Magento 2.3 Open Source & Commerce Features and Release Notes

We are all passionate about Magento 2 and all its new releases. With every update, the platform gets revolutionary features that revamp the default e-commerce experience entirely and put extension providers out of a job. And the closest major update is Magento 2.3, so let’s discuss how the new platform version may look and when it will be available.

We were amazed when 2.2.2 was released with such features as Magento Shipping, Advanced Reporting, Instant Purchases, Dotmailer Integration, and MFTF. The zero-step checkout experience was magnificent. Although the idea is not new, it was represented in Magento 2 for the first time. Registered customers no longer have to enter any address details, payment preferences, or shipping options. Furthermore, the purchase is made right on a product page. But let’s return to our mutton.

We expect that Magento 2.3 will be released somewhere in mid-2018. And it will include the following core features:

• Progressive Web Apps;
• BlueFoot CMS & Page Builder;
• Klarna Integration
• Amazon 3rd Party Sales Channel;
• Multi-Source Inventory;
• RabbitMQ

Magento 2 Roadmap | Magento 2 Release Notes

If you want to migrate to Magento 2.3 from your old e-commerce store and minimize headaches, contact our support. We will help you move to the latest platform version via the Improved Import & Export Magento 2 extension. All customizations and specific features can be discussed, so don’t be afraid to share even the craziest ideas with us. Follow the link below for further information:

Get Improved Import & Export Magento 2 Extension

Contact us

Also, note that third-party extensions developed by top providers already support Magento 2.3 from its beta version, so you can enhance your new store on the basis of the latest platform version with Must-Have Magento 2 Extensions.

Magento 2.3.5 offers the following updates:

Below, we shed light on the most essential improvements introduced in Magento 2.3.5. The update contains 180 functional fixes as well as 25 security enhancements.

Platform updates

Platform updates include:

• Support for Elasticsearch 7.x;
• Deprecation of integrations with the Authorize.Net, eWay, CyberSource, and Worldpay payment methods as well as the Signifyd fraud protection code;
• Upgrade for Symfony Components to 4.4; 
• Zend Framework Dependencies migrate to the Laminas project.

Performance 

In this area, Magento 2.3.5 offers customer data section invalidation improvements as well as numerous optimizations to Redis performance.

Infrastructure improvements

Magento 2.3.5 infrastructure improvements cover the quality of the Framework and enhance Catalog, PayPal, Sales, Elasticsearch, Import, CMS, and B2B modules. The PayPal Pro payment method works in accordance with the SameSite cookie update. A PHPStan code analysis check via static builds is another essential infrastructure improvement introduced in this version.

Inventory Management

Magento 2.3.5 introduces a new extension point for SourceDataProvider and StockDataProvider. Besides, it offers the ability to view allocated inventory sources in the list of orders. 

GraphQL

You can now use products and categoryList queries to retrieve information about the corresponding entities of a staged campaign.

PWA Studio

PWA Studio 6.0.0 is a part of the Magento 2.3.5 release. It now offers the new PWA extensibility framework as well as improved caching and data fetching. Besides, shopping cart components are optimized for a full-page shopping cart experience.

Google Shopping ads Channel

Magento does not support this module any longer.

Third-party extensions

Klarna is now available in Australia and New Zealand.

Vertex offers the following features:

• address validation;
• improved admin interface;
• tax calculations for virtual products;
• restorable configuration settings;
• WSDL ports and basic authentication.

Commerce-specific features of Magento 2.3.5

Magento 2.3.5 Commerce features are described below:

dotdigital

Dotdigital introduces a new level of integration between the Engagement cloud and Magento B2B in 2.3.5.  Company data synchronization incorporates such data as customer types, companies, company statuses. As for shared catalog data synchronization, it leverages additional product catalog data to enhance campaigns and recommendations. The system syncs quote data.

Page Builder

Magento 2.3.5 introduces templates for Page Builder that enable you to customize the appearance of your store pages and save changes to apply them as further updates to new content areas. You can also add video backgrounds to rows, banners, and sliders. All the three content types support the ability to set their heights to the full page. Besides, the system automatically updates previously saved content versions to match newer configuration changes.

B2B

B2B enhancements of Magento 2.3.5 consist of fixes described here: B2B Release Notes. 

Product Recommendations

Product Recommendations are a part of Magento 2.3.5 Commerce. The built-in personalization tool powered by Adobe Sensei is described in this article: Magento 2 Personalization Services.

Magento 2.3.4 offers the following updates:

Below, we highlight the core improvements introduced in Magento 2.3.4. The new version contains 220+ functional fixes and 30+ security enhancements. Also, note that updates for Page Builder, Inventory Management, and PWA Studio are released independently.

Security 

You no longer need to install the whole update to get its security enhancements. From Magento 2.3.4, it is possible to make your online business safer via dedicated security patches. Thus, patch 2.3.3.1 eliminates the vulnerabilities of Magento 2.3.3. 

Magento 2.3.4 offers 30+ security enhancements developed to solve XSS and RCE vulnerabilities. Custom layout updates, as well as the deprecation of layout updates, have been eliminated. It is also necessary to mention that only whitelisted variables can be added to templates. Also, the new platform version offers:

• Support for RabbitMQ v3.8;
• Page caching and improvements;
• Session storage improvements
• Extended support for MariaDB 10.2;
• The Authorize.net payment method is available via a third-party extension only.

