Backend Module API

Registering new modules

Modules added by extensions are registered in the ext_tables.php using the following API:

// Module System > Backend Users
\TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Utility\ExtensionUtility::registerModule(
    'TYPO3.CMS.Beuser',
    'system',
    'tx_Beuser',
    'top',
    [
        'BackendUser' => 'index, addToCompareList, removeFromCompareList, compare, online, terminateBackendUserSession',
        'BackendUserGroup' => 'index'
    ],
    [
        'access' => 'admin',
        'icon' => 'EXT:beuser/Resources/Public/Icons/module-beuser.svg',
        'labels' => 'LLL:EXT:beuser/Resources/Private/Language/locallang_mod.xlf',
    ]
);

Here the module tx_Beuser is declared as being a submodule of main module system. It should be placed at the top of that main module, if possible (if several modules are declared at the same position, the last one wins). The following positions are possible:

• top: the module is prepended to the top of the submodule list
• bottom or empty string: the module is appended to the end of the submodule list
• before:<submodulekey>: the module is inserted before the submodule identified by <submodulekey>
• after:<submodulekey>: the module is inserted after the submodule identified by <submodulekey>

The last array is the module configuration and contains important information: the module is accessible only to admin users. The following options are available and should be defined as comma-separated string:

• admin: the module is accessible to admins only
• user: the module can be made accessible per user
• group: the module can be made accessible per usergroup

The configuration also contains pointers to the module icon and the language file containing labels like the module title and description, for building the module menu and for the display of information in the About Modules module (found in the main help menu in the top bar). The LLL: prefix is mandatory here and is there for historical reasons.

Registering a toplevel module

Toplevel modules like "Web" or "File" are registered with the same API:

\TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Utility\ExtensionUtility::registerModule(
    'Vendor.MyExtension',
    'mysection',
    '',
    '',
    [],
    [
        'access' => '...',
        'icon' => '...',
        'labels' => '...',
    ]
);

This adds a new toplevel module mysection. This identifier can now be used to add submodules to this new toplevel module:

\TYPO3\CMS\Extbase\Utility\ExtensionUtility::registerModule(
    'Vendor.MyExtension',
    'mymodule1',
    'mysection',
    '',
    [],
    [
        'access' => '...',
        'labels' => '...'
    ]
);

$TBE_MODULES

When modules are registered, they get added to a global array called $GLOBALS['TBE_MODULES']. It contains the list of all registered modules, their configuration and the configuration of any existing navigation component (the components which may be loaded into the navigation frame).

$GLOBALS['TBE_MODULES'] can be explored using the SYSTEM > Configuration module.

The list of modules is parsed by the class \TYPO3\CMS\Backend\Module\ModuleLoader.