The latest iteration of the popular e-commerce system, OXID eShop 7.0, brings a wealth of exciting new features and enhancements that help to significantly improve overall performance and user experience. A key element that shows the scope of this update is the change in the template engine. With this new version, the modern and highly flexible template engine Twig is now natively supported. This innovation is of significant importance as it allows developers to more efficiently and easily create customisable and dynamic content. In the past, OXID eShop has used Smarty, a template engine that is still available as an alternative package. However, the new standard Twig is strongly recommended as it provides a more modern and efficient environment for designing web content.
Another notable advancement in OXID eShop 7.0 is support for MySQL 8 and Composer 2.4. These technological upgrades expand developer capabilities and increase system flexibility, resulting in a more efficient and responsive e-commerce platform.
Finally, module handling has been improved and adapted in this new version. The goal of this optimisation is to make it easier to integrate and customise extensions, creating an even smoother and more user-friendly experience for developers and shop owners. Overall, OXID eShop 7.0 reflects the continuous efforts to improve the user experience while increasing the performance and flexibility of the system.
Technologies
With the release of OXID eShop 7.0, we are seeing a remarkable improvement that includes numerous technological upgrades to enhance the system.
A significant feature of this release is support for MySQL 8.0, which is a notable step forward as it allows users to benefit from the latest advances and features of this widely used database management software. It is an upgrade that makes data management and usage easier.
In addition, OXID eShop 7.0 adds support for Composer 2.4, an excellent tool for managing PHP packages. This improvement simplifies the management and integration of dependencies in projects and optimises development processes.
Another notable innovation is the transition from Smarty to Twig as the default template engine. This change offers developers more freedom and flexibility in designing the user interface.
In addition, OXID eShop 7.0 now supports the advanced image format WebP. This support allows for faster loading times and improved image quality.
To conclude, OXID eShop 7.0 has been significantly upgraded to Symfony components version 6. This contributes to increased performance, stability and security of the system. On the whole, OXID eShop 7.0 offers a wide range of technological improvements aimed at making the system more efficient and facilitating the development process.
Improvement of the module system
Composer
An important adjustment in OXID eShop 7.0 concerns the module system. Changes have been made that redefine the way code is organised and handled.
In line with the philosophy of Composer, the widely used tool for managing PHP packages, module files are now read exclusively from the vendor/ directory. This adjustment gives the code organisation a clearer structure and efficiency.
Moving the code to the vendor/ directory leads to a more orderly structure. Instead of being spread over several directories, the files are now grouped in one central location. This makes it easier to navigate through the code and fix errors.
In addition, this change simplifies the updating and maintenance of modules. It is no longer necessary to perform time-consuming updates. By centralising the module files in the vendor/ directory, updates are more efficient and straightforward.
Overall, the redesign of the module system in OXID eShop 7.0 is a remarkable improvement that leads to a clearer and more efficient code organisation.
YAML files
In OXID eShop 7.0, we have made a significant change in the way module configurations are handled. These modifications affect the structure of the configuration files, which now use YAML files. YAML, known for its ease of use and ease of understanding, is now the primary format for representing and managing module configurations. Its simple, yet powerful syntax, allows configuration details to be presented in a clearer and more structured way.
A significant aspect to consider in this transition concerns the adaptation of existing modules. When users upgrade their shops to version 7.0, they must transfer their existing module configurations to the new YAML-based format. This process, although an additional work step, ultimately results in more cleanly organised and easier to understand module configurations.
In summary, with the move to YAML files for module configuration, OXID eShop 7.0 has achieved a significant improvement in terms of usability and structure of module configurations.
Console
The evolution of module management in OXID eShop 7.0 goes hand in hand with significant improvements in console interaction. These improvements are specific to module management and focus on revising and optimising console commands.
In the latest version of OXID eShop, the console commands used specifically for module management have been revised. This update aims to increase consistency and efficiency when managing modules via the console.
The console commands are now more clearly structured and logical in their function. Instead of a number of different commands covering different aspects of module management, the list of commands has been streamlined and optimised. The focus was on the clarity of the commands and their application, resulting in a more structured and efficient interaction with the console.
