JTL-Shop 5 is now just over half a year old – reason enough for us to follow up with version 5.1. The update represents the tuning for our 5 model. Instead of directly adding new functions to our latest version, we have made a lot more fine-tuning to offer you a more rounded sales experience.
JTL-Shop 5 since launch
The release of the new store system at the end of 2020 has opened up many new possibilities for our customers. The OnPage Composer has made content management in the front end easier. The Extension Store has been filled with many plugins and extensions in recent months. Above all, however, many of you have already sought to switch to the new version. At the beginning of the year, we were almost overloaded with update requests. Of course, we were delighted that you were so willing to accept the new system.
JTL-Shop 5.1
However, the feedback from our customers has never meant a standstill for us. Right from the start, we paid attention to the feedback we received, noted and processed problems and suggestions for improvement – 202 of them, to be precise. The result is JTL-Shop 5.1 – too many to give space to every single one. But we don’t want to withhold the most important ones from you.
System changes
In the core system, we focused primarily on the future viability of the JTL-Shop. With version 5.1, our solution is based on MySQL 8 and PHP 8, so anyone updating now will be up to date with the latest database and scripting languages.
Template
We are also moving with the times when it comes to template changes. Because here we are venturing towards the darker side with the Blackline theme.
You also asked for a left sidebar that can be displayed on all pages of the NOVA template as in the previous version. So we say: Welcome back, Mr. Left Sidebar!
Those with an extensive product range may also have had to contend with long filter lists, which was particularly problematic in the mobile display. A new search function offers filtering that quickly reduces the number of entries to be displayed.
Back end
Now that the paintwork on our 5.1 sled has been given a new polish, let’s take a look inside. For example, if you want to know exactly when which store settings were changed, the new change log makes it possible. This allows your store administrator and our support team to see at any time whether and which settings in the store were last changed.
Then there is the country management that we have added in the back end. This is independent of the country management in JTL-Wawi. It now allows you, for example, to rename or add countries that may also exist under a different name in JTL-Wawi. You may also want to define on a shop-specific basis whether a country should be available for registrations and billing addresses. This is now possible.
Changes to the JTL-Shop Core
What would a new version be without security and performance improvements? Or fixes for the annoying bugs that creep in here and there? Incomplete, is the correct answer. That’s why these have been incorporated into the store core. On top of that, you will find new hooks (e.g. in the cart: gibGesamtsummeWarenLocalized()) and much more.
Unexpected innovations
We mentioned at the beginning that we are focusing on fine-tuning rather than new features with JTL-Shop 5.1. This is also true – for the most part. With the new country management and the returning sidebar, smaller enhancements have also crept in. But version 5.1 also contains a little surprise package: support for JTL vouchers via plugin. This is the new voucher management for JTL-POS, JTL-Shop and JTL-Wawi, which we will be releasing soon. If the beta tests continue to go well, we will be able to tell you more about this soon. Until then: JTL-Shop 5.1 is JTL-Vouchers-ready.
If you are missing a specific fix or request, have a look at our issue tracker. There you will find a list of all tickets that have been included in the development of JTL-Shop 5.1.
And now? What are you waiting for? Upgrade to JTL-Shop 5.1, switch to the dark side of elegance and welcome back your old friend, the left sidebar!
