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Best Practices in Action: A Productive On-Location Sprint

Eight adults pose and smile in a modern lounge area with blue furniture, white tables, and geometric-patterned flooring. Some are sitting on chairs and ottomans, while others stand behind them in casual clothing.

Anna Reiter gives a first-hand account of the Best Practices Team's on-location sprint in Bonn, Germany: three days of focused coding, shared screens, and a memorable hunt for lunch.

26–28 March 2026, fueled by one crate of Club-Mate, one kilogram of apples, and three bags of wine gums, we powered through the on-location sprint and the result was awesome!

The Best Practice Team's On-Location Sprint

Once a year, the Best Practices Team's On-Location Sprint takes place — this time in Bonn — and I'd like to share a few experiences with you. The team works on the Tea Example (tea) extension, a public TYPO3 extension used to demonstrate and test best practices in extension development.

In the mornings, and after taking in the necessary amount of coffee, we kicked off each day. Conversations started easily, and the plan for the day was quickly set — we got to work highly motivated. Some worked together, some alone, and there was plenty of movement around the room. Laptops were closed, only to be opened again next to someone who knew more — solutions were sometimes hammered out with three people staring at a single screen. Quite a few lightbulbs went on, and many coffee cups went empty.

Three people sit and talk in a brightly lit room with large windows. One person points and laughs while the others listen. There are reflections in the windows and a pair of headphones on a table nearby.

The Quest for Lunch

By lunchtime, a lot had usually already been accomplished, and the hunt for food began. One time we headed out, and Google Maps routed us to a non-existent place, leading to walking, walking, walking — and the next place was closed, too. Eventually, we found Kebap Valhalla — and you cannot imagine how relieved and happy we were!

Back to the Flow

After that, it was back to active work — and the whole room went click — click — click again.

Two people with long hair and glasses look at a laptop on a table in a bright office. There are notebooks, a water bottle, and headphones on the table. One person wears a black shirt and has a red device on their arm.
People work on laptops and talk in a bright, modern office with large windows, white furniture, and a whiteboard. Bottles and papers are on the tables. One person stands near the back, while others sit or converse.

What we achieved:

  • v4.0.0: Drop TYPO3 v11 LTS and PHP <8.1, add TYPO3 v13 LTS
  • Add plugins to new content element wizard
  • Improve introductory texts of documentation
  • Add starter unit and functional tests
  • Simplify a test
  • Clean up the rector configuration
  • Link records in backend module to edit form

We accomplished all of this with a team of eight people:

Vampires, Escape Rooms, and Joining Critical Mass

In the evenings, things got quite lively. We had a game night where Daniel and Felix (as seen in the picture) played Mad Scientist and had to guess their own idea through charades. We also visited an escape room, exploring a Harry Potter and a vampire-themed room. We managed to escape, though someone did have to lie down in a coffin!

Nicolai, Eike, and Felix also joined the Critical Mass cyclists. They crossed paths with me along the way, and we cheered the riders on (waving from a bar).

A person sits on a life-sized pink and white cow statue outside a shop with glass doors. People are seated at tables nearby. The scene is urban, with store signs and a street visible.
Seven people dine at a restaurant with Asian decor, including a mural of a woman with a sword and a cherry blossom tree. The group is smiling around a table with food and drinks.

Looking Forward to Next Year

It was incredibly fun to work with such a large team — I'd love to do it more often. Next year, it will be happening again, and if anyone feels inspired to join a highly motivated crew, you are more than welcome to come along!

But you don't have to wait a whole year. The Best Practices Team meets every second Monday at 18:00 (Europe/Berlin) in the #best-practices-team channel on TYPO3 Slack, and holds an open remote sprint day on the first Monday of each month, 11:00–17:00 (Europe/Berlin). All are welcome.