Performance

• Enhanced mechanism of customer section invalidation;
• More efficient banner cache logic;
• PHTML files support parsing;
• The ability to turn off statistic collecting for the Reports module.

Infrastructure

250 enhancements to core quality improve such modules as Elasticsearch, PayPal, import, catalog, sales, CMS, and B2B.

Merchant tool

Magento 2.3.4 is connected to Adobe Stock image galleries. You can add stock content from the backend.

Inventory

• Reduced load over the database server that results in better performance of the shopping car;
• Updated Inventory Reservations CLI command that results in reduced memory consumption.
• Various improvements towards credit grouped products, memos, source, and stock mass actions.

GraphQL

• You can now merge guest carts with customer carts;
• Shopping on multiple devices;
• Custom filters for the default layered navigation module;
• Category Search by ID, name, or URL key;
• Fixed product taxes in ProductInterface;
• The cart object now supports information about promotions and applied discounts.

PWA Studio

Check the latest PWA studio update here: PWA Studio releases.

dotdigital

Magento 2.3.4 offers Live Chat powered by dotdigital to let you increase conversion rates.

Google Shopping ads Channel

The feature is described here: Google Shopping ads Channel.

Magento 2.3.4 Commerce Improvements

Page Builder

Improved product sorting via a list of product SKUs, product position in a category, name, stock status, etc;

Improved product carousel with predefined templates;

Page Builder content is optimized for rendering with the Venia Theme in Magento 2.3.4.

Unstructured content is converted into structured data. It is now available in React and PWA Studio.

B2B

Requisition lists export via CSV (we provide better opportunities: Import & Export Magento 2 Requisition Lists);

Admin-based restrictions for B2B features and content.

Magento 2.3.3 offers the following updates:

Security

• Time-saving security-only patches;
• PSD2 compliance with core payment methods;
• XSS protection;
• 75 critical security issues.

Platform & Infrastructure

• Support for PHP 7.3.x and 7.2.x;
• Support for Varnish 6.2.0;
• Zend Framework 2 Components have been upgraded to the Active/LTS versions.
• Catalog, Sales, Checkout/One Page Checkout, UrlRewrite, Customer, and Ui modules were updated;
• The WYSIWYG editor was updated to TinyMCE v. 4.9.5​;
• Expanded GraphQL functionality;
• The Google Shopping ads Channel module is a bundled extension.

Performance

• Automatic URL rewrite generation can be turned off;
• Non-critical CSS elements are situated at the bottom of the page;
• The jQuery/ui library is separated into several widgets;
• Text is displayed in readable system fonts while custom ones are loading.

Merchant Tool & Inventory Management 

• The new admin tracking tool monitors actions and events and provides the corresponding data to Adobe Analytics;
• The Inventory Management module includes numerous bug fixes.

PWA Studio

• PWA Studio was upgraded to 4.0.0;
• It offers new Peregrine hooks;
• Refactored components can be converted into re-useable Peregrine hooks.

Magento Shipping

• Batch-order processing;
• Carrier integration;
• Shipping method preview in the portal;
• Checkout improvements; 
• Bundled products;
• Prepackaged options.

Third-Party Extensions

• Amazon Pay which is PSD2 compliant in the UK and Germany;
• Dotdigital offers improved product catalog synchronization;
• Klarna lets merchants disable the sending of customer information, supports B2B transactions and works with PayBright;
• Vertex offers Flexible Fields, new attributes, and custom fields;
• Yotpo is now a part of Magento 2.3.3 admin.

Magento Commerce 2.3.3 Features

• Additional GraphQL features;
• Improved inline editing experience for Page Builder;
• HTML content management;
• The ability to define product order explicitly.

Magento 2.3.2 is here to offer the following improvements:

Security 

• 75 security enhancements designed to solve cross-site scripting (XSS), remote code execution (RCE), sensitive data disclosure vulnerabilities, and other issues.
• Google reCAPTCHA module for PayPal Payflow checkout. 

Performance 

• A redesigned checkout page for Commerce that enables customers to work with many addresses: it is possible to search addresses instead of listing them. 
• Improved storefront page response time under high load. 
• Product page gallery load optimization.
• Improved page rendering.

Infrastructure 

• 130 enhancements to core quality of Framework and numerous modules.

Merchant tool 

• Magento 2.3.2 can perform a bunch of new tasks as asynchronous background processes. 

Inventory Management 

New commands to discover and resolve reservation inconsistencies have been introduced. 

GraphQL

• Improved GraphQL coverage for cart and checkout operations;
• GraphQL caching of additional queries;
• Extended GraphQL performance test scenario coverage.

PWA

• An improved modular component library for PWA Studio.

BlueFoot to Page Builder content migration

• Assistance for BlueFoot to Page Builder migration for Magento 2.3.2 Commerce.

Amazon Pay

Amazon Pay is compliant with the PSD2 directive for the UK and Germany. 

For further information about Magento 2.3.2, check this article: Magento 2.3.2 Features.

