Why TYPO3-to-wordpress migrations and integrations can be tricky
Moving content or functionality from TYPO3 to WordPress often uncovers unexpected gaps because the two systems approach templates, content elements, caching and permissions very differently. TYPO3 sites frequently rely on TypoScript, custom content elements and extensions that don’t have direct counterparts in WordPress. At the same time, urls, image paths and metadata may be stored in non-standard places, so a naive export/import can leave you with broken links, missing SEO data and layout problems. Knowing the common failure points and having practical fixes ready makes the process much faster and reduces downtime.
Common issues and how to fix them
url structure and permalinks
TYPO3 often uses its own routing and realurl or speaking_url-style configurations, which can result in URL patterns that differ from WordPress permalinks. If you don’t preserve old URLs, you risk losing search engine rankings and user bookmarks. Start by crawling the live TYPO3 site (Screaming Frog, Sitebulb or a sitemap) to collect the full URL list. Create a mapping file that associates each old URL with the new WordPress permalink. Implement 301 redirects using the server (apache .htaccess or nginx rules) or a WordPress plugin such as Redirection. For large sites, use regex rules where safe and batch-import redirects rather than adding them one-by-one.
Content formatting and rich-text differences
TYPO3 content elements often contain inline TypoScript-driven html or RTE content that doesn’t translate directly to WordPress blocks. You may see odd markup, nested divs, or inline styles after import. The best approach is to export raw HTML, then run a normalization step: use search-and-replace scripts to clean inline styles, convert specific tags to WordPress block-compatible markup, and remove TypoScript markers. Consider transforming content into reusable gutenberg blocks or converting to classic HTML where appropriate. Tools such as WP-cli combined with php scripts or custom migration plugins can perform automated transformations at scale.
Mapping custom fields, content elements and extensions
TYPO3 extensions and content elements rarely have one-to-one equivalence in WordPress. This is where planning matters: audit TYPO3 for custom data (flexforms, CType elements, custom tables) and design matching WordPress structures,custom post types, custom taxonomies and custom fields (ACF, Meta Box). For functionality like news modules, calendaring or classifieds, search for mature WordPress plugins or build custom plugins that replicate the behavior. If the TYPO3 site used complex TypoScript logic, consider recreating that logic in the theme templates or a plugin so content renders correctly without manual edits.
Images, attachments and media paths
Media in TYPO3 might live under different folders or use database references that break on import. Broken image URLs are a common post-migration headache. Use a media import process that copies files into wp-content/uploads and registers them in the media library (wp media import or migration plugins). After files are imported, run a database-wide search-and-replace to update old paths to new ones. Don’t forget to regenerate thumbnails and ensure file permissions are correct. For large libraries, stream the files with rsync and then run wp-cli to sync and register them, which avoids timeouts.
SEO metadata and structured data
TYPO3 might store page titles, meta descriptions and structured data in different fields or through TypoScript templates. If SEO fields aren’t migrated into WordPress SEO plugin fields (Yoast, Rank Math), you’ll lose on-page optimization. During migration, export meta titles, descriptions, canonical URLs and Open Graph fields into the corresponding WordPress postmeta keys. For structured data (json-LD or microdata), identify where it’s generated and port the logic into the theme or use a plugin to inject the JSON-LD based on migrated fields. After migration, crawl the site and compare page-level metadata to ensure nothing was omitted.
Redirects and 404 handling
Even with URL planning, missing pages or renamed routes will cause 404s. Set up comprehensive redirects using your mapping file and monitor 404 logs during the staging and early live phases. Use a redirection plugin that supports regex and bulk imports so you can upload CSV mappings. Keep the redirects organized and prioritized: always use 301 for permanently moved pages and avoid long redirect chains. Also update XML sitemaps and resubmit them to search engines after the migration.
Multilingual content and language handling
TYPO3’s language model and translation workflows differ from WordPress solutions. If your site used sys_language or translated content elements, you need a migration strategy that preserves language relationships and hreflang implementation. Popular WordPress multilingual plugins (WPML, Polylang) offer tools to import translations and maintain language taxonomies. Export content with language identifiers and import into the chosen plugin’s structure so translated pages remain linked. After migration, verify hreflang tags and language switchers function correctly and that each language version has correct canonicalization.
