How to Install TYPO3 CMS on a Cloud Server

Learn how to install TYPO3 CMS on a Cloud Server. Our Google Cloud Support team is here to answer queries and concerns.

How to Install TYPO3 CMS on a Cloud Server

When it comes to content management systems (CMS), TYPO3 shares the stage with industry giants like WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal. This open-source, PHP-based CMS is known for its flexibility, scalability, and enterprise-grade performance.

Today, we will explore what TYPO3 is, how it integrates with Google Cloud, and walk you through a step-by-step guide to installing TYPO3 version 12.4 on Cloudways.

What is TYPO3?

TYPO3 is a free and open-source CMS written in PHP. It’s compatible with web servers like Apache and IIS and runs smoothly on a variety of operating systems, including Linux, Windows, macOS, and even OS/2.

TYPO3 is popular among businesses, developers, and enterprises for building complex websites, intranets, and web applications. From multi-language support to advanced user permissions, TYPO3 offers everything you need for content-rich sites.

What is TYPO3 Google Cloud?

TYPO3 on Google Cloud refers to hosting the TYPO3 CMS on Google Cloud Platform (GCP), utilizing services such as Compute Engine, Cloud SQL, and Cloud DNS. This setup blends the CMS’s enterprise capabilities with Google Cloud’s scalability, performance, and security.

If you’re exploring Google Cloud for your deployments, it’s worth reviewing the most popular GCP services to understand which ones best suit your hosting and application needs.

One of the easiest ways to deploy TYPO3 on Google Cloud is through Cloudways, a managed cloud hosting platform that simplifies server and application management.

How to Install TYPO3 12.4 on Cloudways: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. First, sign up for Cloudways at this link.
2. After signing up, launch a new server using the PHP Stack application.
3. Once the server is ready, head to the Application tab and choose the TYPO3 server.
4. Then, go to Settings & Packages > Packages to upgrade the PHP version to 8.1 or 8.2.
5. Now, go to Server Management > Master Credentials and launch the SSH Terminal.
6. Use the following Linux commands:

   cd applications/our-app/public_html
   
   rm index.php
   
   

   
   This clears the default files to prepare for TYPO3 installation.

   If you’re running into issues accessing Google Cloud tools via Python, this guide on resolving “cannot import name aiplatform” might help clarify dependency and import challenges.
7. Then, in the SSH terminal, run:

   composer create-project "typo3/cms-base-distribution:^12.4" typo3-cloudways
8. Now, create the `FIRST_INSTALL` file:

   touch typo3-cloudways/public/FIRST_INSTALL
9. Next, open the browser and go to the TYPO3 installer URL:

     http://phpstack--*.cloudwaysapps.com/typo3-cloudways/public/typo3/install.php

   
   If you run into a PHP function restriction error, go to the PHP FPM settings in Cloudways. Then, edit the `php_admin_value[disable_functions]` line to remove any restricted functions causing the issue. Save the changes and disable the Varnish cache if the error persists.
10. Now, it is time to configure the database. Get the database login credentials from Application Management > Access Details.This clears the default files to prepare for TYPO3 installation.
11. Open the Database Manager and run:

    
    
    ALTER DATABASE your_database_name CHARACTER SET utf8mb4 COLLATE utf8mb4_unicode_ci;
    
    
12. Now, finalize the installation. Enter the site name and admin login credentials. Choose one of the two initialization options:
    • Create an empty starting page
    • Proceed to the backend

    Our Experts suggest choosing the first option to automatically generate a site configuration file if you are a beginner.
13. Now, go to Application Settings > Webroot and set it to:

    typo3-cloudways/public
14. Then, access the application via the Application URL.

If you see the TYPO3 welcome page, congratulations, you’ve successfully deployed TYPO3 on Cloudways!

Bonus: How to Install a TYPO3 Extension

1. First, go to the root directory of the TYPO3 installation.
2. Then, use the backend or Install Tool to clear caches to ensure the extension loads correctly.
3. Now, set up the News Section by adding the News Plugin to a backend page.
4. Configure settings like categories, tags, or detail views.
5. Save and preview to ensure everything works as expected.

When scaling TYPO3 in production, managing secure access to assets like images and media is vital. For that, private GCS bucket access through Google Cloud CDN is a great technique to secure your content while optimizing delivery speeds globally.

[Need assistance with a different issue? Our team is available 24/7.]

Conclusion

In brief, our Support Experts demonstrated how to install TYPO3 CMS on a Cloud Server.