Magento 2.3.1 Is Here!

Magento 2.3.1 is here, and we’d like to draw your attention to its core features. The difference between Commerce and Open Source is not significant now. However, there is a notable improvement introduced to Commerce users only, and it is Page Builder.

As for other features which are common for both versions, they are:

• Enhanced order creation workflow;
• Support for uncompressed PDP images;
• Improved Inventory Management workflow;
• Automated dependency updates;
• PWA Studio;
• Improved GraphQL APIs;
• Enhanced security;
• Better performance;
• And numerous infrastructure improvements.

Besides, both Magento Commerce and Open Source 2.3.1 contain tons of fixes for the existing features. For further information, follow one of these links:

• Magento Commerce 2.3.1 Release Notes
• Magento Open Source 2.3.1 Release Notes

Magento 2.3.1 Is Going To Be Released Soon!

Don’t know what to expect from the release of Magento 2.3.1? The recent Magento Live event organized in Australia revealed several interesting facts. 

First of all, we will get several vital updates in the following bundled integrations:

• Amazon Pay,
• Dotmailer,
• Klarna,
• Vertex.

Besides, the Magento 2.3.1 will contain the improved drag and drop page builder compatible with PWA, which in its turn will provide complete Venia B2C and B2B themes. It is also expected from Magento to come up with Magento Global Shipping coverage via DHL Express, UPS, and FedEx.

Some important B2B enhancements are also planned. For instance, merchants will receive the power of handling up to 3k addresses on customer accounts. Other features include the ability to use GraphQL covering B2B APIs, B2B data import and export functionality, merchant admin improvements, etc.

For further information, check this article: What can we expect from Magento 2.3.1?

Magento 2.3.0 Is Now Available

Magento 2.3.0 is now officially available! It delivers lots of powerful new tools designed to enhance both merchant and developer experiences. What does the latest platform version offer?

As a Magento 2 merchant, you get the ability to manage inventory across multiple locations, accelerate fulfillment, and improve checkout performance. These features are available with Multi-Source Inventory, but is it enough to satisfy your business demands? Find the answer here: Magento 2 MSI.

As a developer, you get a perfect opportunity to leverage completely new frontend technology providing your customers with more powerful and feature-rich storefronts. Build superior shopping experiences for both mobile and desktop devices and lower total cost of ownership with Progressive Web Apps. Is the new technology ready for serious market challenges? You will find the answer here: Magento 2 PWA.

And, as a merchant, you no longer need a team of specialist for building stunning store pages and updating content. Now, all the related processes are reduced to a few clicks only due to Page Builder. Note that it is available for Magento Commerce only. Below, we discuss the new functionality in more details. Also, check this article for further information: How to Import Magento 2 Page Builder Data. Note that Page Builder is in an Early Adopter Program. Generally Available is planned for the Magento 2.3.1 release.

There is also a huge improvement that introduces new APIs. The platform is constantly evolving and you can develop custom front-end experiences and boost the performance of integrations in a more developer-friendly way.

And you no longer need additional security extensions since Magento 2 offers Two Factor Authentication and Google ReCAPTCHA tools out of the box. Magento Shipping, PHP 7.2, and multiple other improvements are discussed below. You can also find some facts about the update in the following articles: 2.3.x Release Information & Magento 2.3: New Tools to Fuel Your Growth in 2019.

Vital Changes

What breaks when upgrading to Magento 2.3.0 – in this article, you will discover the following important aspects of upgrading to Magento 2.3.0:

• New composer packages – because there are so many new features;
• Optional modules – use the replace composer trick to remove any new Magento 2.3 module that you don’t need;
• No PWA requirements – you can use the new set of tools, but it is not mandatory;
• Declarative Schemas – yes, you have to upgrade, and downgrading to 2.2 won’t be an easy option;
• MySQL search – Magento 2.3 marks the deprecation for MySQL as a search mechanism. ElasticSearch will be a replacement;
• Products – prepare to face some changes when saveng products (more information in the original article);
• customerData – duplicate AJAX calls should no longer be made;
• Zend Framework – Magento 2.3 removes Zend Framework 1 dependencies;
• Deprecated classes and interfaces – find them here: Release Notes.

Get ready for the update to Magento 2.3 considering all these nuances!

Magento Open Source 2.3.0 Release Notes

Below, you can see release notes for the beta version of Magento 2.3 Open Source. It includes a bunch of new features and fixes. Note that it is a pre-release code, and the work on the stable version is in progress. Check the latest version here: Magento 2.3 product availability.

