Agentic upgrades for TYPO3 and Sylius
How we rethink major upgrades — e.g. TYPO3 13 → 14 or Sylius leaps — with specialised AI agents. From a state of emergency to a continuously manageable process.
The reality of major upgrades
Major upgrades in systems such as TYPO3 or Sylius are among the most demanding tasks in operating complex web platforms. They are rarely “just a version jump” — almost always they are an intervention into APIs, extension ecosystems, data models, build and deployment processes.
TYPO3
- Removed or changed APIs.
- Adjustments in extensions (often several at once).
- Changes to TypoScript and configuration.
- Migration of database structures.
- Resolving deprecations across several versions.
Sylius
- Symfony version jumps.
- Changes in the dependency tree (Composer).
- Adjustments in plugins and custom code.
- Frontend and API changes.
- Potentially complex migration paths.
The problem here is not just the volume of changes — but their interactions.
Why classic tools fail here
Typical tools deliver deprecation logs, Composer conflicts and (often fragmented) documentation. What they do not deliver: prioritisation, contextual understanding, concrete migration strategies, robust decision-making bases. Senior engineering becomes the bottleneck.
Our approach: specialised AI agents per system
We do not rely on one large agent, but on domain-specific agents that use TYPO3- and Sylius-specific knowledge.
Agentic upgrade for TYPO3
1. Deprecation analysis agent
- Aggregates logs from the Install Tool, Extension Scanner and similar.
- Maps deprecated APIs to specific code locations.
- Prioritises by impact (core vs. extension vs. custom code).
2. Extension compatibility agent
- Checks all installed extensions for version compatibility.
- Recognises available updates, orphaned extensions, necessary forks or replacements.
3. Refactoring agent
- Performs targeted code transformations — API changes, namespaces, configuration migrations.
- Works incrementally rather than in big-bang mode.
4. Migration agent
- Plans and validates database migrations.
- Simulates upgrade paths.
- Minimises downtime risks.
5. Validation agent
- Runs functional and integrative tests.
- Detects regressions even outside classic test cases.
Agentic upgrade for Sylius
1. Dependency agent
- Analyses Composer constraints.
- Plans the upgrade order (Symfony → Sylius → plugins).
- Resolves conflicts strategically rather than by trial and error.
2. Plugin agent
- Checks the compatibility of all plugins.
- Detects breaking changes in third-party code.
- Suggests alternatives or adjustments.
3. Code migration agent
- Refactors Symfony APIs, event listeners and subscribers, service definitions.
- Takes the project-specific architecture into account.
4. API / frontend agent
- Validates API behaviour after the upgrade.
- Detects contract breaches.
- Supports adjustments in the frontend.
5. Scenario-based test agent
- Runs real business flows — checkout, payment, order management.
- Assesses not just “works / does not work”, but system behaviour.
The decisive difference
Before: Checklists. Manual analysis. Iterative debugging. High effort and high risk.
Today: Structured analysis through agents. Automated refactorings. Context-based decisions. Traceable upgrade paths.
We have moved upgrades from a one-off project into a reproducible process.
What this means in concrete terms
Predictability. Major upgrades become calculable — even for large installations.
Speed. What used to take weeks can often be structured and delivered in days.
Quality. Fewer regressions, better test coverage, clearer decisions.
Transparency. Every step is documented — issues found, decisions taken, changes made.
Limits and reality
As capable as agents are — they have prerequisites: a clean codebase, working tests, clear architecture, disciplined dependency management. Without these foundations, even an AI-supported approach becomes inefficient.
Conclusion
Major upgrades in TYPO3 and Sylius remain demanding — but they no longer have to be an unpredictable risk. With agentic upgrades we have structured complexity, operationalised knowledge and automated decisions. From “upgrade as a state of emergency” to a continuously manageable process.
TYPO3 13 → 14 or a Sylius leap on the horizon?
If you are planning a major upgrade and want to make it calculable, we will look at your setup with you. 30 minutes, on your codebase, an honest assessment. Free of charge, no obligation.
Frequently asked questions
What clients ask us most often about major upgrades with AI agents — answered openly.
We have many custom extensions. Does this still work?+
Yes, but with honesty about the effort. Custom extensions without tests, without clear architecture and with direct core patches are the most expensive variant — with or without an agent. The refactoring agent surfaces such places and prioritises them. The decision “rewrite or migrate” is then made by a human, with our findings.
How much faster does this actually get?+
For a typical mid-sized TYPO3 installation with 8–15 custom extensions, the analysis phase shrinks from 1–2 weeks to 1–2 days, the migration phase from 4–6 weeks to 2–3 weeks. The time saved has not “disappeared” — it goes into validation and polish, which ultimately raises quality.
What about extensions the vendor has abandoned?+
The extension compatibility agent recognises orphaned packages and suggests three routes: a fork with minimal adjustments, replacement with an equivalent active extension, or an in-house solution. Which route fits depends on the feature scope and the project relevance.
Does this also work for Sylius 1.x → 2.x?+
Yes. The 1.x → 2.x leap is deliberately the use case where the agentic architecture has the greatest leverage — the Symfony jump, the API Platform migration, React Admin as the new default. Here, structured agent analysis replaces what would otherwise be the typical months of guesswork.
What about data migrations — can an agent handle that?+
The migration agent plans and validates schemas, generates migration scripts and simulates upgrade paths against a copy snapshot of your database. Sign-off on production data migration is, however, made by a human. Data loss is a decision we do not delegate.