This blog post was published on March 21, 2024, and received the last update on April 2, 2024.
Today is a big day for all Shopware users: We are introducing Shopware 6.6, our latest major version. In this post, you will learn why this is an important milestone, what changes and benefits come with the new version, and what this means for future releases.
Here's what we'll cover:
Nearly 5 years after the launch of Shopware 6, the new version marks another milestone
Since the introduction of Shopware 6, almost five years have passed, a period during which over 20,000 online stores, from well-known brands to emerging online platforms, have chosen our software. Each online store, big or small, is a testament to the diversity and creativity of our community, and we are incredibly grateful for that.
With the release of Shopware 6.6, we are opening a new chapter: An update that offers users the opportunity to benefit from an even more powerful system that is not only up-to-date with the latest technology but also paves the way for many more innovative features that will excite you and your customers and push the boundaries of ecommerce.
Shopware 6.6 – what changes with the Major Release?
Better, faster, stronger
With Shopware 6.6, we focus on profound technical and technological improvements to enhance the performance, security, and flexibility of our platform. Although these changes mostly occur "under the hood" and thus are not directly visible to merchants, they nevertheless lay the foundation for a more robust and future-proof ecommerce solution.
The key aspects of the new major version include: - Faster online store pages and SEO benefits - Up to 6x more efficient indexing for multilingual online stores - Numerous technology upgrades, increased security, robustness, and compatibility - Enhanced configurability for individual adjustments - Technical functionalities that were previously hidden behind feature flags - Improved extension possibilities for developers - Paving the way for innovative features that will come with the next minor releases
In the following sections, we will dive deeper into each of these enhancements.
Faster storefront enhances shopping experience
Shopware 6.6 introduces improvements in loading times, offering two crucial advantages. Firstly, shoppers experience a smoother and more pleasant shopping journey. Secondly, loading times are a significant ranking factor for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Thus, enhanced page speed can lead to higher rankings in search engine results, increasing the visibility and reach of the online store.
Deeper dive: How did we optimize loading times?
More efficient use of JavaScript: We've reduced the use of JavaScript on many store pages.
Asynchronous loading: Scripts are now loaded asynchronously, speeding up page rendering and opening new possibilities for extensions.
Optimized theme compilation: Revising the compilation process also contributes to faster page loading times.
Indexing boost for multilingual stores
In Shopware 6.6, we've made significant strides in optimizing search performance in multilingual online stores. By adjusting the ElasticSearch mapping data to support multiple languages in a single index, store owners now experience markedly improved performance when updating and reindexing their product data.
Why is this important?
In multilingual stores, where product data needs frequent updates, each update triggers an indexing process. This enhancement directly impacts performance by significantly accelerating the data updating and indexing process.
Benchmark results
Our local tests show impressive results. Indexing 1,000 products in six languages is now twice as fast. For a volume of 25,000 products in six languages, we've even observed a sixfold increase in speed.
State-of-the-art technology – perfectly equipped for the future
By utilizing the latest standards, Shopware 6.6 offers not only a platform that is more powerful and secure but also guarantees future-proof compatibility.
Shopware 6.6 includes upgrades to the following technologies:
Node 20
Vue 3
Webpack 5
Symfony 7
PHP 8.2
MariaDB 10.11
Redis 7.0
Enhanced configurability for individual adjustments and efficiency
From the beginning, Shopware 6 has been designed to allow you to tailor your store precisely to the individual needs of your business and your customers. With Shopware 6.6, we have expanded the configuration options to offer you even more flexibility and control.
These new configuration options include:
Optimized inventory calculation
Inventory data storage has been simplified, making the system more flexible and extendable for developers. It’s now easier to supplement inventory information with custom data and transmit inventory data to third-party systems. Additionally, you can completely disable Shopware's inventory management to use your own solution.
Disabling automatic logout
This is a feature frequently requested by the community, now integrated into the new major version. It’s particularly useful for users and teams who spend long periods in the administration and do not wish to be interrupted. By selecting the new checkbox upon login, they will now be automatically logged out after 14 days instead of 30 minutes.
Reducing complexity, increasing clarity: Standardization of certain functionalities
With Shopware 6.6, we’ve removed feature flags and made them standard options, making it easier for developers to take advantage of the benefits and possibilities of new functionalities.
Among these standard functionalities are:
Optimized media path behavior
The path of a media file now remains the same, even if the file is updated. This change solves a common issue where updated media received a new path. With this optimization, managing media files becomes even more efficient.
Update to Vue.js 3 for administration
The administration now benefits from Vue.js 3, which brings improved TypeScript support and offers new possibilities for extensions.
Improvements in the caching layer
Adjustments in the caching layer now allow web pages with dynamic sections to be cached separately. This can bring several advantages, such as improved loading speed, scalability, and SEO.
Outlook: The future with Shopware 6.6
As you may have noticed, this major release focuses primarily on technical and technological improvements to enhance our platform's performance, stability, and future-proofing. It's common for major releases to concentrate on such foundational changes to create a solid base for future developments.
If you're also looking for new, exciting features, we have good news: This major release is just laying the groundwork. With the upcoming minor releases, you can expect innovative features that will greatly expand your capabilities with Shopware 6. More insights will be presented at the Shopware Community Day, and others in our monthly release news. And here's a sneak peek: Look forward to new AI features, enhanced CMS functions, and updates for B2B and Digital Sales Rooms.
Upgrade to Shopware 6.6 now
We wish you a lot of fun and success with the new Shopware version.
Additional information and notes
Developer news
In our release notes, you'll find all the updates relevant to developers.
Hosting requirements
With Shopware 6.6, the system environment has changed. PHP 8.2 is now the minimum requirement. Please check with your hosting provider to ensure this requirement is met before you update.
New release policy with extended support
Thanks to Shopware's new release policy, you benefit from extended support for older versions. You can read the details in this blog post about the release policy.