New features

As you might have already read, Magento 2.3 offers significant improvements regarding the developer experience. With PWA Studio, alternatives to SOAP and REST, a flexible frontend API, and mobile development tools, new Open Source version introduces a completely new dimension of coding. Let’s take a brief look at the enhancements:

• PWA Studio. As a Magento developer, you can now leverage a set of tools that support the development, deployment, and maintenance of progressive web apps. You can find more information about this feature below.
• Declarative schema. Another improvement that simplifies installation and upgrade procedures is the declarative schema. It revamps the corresponding processes for both Magento and extensions, reducing the need for many database scripts. The biggest advantage of this feature is the ability to roll out database schema changes in patch releases which is impossible for previous Magento versions. Split and shared database structure validation is supported as well.
• GraphQL API. And this improvement introduces a replacement for REST and SOAP web APIs for frontend development. Below, we discuss this feature in more detail. You can also check GraphQL Developer Guide for more information.
• MultiSource Inventory (MSI). Starting from Magento 2.3, you can easily manage physical inventory across locations in Magento. Use multiple sources without third-party extensions creating inventory pools for one or more websites. Use API for source operations customizing inventory actions or integrating with third-party order management systems. Check the following article for further information: Magento 2 Multi-Source Inventory (MSI).

Core product improvements

• Updated tech stack. Magento 2.3 Open Source includes upgraded Redis, MySQL, Elasticsearch, and compatibility with PHP 7.2.
• Import and export improvements. Although Magento 2 introduces a bunch of import and export improvements, the default tools are still far from being perfect. While it supports new object types, there is still a room for improvement. But you can easily close the gap between your expectations and reality with Improved Import & Export Extension.
• Elasticsearch. Elasticsearch was a Commerce-specific feature only. Now, the platform support provides support for this engine in Magento Open Source as well.
• Packaging release improvements. In addition to this feature, 2.3 also introduces an increase in test automation. Consequently, you get a faster and more efficient release.
• CMS enhancements. Magento 2.3 provides Page Builder for its Open Source version, but it seems that we have to deal with a limited version. The full one is available in Magento 2.3 Commerce. As for the WYSIWYG editor, it is updated to use TinyMCE 4.6. Which can be integrated into Magento through an adapter.
• Security enhancements. 2FA and CAPTCHA are available out of the box. Cache flush ACL results in granular access to cache management settings. It means that no accidental changes that could potentially affect system performance.
• B2B product versioning. Now, B2B products match the versioning of the core product.

Magento Commerce 2.3.0 Release Notes

Now, let’s take a look at what Magento Commerce 2.3.0 Beta offers. Just like the Open Source version, this release includes numerous functional fixes and enhancements. But the Magento 2.3.0 pre-release code is a work in progress as well. Check the latest version here: Magento 2.3 product availability.

New features

If you are a developer, here are some good news: this release introduces significant tools to improve your experience. PWA Studio, a flexible frontend API, alternatives to SOAP and REST, headless Magento, and mobile development are just a few core aspects to be mentioned. What are the others?

• PageBuilder. Meet the mighty Page Builder – a drag-and-drop visual content editing tool that allows customizing the appearance of your storefront without writing any code. It is powerful, intuitive, and user-friendly – a tool that Magento users deserve. Below, we provide more information about the instrument.
• PWA Studio. This feature is common for both Commerce and Open Source, so as a Magento developer, you can now leverage a set of tools that support the development, deployment, and maintenance of progressive web apps for both editions. You can find more information about this feature below.
• Declarative schema. Another improvement that simplifies installation and upgrade procedures is the declarative schema. It is common for both platform edition. Declarative schema revamps the corresponding processes for both Magento and extensions, reducing the need for many database scripts. The biggest advantage of this feature is the ability to roll out database schema changes in patch releases which is impossible for previous Magento versions. Split and shared database structure validation is supported as well.
• GraphQL API. A replacement for REST and SOAP web APIs for frontend development is available for both editions as well. Below, we discuss this feature in more detail. You can also check GraphQL Developer Guide for more information.
• MultiSource Inventory (MSI). Another cool improvement that is provided for both Commerce and Open Source starting from Magento 2.3. Now, you can easily manage physical inventory across locations in Magento. Use multiple sources without third-party extensions creating inventory pools for one or more websites. Use API for source operations customizing inventory actions or integrating with third-party order management systems. Check the following article for further information: Magento 2 Multi-Source Inventory (MSI).

Core product improvements

• Updated tech stack. Magento 2.3 Commerce includes upgraded Redis, MySQL, Elasticsearch, and compatibility with PHP 7.2.
• Import and export improvements. Although Magento 2 introduces a bunch of import and export improvements, the default tools are still far from being perfect. While it supports new object types, there are many drawbacks. Check the following article to find out how to improve the default import and export processes of Magento 21 Commerce: How to improve Magento 2 Commerce/Cloud import and export procedures.
• Packaging release improvements and an increase in test automation are now on board, so you get a faster and more efficient routine.
• Security enhancements. 2FA and CAPTCHA are available in Commerce too. Besides, cache flush ACL results in granular access to cache management settings reducing accidental changes that could potentially affect system performance.
• B2B product versioning. This feature is the same for both Commerce and Open Source.

Magento 2.3 Features

Magento 2.3: Progressive Web Apps

If you haven’t heard about PWA, you’ve come to the right place. If you are already familiar with the new approach to frontend, we will provide you with more data. Anyhow, get ready to dive deep into React and GraphQLand read the following few paragraphs.

We have a large article dedicated to Magento 2 PWA and its core concepts here: PWA & Headless Magento 2. Magento 2 is becoming a Progressive Web Application platform, and it is no longer a secret. The new suite of tools, called the Magento PWA Studio, is a part of the Magento 2.3 release. It is aimed at developers able to build Magento 2 PWA stores affordably and easily.