User accounts, authentication and permissions
TYPO3 users and password hashes are not compatible with WordPress authentication. If you must bring users across, export user records but expect to reset passwords or trigger password-reset emails on first login. Map TYPO3 roles to WordPress roles carefully,TYPO3 can have very granular permissions compared to WordPress. Where single-sign-on (SSO) or LDAP was used in TYPO3, replicate that integration in WordPress or use an SSO plugin so users experience seamless access.
Performance, caching and hosting differences
TYPO3 and WordPress handle caching differently; a fast TYPO3 site doesn’t automatically mean a fast WordPress replica. Configure object caching, page cache and CDN in the WordPress environment to match or improve performance. Use proven caching plugins (wp rocket, WP Super Cache) or server-level caching like Varnish, and consider Redis or memcached for object caching. Review queries introduced by new plugins or custom code and optimize database indices. Monitor performance through real-user monitoring and synthetic tests to catch hotspots quickly.
Security and access control
TYPO3 installations commonly embed security rules and custom access controls; when moving to WordPress, ensure those controls are re-established. Harden WordPress by restricting file permissions, disabling unnecessary XML-RPC endpoints if unused, installing a security plugin (wordfence, Sucuri) and enabling two-factor authentication for privileged accounts. For pages that required fine-grained access, recreate ACLs with membership or role-management plugins rather than relying on default WordPress visibility settings.
Recommended migration checklist
A practical checklist reduces risk: first, take full backups of TYPO3 files and database and prepare a staging WordPress instance. Crawl the TYPO3 site to capture URLs, metadata and internal linking. Map content types, custom fields and extensions to WordPress equivalents and design a media import plan. Create redirect rules based on the URL mapping, import content and media, then clean and normalize HTML and metadata. Run a thorough QA pass: test links, images, forms, language variants, user logins and performance. Finally, switch DNS during a low-traffic window and monitor search console for errors post-launch.
Quick technical tips and commands
- Bulk update URLs: wp search-replace ‘ ‘ –skip-columns=guid
- Import media from a folder: wp media import /path/to/images/* –porcelain –post_id=123
- Bulk import redirects (CSV) using the Redirection plugin or run server-level rules for better performance.
- Regenerate thumbnails after import: run a plugin like Regenerate Thumbnails or use WP-CLI helpers if available.
Concise summary
migrating from TYPO3 to WordPress is quite manageable with planning and the right tools. Focus on preserving URLs and SEO metadata, mapping custom content to WordPress structures, importing media correctly and recreating access controls and multilingual relationships. Automate repetitive clean-up steps, test on staging, and monitor errors and traffic after go-live to catch anything the migration missed.
FAQs
1. Do I have to keep the same URLs when migrating?
Keeping the same URLs is highly recommended for SEO, but if you must change them, implement 301 redirects from old URLs to new ones and update your sitemap. Proper redirects preserve link equity and minimize traffic loss.
2. Can I migrate TYPO3 extensions to WordPress plugins automatically?
Not automatically. Most TYPO3 extensions have no direct WordPress equivalent. For common features look for existing WordPress plugins; for custom behavior you’ll likely need a custom plugin or theme templates that replicate the logic.
3. How do I handle multilingual sites during migration?
Export language associations and import them into a WordPress multilingual plugin like WPML or Polylang. Maintain hreflang and canonical tags and verify that language switchers and SEO metadata are correct for each translated page.
4. What’s the best way to migrate users?
Export user records but prepare to reset passwords or send password-reset emails to users, since password hashes are incompatible. Map roles carefully and replicate any SSO or LDAP integrations in WordPress if they were used.
5. How can I minimize downtime during the migration?
Use a staging environment, sync incremental content and assets up to the cutover, switch dns during low traffic, and keep a rollback plan ready. After cutover, monitor logs, crawl the site for 404s and be ready to apply redirect fixes quickly.
