Magento 2.4.8: The Ultimate Update for eCommerce Excellence

Magento recently launched Magento 2.4.8, bringing with it a host of improvements and new features which is sure to supercharge the overall experience for Magento users. From upgrades to the database to support for the new PHP version, we ask you not to take this update lightly. Whether you are a developer, merchant, or a customer, Magento 2.4.8 is the ultimate game changer.

In this article, we will discuss the key features and updates which you’ll find in this version. This will help you understand what’s new and improved about Magento this time around, along with how these changes will impact your Magento store. Without further ado, let’s start.

Key Changes in Magento 2.4.8

1. PHP 8.4 Support: A Step Toward Modernisation

First and foremost, Magento has dropped support for PHP 8.1 altogether. So, if you are still running on the older version, it is time to upgrade. Support for PHP 8.2 is only there because of upgrade purposes. In other words, Magento now encourages merchants to upgrade to PHP 8.3 at the very least to ensure compatibility with the latest features and performance improvements.

What’s to be excited about PHP 8.3? It brings exciting additions such as type class constants, a new JSON validate function, and more. Nevertheless, there are a few things to keep in mind, specifically that this comes with few deprecations. So, if your Magento 2 store revolves around custom code, it is time to review it to avoid compatibility issues.

That’s not the only exciting news as Magento 2.4.8 also supports PHP 8.4. This introduces a wide range of features such as property hooks, asymmetric visibility, and improved math functions. These features are bound to improve store performance and ability to manage complex product data.

Key Takeaway:

Upgrade to PHP 8.3 at the very least for better store performance and compatibility with latest Magento 2.4.8 features.

2. Database Updates: MySQL 8.4 and MariaDB 11.4 Compatibility

Magento 2.4.8 introduces support for MySQL 8.4 and MariaDB 11.4. What makes this important is both of them offer long-term support and enhanced performance. Also, since MySQL 8.0 and MariaDB 10.6 are nearing their end of life, support for the latest version ensures that your Magento 2 store remains stable for years to come.

What’s more is that Magento 2.4.8 is upgrading the UTF-8 MB3 collation to UTF-8 MB4. For the non-technical people, this means that Magento now supports a new encoding format which is compatible with emojis and special symbols. This is much-needed feature for stores with international audiences as it allows them to offer a much better user experience.

Key Takeaway:

Upgrade to MySQL 8.4 and MariaDB 11.4 for long-term stability.

3. Elasticsearch to OpenSearch Migration

Perhaps one of the most significant changes in Magento 2.4.8 is that it forever says goodbye to Elasticsearch in favour of OpenSearch. The primary reason behind this change is Elasticsearch’s licence change in 2021, resulting in restrictions on its availability as a managed service.

You can find more information about it here. The below image does an excellent job of summarising the key changes:

 

Source: Elasticsearch

The Magento 2.4.8 admin user interface now displays a notification, asking the users to make the switch towards OpenSearch. It is essential for merchants to plan for this migration efficiently. This will help minimise downtime and avoid compatibility issues. So, for smooth functionality and minimal disruptions to the user experience, transition to Magento 2.4.8.

Key Takeaway:

Migrate to OpenSearch for improved search functionality.

4. Developer Tooling: Upgraded PHP Unit and Core Libraries

Magento 2.4.8 is more than a blessing for Magento 2 developers since it introduces several updates with a special emphasis on developers. These features streamline testing and optimise code quality. For instance:

• The PHP Unit is now upgraded from version 9 to 10. This requires developers to update their unit tests for compatibility.
• The core libraries (e.g. Monologue 3, jQuery Validate) are now updated to eliminate vulnerabilities. This will help enhance JavaScript code’s performance.

These improvements will streamline workflows and ensure better test accuracy, making life easier for Magento 2 developers.

Key Takeway:

Update your unit tests and core libraries for better performance.

5. GraphQL Enhancements: Easier Customisation and Performance Gains

One of the most notable upgrades is the improvement to the GraphQL API layer. This makes it easier for the Magento 2 developers to work with Magento’s APIs and integrate custom UIs. For example:

• Magento 2.4.8 allows easier handling of complex data such as HTML and URLs. There’s no need to write extra code to manually parse rich product descriptions.
• You can now sort products by multiple fields, giving merchants greater control over how products appear in searches.
• Magento 2.4.8 automatically clears the cache when the user updates the customer data through imports. This ensures that customers always see up-to-date information.

Key Takeaway:

Utilise GraphQL improvements for better user experience.

6. Performance Optimisations: Speed and Efficiency Boosts

One of the top reasons merchants opt for Magento is because of its speed and efficiency. So, it is only natural for Magento 2.4.8 to focus on these areas for faster loading times and better responsiveness. Let’s see what Magento 2.4.8 has to offer:

• One noticeable change is to the indexing mode. It is now ‘update by schedule’ rather than ‘update on save’. This means Magento can now process large catalog updates without overloading the system, which leads to performance degradation.
• The Require.js is now upgraded to version 2.3.7. The latest version initialises JavaScript faster. This will lead to faster loading times, especially on mobile devices.
• Also, the new version improves product data caching, reducing the number of queries to retrieve product information.