If you are not familiar with either Magento 2 PWA or Headless Magento, here is a brief explanation of the concept. Magento 2 PWA is rapid, reliable, and always available. Thus, Magento 2 PWA provides fast load time, accessibility in unclear network conditions, and offline mode. It installs and runs code on the shopper’s device increasing speed and capability in comparison to single-page JS applications.

Besides, Magento 2 PWA responds rapidly and provides the most smooth way of interaction with no janky scrolling. Customers get totally engaging user experience with web apps that feel like native applications and provide even more immersive shopping.

Despite the above conditions, Magento 2 PWA is still web since the storefront is written with the help of familiar means: HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. Note that both domain-specific languages and native frameworks captive to one platform are eliminated simplifying the concept of Magento 2 PWA as much as possible. And since the Magento 2 PWA store lazy-loads itself, it is progressive.

The approach is fascinating and it will push both the developer and user experience forward. The new generation of storefronts tends to rise within the next few years after the Magento 2.3 release. Customers will face the more engaging experience, and this will be a significant competitive advantage for those merchants who won’t be afraid to leverage the new concept. Fast load time and better speed, improved usability, offline mode, device-agnostic nature – all these features make Magento 2 PWA very attractive and the Magento 2.3 release – promising.

What are the key differences between the current Knockout storefront and its PWA replacement? Instead of Blocks with XML layout and PHTML, data transfers are based on a GraphQL API, PWA is built in JavaScript only, React is used to power everything. Thus, two frontends are associated with two absolutely different workflows, so maintaining both of them is unlikely. Nobody is going to prevent you from using the outdated one, but what’s the reason for doing that when there is a more powerful, fully-featured, and stable solution? PWA is the future, and you cannot deny that!

For further information about Magento PWA, read this article: PWA & Headless Magento 2. If you want to master React and GraphQL to create PWA store fronts for Magento 2, follow the links below:

• Everything You Need to Know about React
• Introduction to GraphQL

If you doubt whether PWA is ready for your project, read this article: Is Magento PWA Ready Yet.

Magento 2.3: BlueFoot CMS & Page Builder

The second important improvement that should be introduced with Magento 2.3 is the BlueFoot integration. In the new platform version, it will be a part of the core code and consequently the standard functionality. The business-friendly CMS and Page Builder module allows Magento merchants to create and customize pages without any coding skills. BlueFoot supports a vast variety of content that can be modified. Thus, after Magento 2.3 is released, you will be able to customize everything from product pages to blog articles. And we expect that the new platform version will introduce the DEFAULT BLOG for the first time in the history of the Magento ecosystem. If not, you can find a reliable blog module here: The Best Magento 2 Blog Extensions.

Let’s figure out why Bluefoot is so useful that the Magento company planned the full integration with the module. 

The module is totally based on the drag and drop functionality. It is extremely easy to use especially in comparison to the default WYSIWYG editor. You can effortlessly customize headers, images, products, and anything else using the intuitive drag and drop interface of BluePrint. The Magento 2.3 release enables retailers to create more complex designs and better functionality without any help from technical specialists.

The second core benefit you will soon be able to leverage is the ability to integrate products into other pages and elements. Of course, this approach to promotions is available in the current Magento 2 version, but you need technical skills to leverage the integration. From Magento 2.3, blog posts and promotion pages will introduce additional features related to products integration. With the help of the aforementioned interface, you can drag and drop products to the selected pages quickly and easily. The need to write a complex code is eliminated.

The same is about various integrations with third-party content. The Magento 2.3 release enables you to add YouTube and Vimeo videos, Google Maps, and tons of other elements to product pages, categories, and blog posts. As we’ve just mentioned, no coding skills are required.
Static blocks integration is the last Bluefoot feature that should be introduced in Magento 2.3. After the new platform version is released, you will be able to add static blocks to various pages effortlessly. Consequently, the opportunity to apply any custom design to your store pages in the easiest and fastest way will be introduced soon.

Does it mean that you should fire your technical specialist after 2.3 is released? Of course, not. There still will be some complicated tasks Bluefoot won’t be able to cope with. But for small and midsized merchants the new feature will become a real budget and time-saver.

Magento 2.3: Klarna Integration

The payment system of Magento 2 also gets its enhancements with the release of 2.3. The Klarna integration will add a bunch of new options that dramatically improve the default shopping experience.

First of all, Klarna introduces the ability to implement the instant checkout process. In the case of this provider, it is necessary to specify address details only. Not a zero-step checkout, but also a significant improvement to the default shopping experience.

Another great option is a payment within 30 days after delivery. If something is not ok with the purchased product, a customer can send it back without spending any money.

The third improvement that makes the default Magento 2 user-experience better is spread payments. Klarna introduces an opportunity to split a single payment into several parts, reducing a customer’s budget load.

More than 60 million customers already trust the service, so we hope you will also enjoy it with the Magento 2.3 update. For further information, follow this link: Klarna Magento Integration. Get the dedicated Magento 2 module to improve the checkout here: Klarna Checkout. Note that it is free.

