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Introduction
Without any experience with TYPO3, my very first look into the backend was overwhelming. Sure, the content management system is very intuitive, and probably you can also create rudimentary pages after a short while without knowing anything about it. But the many hidden functions, scripts, plugins and extensions that lurk beneath the surface of this actually very powerful CMS require a little more training time.
So how to start with TYPO3? Instead of trying alone and lost to Trial & Error, I decided to do Wolfgang Wagners TYPO3 video training.
In a way, it's a monumental task, because the video footage occupies you a little longer than a complete Hobbit and Lord of the Rings marathon, namely 28 hours. In contrast to the Middle-Earth films, however, you should definitely plan for more than just toilet breaks, because the guide invites you to take part. To be more precise: The leader of this training, Wolfgang Wagner, does that.
To Wolfgang Wagner
The story of Mr. Wagner sometimes sounds a bit unusual: A trained nurse (and as such also active for many years), he stumbled upon TYPO3 in 2005 and over time became one of the best-known community members - not least due to several hundred video tutorials, extensions to TYPO3 and numerous workshops for which he is responsible. In the meantime (besides his continuing engagement in the TYPO3 landscape) he is working as a Senior Web Developer for an internet service provider.
A further leap for someone who previously only created private websites for friends and family. And on top of that, a motivating story: Wagner's personal success develops an inspiring effect. It was easy for me to listen to him for 28 hours because I was sure I could learn from him.
Contents
But how is the video training structured now? Wolfgang Wagner explains over more than a dozen chapters with a total of 197 videos the way from the first installation of TYPO3 to the most complicated functions and subtleties of the CMS. At the heart of the training is the creation of your own website using TYPO3, with Wagner accompanying you step by step.
Practically, a virtual server is included in the training, which is exclusively distributed digitally - preconfigured for the use of TYPO3. This means that you can "participate" relatively comfortably parallel to the video (two screens are recommended).
From the very beginning, Wagner has mentioned nothing, so that even complete amateurs, for whom HTML looks like ancient Egyptian, will be able to cope. If at all, then it is almost a bit too much of a good thing: For IT-savvy contemporaries and/or those already familiar with TYPO3, some explanations might seem a little too lengthy, especially at the beginning of the training - but Wagner doesn't recommend the videos for advanced users anyway.
At the end of the training you learned (among other things) how to install TYPO3, which modules in the backend work how, how to use TypoScript (the configuration language of TYPO3), which methods you can use to create a TYPO3 website, how to manage user rights in the backend, ... And you will also gain a comprehensive insight into the world of TYPO3 extensions, with which a wide variety of special functions such as forms or so-called masks can be integrated.
In addition, Wagner explains in detail how you can (hopefully) successfully optimize, publish, maintain and update your TYPO3-integrated website.
As you might guess from this description, the volume is really impressive. The price of 139 EUR sounds downright depressingly low when you consider how much a several-day on-site training with the same number of hours would cost. Apart from the fact that you wouldn't even be able to press the pause button in the video player.
Another (possibly more important) advantage is that you can always jump back to a previous video if you have questions or problems. So if you've forgotten in between how to create multi-page forms, you can easily switch to Chapter 6 and get smart again.
The chapters are logically structured and numbered, and each video has its own theme in the file name - which means you can easily see what each clip is about. Apropos "clip": The individual videos are all only about 5 to 15 minutes long, which I also feel is positive: You don't have to dig through a 180-minute instructional video to get to the point that is important for you.
As a bonus, not only the virtual server is included with the video training, but also extensive practice material that you can use directly for the individual videos.
Conclusion
Is there a catch? I would say: yes. In my opinion, the biggest hurdle could be the greatest strength of this video training - the enormous extent. If you are already intimidated by 28 hours, you have to bear in mind that many more hours are added in which you stop the video training to click yourself through TYPO3. Not to be underestimated is also the mental learning effort: The 28 hours of the videos necessarily represent a relatively compressed form of training, and you will also have to brood over what you have just learned away from the screen. So it happened that I was busy with the training for several weeks; no matter if the video player was running or not.
Nevertheless, I can recommend video training to anyone who would like to learn TYPO3 in a (semi-)professional setting - or simply as a serious hobby. Either way, the time required to learn how to use TYPO3 safely is formidable. But if you already want to dare, Wolfgang Wagner's video training is a very good - if not unrivalled - pioneer for it.
New now! - Video Course "News with TYPO3"
In this online course by Wolfgang Wagner, the subtleties of the TYPO3 extension "News" by Georg Ringer are shown in 27 videos with 3.5 hours of material. Afterwards you will be able to integrate and configure News into an existing TYPO3 system. In addition to news, you can also control blog articles, press releases and the like.
Contact us!
We are a digital agency, which is specialized in the development of digital products. Our core topics are websites and portals with TYPO3, eCommerce with Shopware and Android and iOS-Apps. In addition, we deal with many other topics in the field of web development. Feel free to contact us with your concerns!
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