibility Act. Which rule applies to your organisation is a question for your legal adviser, not your agency. Technically, the benchmark in both cases is usually EN 301 549, which refers to WCAG at level AA. That an existing system can be brought up to standard is shown by the corporate website of the Bünting Group from Leer: we raised the existing TYPO3 to BFSG level, with skip links, a contrast mode, text size options and full keyboard operation. An overlay script replaces none of that.
Process
Send us the address of your website or a few sentences about your project: TYPO3 version, who maintains the website, what needs to change. You get an initial assessment — new build, maintenance, takeover, upgrade or extension — and learn what the effort depends on in your case. Phone +49 441 21 21 63 0, Mon–Thu 9:00–16:00, Fri 9:00–13:00 (CET). Meetings at our office at Edewechter Landstraße 161 in Oldenburg or at your premises in the north-west by arrangement.
You describe the project: new build, relaunch, maintenance, takeover, upgrade or an extension. We tell you whether TYPO3 fits and which route makes sense. If WordPress or Shopware is the better choice, we say so. The conversation takes place at our office, at yours or by video.
For an existing system we look at the version, extensions, custom code, hosting, backups and credentials, and write down what we find. For a new build we work out structure, editing rights, languages, content types and connected systems — ideally with the people at the table who will maintain the website later.
You get a list of what will be built, migrated or maintained, with the effort in person-days per line item and a schedule. Clearly defined parts we offer at a fixed price. For hosting and maintenance we name the right SLA tier and the monthly flat fee excluding VAT.
Building, migrating and updating all happen on a staging system; your website stays live until the switch. The code sits in a Git repository that belongs to you. You see interim results on the running system, not on screenshots.
You test against an acceptance list: content, forms, search, redirects, editing rights, accessibility. If you wish, we do the acceptance together in Oldenburg or at your premises. The switch happens in the agreed window, with a backup taken immediately before.
After that your TYPO3 runs on our servers in Germany, with maintenance under the SLA and a named contact. Security updates, extension maintenance and backups follow a plan; we schedule the next major upgrade before the deadline gets close.
Projects on this system
A selection — not the full client list.
Yes, by arrangement at our office at Edewechter Landstraße 161 in Oldenburg, or at your premises in the Oldenburg region and the wider north-west. Give us a quick call beforehand on +49 441 21 21 63 0, Mon–Thu 9:00–16:00, Fri 9:00–13:00 (CET), so that the people relevant to your project are at the table. A meeting in person is often worthwhile for the first conversation, the concept and acceptance testing. Day-to-day work — development, testing, coordination in between — we handle remotely, by video call and phone. That gives you both: short distances when decisions are due, and no journey for a quick question.
As quickly as your SLA specifies: depending on the tier, the response time is 24, 8 or 4 hours. Response time means that someone starts working on the problem; when the system is back up depends on the cause. Without an SLA, requests are handled in order of arrival within 48 hours during our business hours, Mon–Thu 9:00–16:00, Fri 9:00–13:00 (CET), and on-call cover is only available with an SLA. Faults are almost always fixed remotely, via the server, the repository and the backend. Being in Oldenburg therefore does not shorten the response time. It makes the conversation about causes and consequences easier.
Yes, we take over TYPO3 systems regardless of who built them and where that agency is based. Before we commit, we review the version, extensions, custom code, hosting and backups, and you get the result in writing. For that we need backend access with administrator rights, SSH access to the server and, if there is one, the repository. If your previous provider does not respond, we request the credentials ourselves — you do not have to have the awkward conversation. The system then moves to our servers and into ongoing maintenance. Our TYPO3 maintenance page explains how the takeover works in detail.
We name a price after looking at your project, not before — we do not sell packages. Projects are estimated in person-days with separate line items, for example for concept, templates, content elements, extensions, data migration and testing, so you can move or drop individual items. Clearly defined parts we offer at a fixed price. Hosting and maintenance are charged as a monthly flat fee excluding VAT, based on the SLA tier, the number of extensions and the amount of custom code. We give the hourly rate on request. A monthly price quoted without looking at the installation is an average, and you pay for it.