Magento 2.3: Magento Amazon Sales Channel

The integration with Amazon is also a part of Magento 2.3. It introduces better opportunities for syncing your store and product data with Amazon. Thus, the shopping experience reaches a completely new level. Amazon accounts for 44% of US online retail sales, and you can leverage the company’s experience on your e-commerce website. Last year, more than half of the units sold on Amazon worldwide were from third-party sellers. Next year, their number will rise due to the integration introduced in Magento 2.3.

It is also necessary to mention that 60 percent of Magento merchants already sell on the Amazon marketplaces. Thus, the integration is obvious. As for the service itself, Magento Sales Channel was designed to provide merchants with the ability to seamlessly sell and distribute on Amazon through their Magento Admin panel. Thus, you get all the necessary controls right in your admin.

With Magento Sales Channel extension, you can integrate with multiple Amazon accounts, turning your admin into a hub for all critical marketplace activities. Thus, operational friction and additional integration costs are removed. With Magento Amazon Sales Channel, you can leverage the following features:

• Listing Management – sync your products to an Amazon marketplace via rules; build products in Magento on the basis of Amazon listings.
• Intelligent Pricing – leverage Magento intelligent repricing to reprice your Amazon listings automatically.
• Inventory Management – maintain inventory synchronization between your catalog and Amazon listings automatically; utilize inventory marketing tactics on Amazon.
• Fulfillment Management –  fulfill your orders via fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) or a combination solution.
• Order Management – get a centralized location within the Magento sales order grid to ship or cancel orders and build customer accounts.

For further information, follow this link: Magento Previews Magento Sales and Advertising Channels.

Magento 2.3: Multi-Source Inventory

Multi-Source Inventory is another huge update introduced within the Magento 2.3 release. Merchants get an opportunity to handle all inventory sources without any third-party extensions or platforms (not yet). One Magento installation supports multiple sources, gets better import/export conditions, and simplifies ERP integration. Advanced drop shipping opportunities are also a part of the update. Total stock control and low stock reports are introduced in Magento 2.3 as well. It means that you no longer need to use third-party modules to avoid situations when a product is out of stock. Let’s take a look at the core concepts of the Magento 2 Multi-Source Inventory project:

• Magento 2 MSI Sources – places where stocks are located physically. It can be a warehouse, a brick-and-mortar store, your grandfather’s house, or uncle’s garage. Feel free to create a source that represents each physical location. Specify the number of items for each source on a product configuration page, and manage everything in a grid.
• Magento 2 MSI Stocks – group multiple sources together, link a newly created group to a channel and leverage a virtual representation for multiple sources. You can still manage everything in a grid.
• Magento 2 MSI Product Edit Page – a default product edit page includes a completely new section named “Assigned Sources.” It displays a source code, name, and status, a status of items in each source and their quantity, as well as a notification quantity.
• Magento 2 MSI Salable Quantity – after sources are created and linked to stocks, the number of items is specified per source per product, and each stock is linked to a corresponding website. Next, the Magento 2 MSI module sums everything to provide you with the salable quantity.
• Magento 2 MSI Source Selection Algorithm is utilized for calculating from which sources a new order should be delivered most efficiently. It uses such parameters as a customer, address, product, stock, source data, etc.
• Magento 2 MSI Performance – MSI eliminates the negative impact on the checkout performance caused by the source selection algorithm. Usually, the more complex it is, the more computing power and time are necessary to select the source. But with MSI, the purchase process remains as fast, as it is now.
• Magento 2 MSI Partial Shipment – leverage the ability to ship orders in parts or provide customers with drop shipping opportunities out of the box.

Check the following sources for further information about the Magento 2 MSI project:

• MSI Roadmap
• Magento 2 Multi-Source Inventory (MSI)
• The Definitive Guide to Magento MSI Multi-Source Inventory
• MSI PROJECT BY MAGENTO AND THE MAGENTO COMMUNITY

Magento 2.3: Asynchronous API & RabbitMQ

Another important improvement introduced in Magento 2.3 is Asynchronous API. Being different from traditional API, it provides users with the ability to make a request without waiting for the response from the server. As you might have already guessed, the large your e-commerce website is, the more this improvement will enhance the user experience it offers. A huge advantage for big sites that receive a large number of API requests daily dramatically reduces the time necessary to wait for the server’s response. Previously, the bigger the number of changes and products were, the longer it took.

The following video demonstrates how asynchronous APIs work over message queue. The feature is developed in collaboration with Balance Internet and Comwrap as a part of the Magento Community Engineering projects.

Since the new technology allows executing WebAPI calls asynchronously, integrations don’t have to wait for requests to get fully processed by Magento when making asynchronous calls. Consequently, product APIs can be invoked and get an immediate response that the request was accepted.

Since the request intercepted by the Async Web API framework should be written to the Message Queue, the Magento publisher interface publishes messages to Rabbit MQ using a topic name and the data. A topic name defines the schema of the data, so there are must be a different topic for different messages.

RabbitMQ is an open source message broker that offers a reliable messaging system characterized by high availability and scalability. Message queues are based on an asynchronous communications mechanism. According to the specific nature of RabbitMQ, the sender and the receiver do not contact each other. Furthermore, there is no need to communicate with the message queue for both parties simultaneously. When a sender places a message onto a queue, it is stored until the recipient receives it.

