---
title: "How to use the styleguide extension"
manual: "TCA Reference"
version: "13.4"
permalink: "https://docs.typo3.org/permalink/t3tca:styleguide@13.4"
source: "Examples/StyleGuide.rst"
modified: "2026-09-15T18:49:03+00:00"
---

# How to use the `styleguide` extension

1.  Install the extension `styleguide`

    In composer based installations it can be installed via

    ```console
    composer require --dev typo3/cms-styleguide
    ```

    For manual installations you can download the extension
    [styleguide from GitHub](https://github.com/TYPO3/styleguide).
1.  Create a page tree with the examples

    Go to the **Help menu (?) > Styleguide**. In the styleguide
    choose tab **TCA / Records** and then the button
    **Create styleguide page tree with data**. After you are done
    you can delete the example page tree by clicking the other button
    **Delete styleguide page tree and all styleguide data records**

    ![](../Images/AutomaticScreenshots/StyleguideCreateTCA.png)
1.  Have a look at the examples

    Navigate to the new page tree called **styleguide TCA demo**, using
    the **List** module. Choose a page, for example
    **elements basic**, and open the English record. The records in the
    other languages can be used to see examples of localization and the relation
    between languages.

    ![](../Images/AutomaticScreenshots/StyleguideViewExample.png)

    > [!TIP]
    > **Hint**
    >
    > If you turn on the backend debugging you can see the names of all fields as
    > used in the database. Furthermore, in fields that hide the real database
    > value (such as checkboxes) you can see the value hidden behind the label.
    > To activate backend debugging go to: **Admin Tools > Settings
    > \> Configuration Presets > Debug Settings > BE/debug**.
1.  Find the corresponding TCA definition

    All TCA examples are called after their type and then numbered. The tables
    carry the same name as the entry in the page tree, prefixed with
    `tx_styleguide_` therefore you would find the examples from `elements_basic` at:
    `public/typo3conf/ext/styleguide/Configuration/TCA/tx_styleguide_elements_basic.php`.

    Open the file with an editor of your choice. Then search for the name of the
    field, in this example `checkbox_9`. You can then have a look at the TCA
    definition in a working example.

    ![some image](../Images/ManualScreenshots/StyleguideTcaDefinition.png)