What is Bakehouse?
Bakehouse by Cookis GmbH is a Software-as-a-Service solution that extends TYPO3 with intuitive frontend editing. For over 15 years, the focus has been on one principle: editing content where it appears – directly in the frontend.
The architecture is based on a well-thought-out concept: proprietary content elements and modules instead of repository extensions ensure full update capability. Every Bakehouse project is continuously updated and remains in sync with the latest TYPO3 releases. Even implementations from the early years run completely up to date today.
A major advantage: All major and minor updates are included in the package. Cookis GmbH handles all technical matters – from maintenance to migration to new TYPO3 versions.
Bakehouse is provided as a Software-as-a-Service. Major updates, technical maintenance, and continuous development are included in the package – without hidden costs for version updates.
Table of Contents
Frontend Editing
WYSIWYG Principle
Content Elements
Modular, Drag & Drop
Conclusion
TYPO3 with Frontend Editing
Frontend Editing: Editing content where it appears
With Bakehouse, editors manage their content in an intuitive interface – directly on the website. A fully-fledged TYPO3 system operates in the background; content maintenance is visual and requires no backend knowledge.
The system scales as needed: from a compact corporate website to a complex portal with hundreds of pages. The user experience remains consistent.
Editors see exactly the final result whilst editing – visually, without switching between backend and frontend.
Flexible Content Elements: Modular & extensible
Alongside TYPO3 core elements, every project supports individual content elements. Editors insert them via drag & drop, move them around, and customise them. Project-specific configuration forms control design and functionality.
The principle: content building blocks. Modular, flexible, extensible. The architecture follows the content blocks concept: modular, reusable content.
- TYPO3 core elements: text, image, text & media, tables, lists
- Project-specific elements: custom components, sliders, accordions, call-to-actions
- Drag & drop: intuitive positioning via mouse or touch
- Live preview: changes immediately visible, no saving required
Media Management: Automated & structured
A powerful media management system is directly integrated into Bakehouse:
Images
- Automatic image optimisation: various resolutions for different devices
- Hotspot function: optimal image cropping, even with responsive adjustments
- Format conversion: automatically generates WebP for modern browsers
Videos
- Multi-format conversion: all relevant formats are generated automatically
- Preview images: automatic thumbnail generation
Documents
- Categorisation: structured storage with tags and categories
- Metadata: searchable descriptions, authors, versioning
The media management automatically optimises every asset for performance. Image sizes, formats, and video codecs are processed without manual intervention.
Multilingualism: Natively integrated
Bakehouse was developed in Tyrol and is established in South Tyrol and Trentino. Multilingualism is integrated from the ground up – as a core feature, not an add-on.
All features, extensions, and custom elements are designed to be multilingual. Translation workflows are directly embedded into the editorial interface.
Multilingual content elements
All content elements natively support multiple languages. Translations are maintained in parallel, without disruption.
Translation workflow
Translation workflows are integrated into the editorial interface. Direct comparison between language versions.
Fallback mechanisms
Intelligent fallback logic displays missing translations from the main language. No empty pages.
Language switch
Language switching occurs seamlessly. Users remain on the respective page in their chosen language.
SEO: Integrated Search Engine Optimisation
Search engine optimisation is integrated as a core feature. Relevant SEO data can be configured for every page and content element:
Meta information
Title tags, meta descriptions, canonical URLs – centrally manageable. Automatic character length validation prevents truncated text.
Structured Data
JSON-LD integration for rich snippets. Schema.org types selectable via dropdown. Automatic validation.
Social Media
OpenGraph and Twitter Cards are integrated. A preview function shows how content will appear on social media platforms.
Sitemaps and robots.txt are generated automatically. Integration with Google Search Console is pre-configured.
Cookie Manager: Legally compliant & transparent
The integrated Cookie Manager scans websites automatically and detects:
- Cookies from analytics tools
- Tracking scripts from marketing platforms
- Embedded content (YouTube, Google Maps, etc.)
- Third-party services
The system incorporates the detected services directly into its management. Visitors receive a transparent overview and can control their consents granularly.
The Cookie Manager is integrated without requiring additional licences or external services. The system updates automatically.
Newsletter: Frontend editing for email campaigns
Newsletter creation follows the frontend editing principle: visual, using the same content elements as on the website.
Editors assemble newsletter content via drag & drop – with the familiar building blocks used for website content maintenance. The system offers all the features of professional newsletter tools:
Most content elements work flawlessly in newsletters. However, complex elements requiring JavaScript or modern CSS face limitations – Gmail and Outlook offer restricted support for these features. Therefore, elements suited for newsletters are deliberately prioritised.