Note that it is necessary to establish the message queue system before installing Magento. As a result, you have to follow the basic sequence described below:

• Install RabbitMQ.
• Install Magento.
• Connect RabbitMQ to Magento.

Alternatively, you can implement a basic message queue system on the basis of cron. The following guide describes how to install RabbitMQ: RabbitMQ Installation. For further information about Asynchronous API, follow the links below:

• Magento Community Driven Project – Asynchronous API
• Asynchronous Web API

Magento 2.3: GraphQL

The introduction of a new query language for using APIs was inevitable. Considering the features described above, it was obvious that GraphQL will be introduced in Magento 2.3. The rise of PWA leads to the necessity to get smaller amounts of data and make fewer API requests. And it is possible with the GraphQL query language which allows requesting a limited subset of attributes to be returned about an entity. In its turn, this mechanism leads to a significantly smaller number of responses. Besides, you can chain requests decreasing their number. With GraphQL, Magento is writing a new layer that interfaces to the Query API directly. For further information, follow this link: Introduction to GraphQL.

Magento 2.3: Declarative Database Schema

The current way of things when you want to alter the schema of a Magento database is a little bit complicated. Being based on the InstallSchema and UpgradeSchema classes where a code is written to alter the schema, it introduces a set of difficulties that are eliminated with the release of Magento 2.3.

The new platform version changes the current way with the help of a declarative database schema. You will forever forget about the database schema definitions fragmented via many install and upgrade scripts. The new approach will be fully based on the definition via XML.

The improvement will dramatically simplify the Magento installation and upgrade processes since there is no need to write database scripts in PHP for each new version of Magento for installing and upgrading the database schema or data as well as invoking other operations required each time Magento is installed or upgraded.

With the new declarative schema approach, developers can declare the final desired state of the database and the system will adjust to it automatically. Redundant operations are no longer necessary. Forever forget about writing scripts for each new version – your laziest desires are now real. Besides, this approach allows data to be deleted when a module is uninstalled.

For further information, check this article: Declarative Schema Overview.

Magento 2.3: ElasticSearch

Finally, Magento Open Source will also get the support for ElasticSearch. The powerful search engine is being extended from Magento Commerce to its community version. Does it mean that Magento 2 Elasticsearch extensions won’t be necessary? We don’t think so. They will still provide tons of missing features.

Magento 2.1 was the first platform version that supports Elasticsearch for searching your catalog out of the box. The engine performs quick and advanced searches on products in the catalog, supports multiple languages, offers stopwords and synonyms functionality, and provides indexing that does not impact customers until reindex is completed.

Accurate, performant, scalable, Elasticsearch now works well out of the box. It fully supports real-time data and analysis and can be utilized as a document-oriented data store. Applications in framework beyond search are also highly welcome. Improve reporting, personalization, performance, and storage with Magento 2.3. For further information, follow these links:

• Install and configure Elasticsearch
• Elasticsearch from the Bottom

Magento 2.3: PHP 7.2

And get ready to leverage the updated PHP version! With PHP 7.2, you can implement new development features while working on your Magento 2.3 projects. And the improvement will lead to an increase in performance and security! And since 7.2 lacks mcrypt, the libsodium module will be used instead for encryption purposes.

PHP 7.2 introduces not only important security measures but also new additions to the core, modern cryptography, and faster load speed. Its core improvements are the following:

• Libsodium is an application-layer cryptography library. Its inclusion makes PHP the first programming language with modern cryptography as a part of its standard library. Thus, Libsodium enables encryption, decryption, signatures, password hashing, and much more.
• Argon 2 is an award-winning hashing algorithm which brings a secure alternative to the Bcrypt algorithm used in the previous version of PHP. With the highest memory filling rate, it also supports such features as an effective use of multiple computing units while providing defense against tradeoff attacks. And Argon 2 increases the number of cost factors to three: memory cost, time cost, and parallelism factor.
• Performance. The essential speed increase is another benefit Magento 2.3 gets with PHP 7.2. According to benchmarks, it runs 13% faster than 7.1 and 20% faster than 7.0.\

For further information, follow these links:

• The Definitive PHP 7.2 Benchmarks
• Why You Should Be Using PHP 7.2

Magento 2.3: Cache Management ACL

Another vital improvement introduced in Magento 2.3 is related to the cache management system. The platform will receive fine-grained administration access control with the ability to interact with the system cache.

Magento 2.3: Google reCAPTCHA

How Many Google reCAPTCHA Magento 2 extensions do you know? We’ve been impressed by Amasty’s Google Invisible reCaptcha, but the 2.3 version will include similar functionality by default. Of course, we cannot compare the unreleased feature to the community proven extension but it is already obvious that they have the same purpose. Magento will include the robust technology used for eliminating bots from the flow of store visitors. Google’s reCAPTCHA tool will now be native. And this is a list of pages that can get the additional security level:

• Both Admin & User Login Pages;
• Registration Page;
• Contact form;
• Forgot Password Page.

