Meet Play Fair Code
The Austrian association helps athletes, coaches, clubs and sports federations recognise and prevent match-fixing. Its work includes education, awareness programmes and monitoring, alongside a reporting service that offers advice to people affected and handles reports of suspected manipulation.
We have worked with Play Fair Code since 2013, with the website forming part of that long-standing relationship. We planned the move to TYPO3 14 together and stayed in close contact throughout the upgrade.
Upgrade to TYPO3 13 first, then 14
The site started on TYPO3 12. We upgraded it to 13 first, then moved from 13 to 14. Each step therefore had a distinct state that could be examined on its own.
That separation makes changes easier to investigate: an adjustment or unexpected behaviour can first be considered within one version step. The intermediate version is a technical stage in the work; it does not necessarily mean a separate public release.
Automated tests before the version changes
We developed an extensive set of automated tests before the version changes. This let us repeat the same checks on TYPO3 12, 13 and 14 and identify changes in the website’s behaviour.
A test records the behaviour expected before the upgrade. If it fails after a version change, the team can investigate whether an adaptation introduced a fault or TYPO3 changed the workflow. An intentional change in behaviour also calls for an updated test.
Keep the client close to the technical work
We planned the upgrade with Play Fair Code and stayed in close contact throughout implementation.
Automated checks can verify behaviour that has been defined in advance. They cannot decide whether the result meets the organisation’s needs. On an existing website, the people using and owning the system remain essential to that judgement.
Adapting the test strategy for other TYPO3 upgrades
Three things shaped this project: extensive automated tests, one major version at a time and close collaboration. Together, they gave testing a clear place in the work and made the decisions easier to follow.
We would not simply copy the scope to another TYPO3 installation. Its extensions, custom features and current condition determine what needs checking. The approach is reusable; the test strategy has to fit the application.
Our approach at Play Fair Code combined broader automated test coverage, one major version at a time and close client involvement throughout the upgrade.