These optimisations allow merchants to handle with sudden traffic spikes such as during holiday periods without any issue.

Key Takeaway:

Benefit from faster loading times with new caching and indexing improvements in Magento 2.4.8.

7. Security Enhancements: Protection Against Cyber Threats

Security is one of the biggest challenges for businesses worldwide. Fortunately, security is the top priority for Magento 2. A quick analysis of the Magento 2.4.8 update shows that it is no exception to Magento’s emphasis on improving store security.

Let’s see the key improvements:

• Cross-site scripting (XSS) fixes prevents malicious actors from injecting harmful scripts into the website. For more information on XSS, visit here.
• Magento 2.4.8 addresses several remote code execution vulnerabilities, preventing unauthorised code execution on the server.
• Ensures compliances with the latest PCI DSS standards.

Key Takeaway:

Enhance your store’s security with Magento 2.4.8.’s robust features.

8. Payment and Commerce Features: New Payment Gateway Enhancements

Magento 2.4.8 brings improvements to its integration with payment gateways, specifically the Braintree extension. These features are designed to enhance the checkout experience, helping reduce the cart abandonment rate. Major improvements include:

• Offering the shipping options directly within PayPal.
• Sync shipment tracking info with PayPal. This reduces customer service inquiries.
• Users can now cart line items in Apple Pay and Google Pay. This enhances transparency and reduces cart abandonment.

Key Takeaway:

Leverage the latest payment enhancements in Magento 2.4.8 to reduce cart abandonment.

Magento 2.4.8 – Quick Summary

Category	Description	Impact
PHP Version Support	Magento 2.48 drops PHP 8.1 support, strongly pushes for PHP 8.3, with PHP 8.2 as a compatibility bridge. Supports PHP 8.4, bringing new features like property hooks.	Developers and merchants must upgrade to PHP 8.2 or 8.3 for compatibility. PHP 8.4 introduces new features for better performance and code quality.
Database Updates	Supports MySQL 8.4 (until 2032) and MariaDB 11.4 (until 2029). Switches to UTF-8 MB4 collation for broader Unicode character support.	Ensures long-term database support. UTF-8 MB4 support allows better handling of multilingual content and special symbols.
Search Engine	Switches from Elasticsearch to OpenSearch due to licensing issues with Elasticsearch.	Stores must migrate to OpenSearch, which could require additional resources for migration and configuration.
Developer Tooling	PHP Unit upgraded to version 10. Updates to core libraries (e.g., Monologue 3, jQuery). Improved REST API handling and encryption key rotation via command line.	Codebases will require updates to ensure compatibility with PHP Unit 10. Enhanced security and improved API handling improve reliability.
GraphQL Enhancements	Supports custom scalar types for HTML, URLs. Sorting by multiple fields. Cache management improvements.	Eases the development of custom UIs and improves frontend performance. Enhances data handling and UI flexibility.
Performance Optimizations	Improved queries, caching, default indexer mode (scheduled updates), Require.js, and order processing speed.	Significant speed improvements, especially for stores with large catalogs or high traffic. Faster site and improved conversion rates.
Security Enhancements	Fixes for XSS, remote code execution vulnerabilities. Improved encryption key management and 2FA with Duo Security Web SDK version 4. Upgrades to avoid DOS attacks.	Enhanced security, reducing risks of data breaches and system compromises. Protection against common attack vectors like XSS and DOS.
Frontend Updates	Google Maps API and TinyMCE upgraded. Improved UI for customer address forms, reducing abandoned carts.	Better UX/UI leading to reduced friction in the customer journey. Improved content styling and smoother checkout experience.
Payment & Commerce Features	Braintree integration updates, shipping options in PayPal modal, package tracking, improved line item displays in Apple Pay/Google Pay, fixes for B2B features.	Streamlined payment and checkout process, improving customer experience and reducing customer support queries. Enhanced B2B capabilities.
Magento 2.48 Compatibility	DockerMagneto updated for full support, including runtime for PHP 8.4.	Ensures Magento 2.48 runs smoothly in Docker environments, ensuring compatibility with the latest PHP versions and simplifying deployment.

Final Thoughts on Magento 2.4.8

Magento 2.4.8 is a massive update which offers plenty of new features and improvements. If you value user experience, security, and customisation, then then this update is a must for you. It will keep your store at the forefront of cutting-edge eCommerce features. By implementing these features right away, you can ensure that your store not only stays afloat but thrives in a highly competitive environment. If you haven’t upgraded, don’t worry. Reach out to FME for our Magento upgrade services. Our team will help you upgrade quickly, while ensuring full compatibility with your custom development work.