Workspaces: Parallel workflows
For larger teams, Bakehouse brings the TYPO3 Workspaces into the frontend:
Content Creation
Quality Assurance
Approval
Scheduled Publishing
Workspaces enable parallel editing without conflicts. Multiple teams can work on different content simultaneously.
Accessibility: Inclusive web projects
The Accessibility Widget (69 EUR per year) integrates seamlessly into Bakehouse and expands its accessibility features:
AI-supported text summarisation
Automatically generated summaries facilitate content access for people with cognitive impairments or reading difficulties. The AI analyses page content and creates comprehensible, compact versions in real-time.
Additional features
- Text enlargement: seamless scaling up to 200%
- Contrast mode: high-contrast themes for visual impairments
- Screen reader optimisation: semantically correct HTML, ARIA labels
- Keyboard navigation: full operability without a mouse
- Focus indicators: clear highlighting of navigation elements
The widget supports compliance with WCAG guidelines and simplifies audits and certifications.
Chatbot & Intelligent Search
The Chatbot (99–199 EUR per month, depending on client size) combines classic full-text search with AI-supported query interpretation:
How it works
- Natural language input: users ask questions in everyday language
- AI analysis: the chatbot interprets the query and translates it into search parameters
- Index matching: searches TYPO3 content and external data sources
- Context-aware response: delivers precise results with source references
Multi-Source Search
The search is not restricted to TYPO3 content. External data sources such as APIs, databases, or documents are also searched and integrated into the responses.
The chatbot remembers the context of previous questions. Follow-up questions are possible without needing to repeat the prior conversation.
Technical Architecture
Performance
Server-side rendering for the initial page load. Progressive enhancement for interactive features. CDN integration for global delivery.
Scalability
From a compact corporate website to a high-traffic portal. Load balancing, caching strategies, and database replication are part of the architecture.
Security
Regular security audits, automatic updates for critical patches. WAF integration, rate limiting, and DDoS protection are implemented.
Updates & Maintenance
Continuous updates for the TYPO3 core and Bakehouse features. Zero-downtime deployments enable updates during live operations.
Business Model & Partner Network
For agencies
Agencies use Bakehouse as a Software-as-a-Service and handle implementation, programming, and content population independently. Crucially, only extensions by Cookis GmbH are used – none from the public TYPO3 repository. This is the only way to guarantee that all projects can be continuously updated and maintained.
Sales model
The sales partners are agencies that implement Bakehouse in their projects. The pricing structure is transparent – the same terms apply to all partners. Cookis GmbH does not sell directly to end customers, ensuring it does not interfere with the agencies' business.
Branding model
Cookis is the company, Bakehouse is the product – analogous to Microsoft and Windows. Following positive feedback within the TYPO3 community, Cookis GmbH secured the Bakehouse trademark.
Open Source & Community
Currently, there is no public repository for Bakehouse. However, Cookis GmbH plans to share parts of its expertise with the community. As a first step, the release of their internally developed icon font is planned.
Best Practices
Content Strategy
- Modular content: create templates for recurring content blocks
- Content recycling: reuse elements in different contexts
- Structured data: provide metadata for better discoverability
Team Workflows
- Roles & permissions: define granular permissions per team/department
- Workspaces: utilise parallel workflows for complex projects
- Notifications: activate automatic notifications upon changes
Performance
- Lazy loading: media is loaded on demand
- Image optimisation: utilise automatic compression
- Caching: configure caching rules per content element
SEO
- Keywords: assign focus keywords per page
- Internal linking: leverage suggestions for internal links
- Content updates: update content regularly
Conclusion: TYPO3 with Frontend Editing
Bakehouse extends TYPO3 with intuitive frontend editing, uniting enterprise CMS functionality with an editor-friendly user experience.
Core features
15+ years of development
Proven architecture with continuous development. Implementations from the early years are still running in live operation today.
Editorial focus
Frontend editing reduces onboarding time. Content maintenance is visual, requiring no backend knowledge.
Integrated features
Media management, SEO tools, newsletter system, multilingualism, workspaces, and Cookie Manager are included.
Update guarantee
Major and minor updates are included in the package. Cookis GmbH handles the technical maintenance.
Scalable architecture
From compact websites to complex portals. The infrastructure scales according to need.
Partner network
Professional support from Cookis GmbH and an established network of agency partners in the DACH region.