While these changes require some customisation, they were introduced with the aim of making it easier and more streamlined to manage modules through the console. With the new version of OXID eShop, working with the console and especially module management becomes an easier and more clearly structured task.
New functions
Tracking URL per shipping method
In the OXID eShop 7.0 version, an innovation has been introduced that makes it possible to store an individual tracking URL for each shipping type. This update represents an extension of the previous functions and offers a further dimension of transparency and information exchange for customers.
In detail, this is a function that allows a specific tracking URL to be set up for each type of shipping offered. Previously, this option did not exist, which could make it more difficult for customers to track the delivery of their orders. Now, shop operators can shop a separate URL for each shipping method to meet the specific requirements and capabilities of each shipping method.
With this function, customers can easily track their orders. They use an individual tracking link generated from the specific tracking URL and the package ID of the order. This means that the customer can simply click on the link provided to go directly to the shipping company's site, which displays the most up-to-date tracking information.
The introduction of this feature is a response to the growing desire for more transparency and better communication options regarding the shipping and delivery of orders. It provides customers with an immediate and direct way to check the status of their orders, making use of the infrastructure provided by the shipping service providers.
Setup via command line
OXID eShop 7.0, in its latest incarnation, opens up a remarkable level of autonomy and automation in the creation and configuration of eShops. The use of the command line as an alternative to traditional web-based setup is a significant innovation here.
Using the command line for setup and configuration offers the distinct advantage that the entire process can be automated. This means that routine tasks that were previously performed manually can now be executed by simple commands in a script file. This minimises the risk of human error and at the same time can significantly reduce set-up time.
The inclusion of automation options is particularly important for larger or more complex setups, where manual configuration can be time-consuming and error-prone. Here, automated setup via the command line can offer significant advantages.
Another important aspect of this innovation is that it gives developers more control. It allows them to control and customise the setup and configuration of the shop exactly according to their specific requirements. With a customised script, they can retain control over every detail of the shop setup and adjust it as needed.
Clean up
With the launch of OXID eShop 7.0 also comes a significant system clean up to remove outdated features and aspects of the shop that no longer meet modern eCommerce requirements. This step underscores OXID's commitment to continuously improving its software core and making it more efficient.
This cleaning process includes the removal of several features and services that have become less relevant over time or have been replaced by more advanced technologies. Items such as the test library, RSS functionality, LDAP login, credit card as a payment method, newsletter delivery, news functionality (news) and encrypted values in the database have now been removed.
These changes are an important part of OXID's efforts to create an even leaner and more efficient software core. Sorting out and removing such legacy features makes the code clearer, easier to understand and maintain, ultimately leading to improved system performance.
The decision to remove legacy features is a clear indication of OXID's strategic approach to not only focus on the introduction of new technologies, but also to optimise existing system components. By removing legacy features that could burden the system, OXID eShop can focus even more on current and future requirements in the eCommerce landscape.
This cleaning initiative is therefore a significant aspect of the OXID eShop 7.0 update. It points the way to an even more powerful and focused product, designed to efficiently meet the demands of modern eCommerce.
Summary
OXID eShop 7.0 represents a significant leap in the continuous development and improvement of the platform. Version 7.0 not only underlines the commitment to innovation and evolution, but also demonstrates that OXID is aware of the ever-changing demands and expectations in the digital commerce landscape.
This new version is more than just an update; it is a redesign with a vision to meet the needs of both users and developers. The significant enhancements are designed to make using the platform more efficient, smoother and more intuitive. Every modification, every new feature, every removed obsolete aspect has been implemented with the aim of increasing usability and developer friendliness while providing a robust and powerful solution for online commerce.
OXID eShop 7.0 exudes a new level of maturity and sophistication that greatly enhances the perception and experience of the platform for both merchants and developers. Overall, OXID eShop 7.0 is a remarkable step forward and sends a strong message that the platform is ready to adapt to and shape the future of digital commerce.