TYPO3 Core Removal & Design Decision

Important

Before installing this extension, please read this page carefully.

This extension re-implements functionality that TYPO3 core intentionally removed in version 10.0. Understanding the reasoning behind this removal will help you make an informed decision about whether this extension is right for your project.

What TYPO3 Removed

In TYPO3 v10.0 (Breaking #88500), the core team removed the RTE image handling functionality:

Removed Components

RTE processing mode ("ts_images")
SoftReference Index for inline images
Magic Image processing (automatic scaling, cropping via TSConfig)
Image storage handling (RTE_imageStorageDir)
CLI cleanup command (cleanup:rteimages)
Public API methods (ImportExport->getRTEoriginalFilename(), RteHtmlParser->TS_images_rte())

Later Deprecation

In TYPO3 v12.4 (Deprecation #99237), the MagicImageService class was deprecated with no direct migration path.

Why TYPO3 Removed This

The TYPO3 core team removed this functionality for several architectural reasons:

Obsolete Technology

CKEditor replaced RTEHtmlArea in TYPO3 v8, making the native RTE image handling unused and obsolete.
Incomplete Implementation

The changelog explicitly states the functionality was "very incomplete" compared to modern alternatives.
Architectural Philosophy

TYPO3 promotes structured content over inline mixed content. Storing images as relations (FAL references) provides better:
- Content reuse across multiple elements
- Metadata management (alt text, copyright, descriptions)
- Image variant generation (responsive images, WebP conversion)
- Migration and content import/export
- Multi-language handling
- Permission and access control
- Asset management and organization

TYPO3's Official Recommendation

The breaking change documentation recommends:

Primary Approach: Structured Content

Move images from inline RTE fields to proper relational fields:

// TCA Configuration Example
'columns' => [
    'bodytext' => [
        'config' => [
            'type' => 'text',
            'enableRichtext' => true,
        ],
    ],
    'images' => [
        'config' => [
            'type' => 'file',
            'allowed' => 'common-image-types',
            'maxitems' => 10,
        ],
    ],
],

Benefits of Structured Content:

✅ Better content reuse
✅ Proper metadata management
✅ Responsive image generation
✅ Clean separation of concerns
✅ Modern TYPO3 architecture
✅ Better editor experience

Fallback Approach: Extensions

For projects that need inline image functionality, TYPO3 recommends extensions like rte_ckeditor_image or creating custom extension implementations.

Why This Extension Exists

Despite TYPO3's architectural direction, this extension exists because:

Real-World Requirements

Legacy Content Migration

Many TYPO3 installations have years of content with inline images. Migrating to structured content requires significant time and resources.
Editorial Workflows

Some editorial teams are trained on inline image workflows and prefer WYSIWYG image placement directly in text.
Content Nature

Certain content types (news articles, blog posts, documentation) naturally contain inline images that are contextually bound to surrounding text.
Migration Bridge

Provides a transition path while planning migration to structured content.

What This Extension Provides

Backward compatibility with RTEHtmlArea image workflows
Magic Image processing (automatic scaling via TSConfig)
TYPO3 FAL integration (native file browser)
Modern CKEditor 5 implementation
Image attributes (width, height, alt, title, quality)
Custom styles via CKEditor style system
Event-driven architecture for extensibility

Decision Guide: Should You Use This Extension?

Use This Extension When

✅ You have legacy content with extensive inline images that cannot be migrated immediately

✅ Editorial workflow requires inline image placement with WYSIWYG editing

✅ Content is tightly coupled to surrounding text (inline diagrams, screenshots, examples)

✅ Migration timeline is long and you need a working solution now

✅ Small to medium projects where structured content overhead isn't justified

Follow TYPO3 Guidelines Instead When

❌ Starting a new project - Build with structured content from the beginning

❌ Images are reusable - Same images appear across multiple content elements

❌ Need advanced features - Responsive images, WebP conversion, image variants

❌ Multi-language sites - Image metadata needs proper translation workflows

❌ Large editorial teams - Structured content provides better governance

❌ Long-term maintainability - Align with TYPO3's architectural direction

Hybrid Approach

You can use both approaches in the same TYPO3 installation:

Structured content for main images, galleries, and reusable assets
Inline images (this extension) for contextual images in rich text

Example TCA configuration:

'columns' => [
    'header_image' => [
        // Structured: Main article image
        'config' => [
            'type' => 'file',
            'allowed' => 'common-image-types',
            'maxitems' => 1,
        ],
    ],
    'bodytext' => [
        // Inline: Contextual images within text
        'config' => [
            'type' => 'text',
            'enableRichtext' => true,
            // rte_ckeditor_image provides inline functionality
        ],
    ],
    'gallery' => [
        // Structured: Image gallery
        'config' => [
            'type' => 'file',
            'allowed' => 'common-image-types',
            'maxitems' => 20,
        ],
    ],
],

Future Migration Path

If you use this extension now but plan to migrate to structured content later:

Planning Migration

Audit content - Identify all RTE fields with inline images
Create TCA fields - Add proper FAL reference fields
Write migration script - Extract inline images to relations
Update templates - Adjust Fluid templates for structured content
Train editors - Update editorial workflows and documentation

Migration Tools

TYPO3 provides tools for content migration:

Data Handler API for programmatic content updates
TypoScript processors for rendering
CLI commands for batch processing

This extension can coexist during the migration period.

Best Practices If Using This Extension

Document the Decision

Add notes to your project documentation explaining why inline images are used and what the long-term plan is.
Set Editor Guidelines

Define when editors should use inline images vs. structured image fields.
Configure Processing

Use magic image configuration (TSConfig) to control automatic scaling:
```
RTE.default.buttons.image.options.magic {
    maxWidth = 1920
    maxHeight = 9999
}
```
Copied!
Monitor TYPO3 Updates

Stay informed about TYPO3's direction regarding RTE and CKEditor.
Plan Migration

If project lifespan is long, plan eventual migration to structured content.

Conclusion

This extension serves as a pragmatic bridge between TYPO3's architectural direction (structured content) and real-world editorial needs (inline images).

Key Takeaways:

TYPO3 intentionally removed RTE image handling for good architectural reasons
Structured content is the recommended modern approach
This extension provides backward compatibility when needed
Consider your project's specific requirements, timeline, and resources
A hybrid approach (both structured and inline) is valid
Plan for eventual migration if project lifespan is long

Questions to ask:

Do we have time/budget to migrate existing content?
Does our editorial team need inline image placement?
Are our images contextually bound to text or reusable assets?
What is our project's expected lifespan?
Can we align with TYPO3's architectural direction?

The "right" choice depends on your specific context. There is no universal answer.

Additional Resources

TYPO3 Core Documentation:

This Extension: