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The Filelist module
The File > Filelist module is where you can manage all the media and downloads associated with your TYPO3 web site.
The Editors Guide describes how to manage media in the TYPO3 backend.
Do not store assets needed for your theme here. Store these in
the folder Resources/ of your site package
or another extension.
leuchtfeuer/secure-downloads
Fileadmin - the default file storage
By default all media managed via the Filelist module is stored in the folder
public/.
This folder is publicly accessible and it is possible for attackers to access any file herein when they have or guess the correct path.
Third party extensions like leuchtfeuer/secure-downloads can help you if downloads should only be available to logged-in frontend users.
File storages
It is possible to configure additional file storages, including private and read only ones. This topic is beyond the scope of this guide. It is explained in TYPO3 Explained, chapter File storages.
File abstraction layer (FAL)
All media and download files managed in the Filelist module are managed via an abstraction layer. You can find the documentation of this layer in TYPO3 Explained, chapter File abstraction layer (FAL).
On uploading, each file get a unique identifier assigned to it. This identifier is used to link to files and also to attach meta data to them.
This allows your editors to rename and move files without breaking the frontend. It also allows to test weather a file is still being used on deletion and to automatically delete unused media if desired.
However you can only use the full power of the FAL if you do not link directly to files but only use the API to access them:
In Fluid link files using the Image ViewHelper <f:image> with property image for images and the Link.file ViewHelper <f:link.file> for download links.
In TypoScript the typolink function with the file property can be used to link downloads.
For usage in PHP there is an API: Working with files, folders and file references
Note
Never link to a file in the fileadmin from CSS or or JavaScript. Such files like logos, icons, background images etc. should be stored as Assets in extensions and site packages.
File meta data
A number of meta data fields for media uploaded in the Filelist module is available out-of-the-box. Additional meta data fields are available if the system extension typo3/cms-filemetadata is installed.
For accessibility reasons images should always have an alt text defined. Editors can input an alt text either in the file metadata in the Filelist module or override it in the file relation when they use an image in a content element.
By using the Image ViewHelper <f:image> the alt text is automatically output unless you override it with property 'alt'.