--- title: "Frontend plugin" manual: "TYPO3 Explained" version: "13.4" permalink: "https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:frontend-plugin@13.4" source: "ExtensionArchitecture/HowTo/FrontendPlugin/Index.rst" rendered: "2026-09-18T05:52:58+00:00" --- # Frontend plugin {#frontend-plugin} Adding frontend plugins as a "General Plugin", setting the content record CType to 'list' is deprecated. See Migration: list_type plugins to CType. The term "frontend plugin" describes a part of a TYPO3 extension that is handled like a content element (can be inserted like a record/element in the TYPO3 backend by editors), which will deliver dynamic output when rendered in the frontend. The distinction and boundaries to regular content are sometimes not easy to draw, because also "regular" content elements are often able to perform dynamic output (for example with TypoScript configuration, Fluid data processors or ViewHelpers). There are different technology choices to create frontend plugins in TYPO3. For pure output it is often sufficient to use a [FLUIDTEMPLATE](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-typoscript/13.4/en-us/ContentObjects/Fluidtemplate/Index.html#cobj-fluidtemplate) in combination with [DataProcessors](https://docs.typo3.org/m/typo3/reference-typoscript/13.4/en-us/DataProcessing/Index.html#dataProcessing). See also [Creating a custom content element](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:adding-your-own-content-elements@13.4). For scenarios with user input and or complicated data operations consider using [Extbase](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:extbase@13.4) (specifically [Registration of frontend plugins](https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3coreapi:extbase-registration-of-frontend-plugins@13.4)). It is also possible to create a frontend plugin using Core functionality only.