Urgent enough to plan now: free support for TYPO3 v12 ended on 30 April 2026, and for older versions earlier still. Since then security fixes have only been available through paid ELTS from TYPO3 GmbH, and for v9 and older not at all. The website keeps running technically, but newly reported vulnerabilities stay open. The route leads through a review and an extension audit to an upgrade to v14 or, for very old installations, to a rebuild with data migration. Deadlines, ELTS prices and the process are explained on our TYPO3 update page.
An upgrade is worth it when structure, content and editorial workflows still hold up and only the technology is out of date; a rebuild, when the information architecture no longer fits anyway or the starting version is v9 or older. From there, the step to v14 is technically a rebuild with data migration: content, page structure, files and URLs come along, the code is written anew. If a new design is due anyway, there is no reason to rescue the old template. Our assessment sets out both routes side by side, each with its effort. You decide afterwards; we do not decide for you beforehand.
As a rule, straight to v14: it has been the current LTS version since 21 April 2026 and receives free support until 30 June 2029, whereas v13 is supported free of charge only until 31 December 2027. Moving to v13 now means scheduling the next upgrade at the same time. v13 makes sense as an interim step when a business-critical extension has no v14 release yet and no replacement is in sight — for example because it still registers its plugins via list_type, which was removed in v14. We build new websites on v14.
Yes, if no maintained extension from the TYPO3 Extension Repository can do the job — that is the first thing we check. We build custom extensions with Extbase and Fluid, data structures in TCA, integrations via PSR-14 events and imports as Symfony Console commands that the Scheduler runs at regular intervals. Typical cases are directories, stock data from other systems and backend modules for data that are not pages. The code sits documented in your repository, is licensed under the GPL like all TYPO3 extensions and is checked again with every update as part of maintenance. More on our TYPO3 extensions page.
In Germany, but not in Oldenburg: we run our own servers as a Proxmox VE cluster in Hetzner’s data centre in Falkenstein. Each client environment runs separately there, with a staging system, backups and monitoring. Hosting and maintenance therefore come from a single provider, and when something goes wrong nobody has to work out whether the problem lies with the host or the application. If your TYPO3 currently runs with another provider, we plan the move to our servers as part of the takeover, with a test run on staging before the switch.
That depends on who you are and what the website offers: public bodies are required to be accessible, and consumer services in e-commerce have been covered by the BFSG, Germany’s implementation of the European Accessibility Act, since 28 June 2025. Purely B2B offerings are generally not covered, and for services there is an exemption for micro-enterprises. For independent welfare organisations and charities, the classification is a case-by-case question for your legal adviser. Technically, we implement accessibility to EN 301 549 and WCAG level AA and test both automatically and by hand, with keyboard and screen reader. A current TYPO3 makes that possible, but it does not do it on its own.
TYPO3 fits when many people maintain the website and are meant to have different rights, when several languages, branches or facilities are involved, or when the page tree is large. For a company website in one language, with a modest number of pages and a single editor, it is oversized; in that case we build with WordPress and a custom theme. If the website needs to sell, we couple TYPO3 with Shopware 6 rather than forcing a shop into the CMS. We work with all three systems, so we have no reason to steer the answer in one direction.
You do: the source code sits in a Git repository that belongs to your organisation, and the domain is always registered in your name, as are licences and accounts. That applies to new websites and to systems we take over; credentials still held by a previous agency are transferred to you during the takeover, as far as that is possible. The installation is documented, and every change can be traced in the repository. For us this is not a contractual detail but the basis of working together. We take care of hosting and maintenance — ownership stays with you.
Enquiry
A few sentences are enough. We get back to you with questions and an initial assessment — and, if you like, with a suggested date for a meeting in Oldenburg or at your premises.