Magento 2.3: Two Factor Authentication

Another layer of security is introduced with the two-factor authentication support for the admin interface. Do you remember all these Magento 2 Two Factor Authentication extensions? It seems that they will soon become useless. But there are other modules that improve the level of backend safety. You can check them here: Magento 2 Admin Security Extensions.

As for Magento 2.3, it provides an additional layer of security for the admin panel and, as a result, the whole e-commerce website. The 2FA procedure will require users to verify via SMS, phone call, access token, etc. Of course, finishing the default login steps is necessary as well. It is known that 2.3 supports 3 authentication methods: Google Authenticator, Duo Security, and Authy.

Magento 2.3 Commerce-Specific Features

Below, you can find Magento 2.3 features available for Commerce and Cloud editions only.

Magento 2 Commerce Shared Catalogs

As a user of Magento 2.3 Commerce, you can fully leverage shared catalogs. This feature allows you to implement an individual approach to your business customer. Being a B2B improvement, Magento 2 Commerce Shared Catalogs provide you with the ability to offer individual catalogs to customers.

You get two types of catalogs: Public and Custom. a visitor sees a public catalog unless a custom one is assigned to him/her. Custom catalogs can be assigned to specific companies and clients. Thus, if you want to provide a selected partner with a specific offer hiding it from everybody else, you can do that with Magento 2.3 Commerce.

Magento 2 Commerce Negotiation Quotes and Companies

Two other B2B features which are a part of Magento 2 Commerce are companies and negotiation quotes. With the former, you can enable company accounts. They are represented by complex structures that incorporate standard user accounts. As an owner of a company account, you can customize its structure and change provided information.

In their turn Magento 2 Commerce negotiation quotes let your partners set up negotiable prices right from the shopping cart. After a proposal is created and sent, your admins are notified and can respond to it. When the price is agreed, a customer can proceed to the checkout. Note that such parameters of the negotiated order as price and quantity cannot be changed during this stage preventing you from fraud.

Magento 2 Commerce Page Builder Data

As mentioned above, Magento 2.3 Open Source includes only a limited version of Page Builder (according to devdocs). A full one is represented in the Commerce edition. Thus, there is no need to hire a team of specialists to create stunning store pages. Magento 2.3 Commerce offers a powerful page builder with an extended flexibility of multiple content types modifications from product pages to blog articles. Here is the list of Page Builder features:

• Drag and drop functionality and grid system to simplify the way you arrange elements on a store page; 
• Multiple visual effects to improve the appearance of your store;
• Deep integration into standards Magento features to simplify the common routine;
• Product integration into other pages – add products to any store pages; the same is about static blocks and various third-party content;
• Preview and schedules to see how your improvements are visible to customers.

Magento 2 Commerce Requisition Lists

Another groundbreaking feature of Magento 2.3 Commerce is requisition lists. Imagine wishlists optimized for multiple products that do not disappear when a customer turns them into an order. In the latest Magento version, they are called requisition lists and dramatically reduce the complexity of buying frequently-purchased items.

This exclusive feature simplifies the standard shopping experience of previous Magento version. It’s like recurring payments but with an advanced control level. While purchases are not automated entirely, you get a list of items that can be purchased on a regular basis. Instead of browsing through a catalog, items can be added to a shopping cart within just a few clicks from a single place.

Magento 2 Commerce Visual Merchandiser

Magento 2.3 Commerce Visual Merchandiser is a revolutionary tool for product management. It lets you position products and apply various conditions to them adjusting the structure of your catalog in the easiest manner.

Visual merchandiser provides a grid with products which can be dragged and dropped to a new position.  Alternatively, it is still possible to set a position value. Follow the link above for further information about the feature.

Magento 2 Commerce Gift Cards

No more gift card extensions are necessary since Magento 2.3 Commerce offers the lacking functionality. The following gift card types are under your disposal: virtual and physical. You can sell virtual copies so that buyers can send them straight to an email address of a recipient. Alternatively, it is possible a physical gift card can be used instead. You will need to pack it and go to a post office like in case of a normal order. Other gift card features are described in the main article, so follow the link above.

Magento 2 Commerce Content Staging

And the Magento 2.3 Commerce offers an opportunity to create schedules for various storefront improvements. With the Content Staging functionality, you can design, preview, and schedule various content updates including not only design elements but also catalog and cart price rules. Here is the full list of supported elements:

• Products and Categories;
• Catalog and Cart Price Rules;
• CMS Pages and Blocks;
• Widgets.

With Magento 2 Content Staging, you always get two content types: its original version and a set of updates combined in a campaign. When an update is expired, the original content version is restored.

Magento 2 Commerce Store Credits

The store credit functionality is another feature available in Magento 2.3 Commerce. Now, you can provide your customers with credits out of the box. Feel free to use them instead of refunds, increase loyalty, and gain sales. As a Magento administrator, you can view and control a credit balance and history as well as apply a store credit to a purchase. Similar opportunities are represented from a buyer perspective.

Final Words

It seems that Magento 2.3 will push the platform to an entirely new level. The improvements mentioned above will substantially improve the current customer experience as well as introduce new opportunities for developers, merchants, and administrators. We look forward to the official release date and will update the post when more information is available.