OpenCart 3.0.3.9 Release - What's New?

On October 16, 2023, OpenCart 3.0.3.9 was released. Unexpectedly, two years after the last release of the third version 3.0.3.8 and seven releases of the fourth version, an official update was issued that nobody was expecting anymore. Why so? Probably because there is still no stable 4.0.x.x version, and the third branch is still very popular - and when choosing between 3 and 4, most prefer the previous engine generation.

So what has changed in OpenCart 3.0.3.9 compared to the previous 3.0.3.8 release? The official site doesn't have a detailed description (as always, basically), but there is a link to the GitHub page with a technical list of engine changes. Let's try to describe the changes that have happened in more detail:

1. The most important update - compatibility with PHP 8.
Controversial, since why bother adding PHP 8 support to the old engine version? Module developers get quite a lot of work - to adapt their modules in which they declare full compatibility with OpenCart 3.0, or to add a notice that the modules only work on PHP 7. People will install OpenCart 3.0.3.9 on the trendy PHP 8.2 and terrorize developers with "why doesn't it work".
We have already adapted our modules for OpenCart 3.0.3.9.

2. Support for images in WEBP format.
Now in the file manager you can upload images with the .webp extension. A useful and important update, since Google and its services love the lightweight WEBP format. But where, then, is AVIF support?

3. Improvements in the Summernote text editor.
An italic button has been added. Many of you probably looked for the "I" button in the description editor, but it had been forgotten - now this problem has been fixed. They also added the font size "13" in the WYSIWYG editor - imagine that, someone wasn't afraid to do it, since this size was skipped not without reason. Also fixed is the constant 404 error in the admin console due to the wrong path to the Summernote editor localization file.

4. The addthis script (social buttons, sharing) has been removed from the product page.
Removed and good riddance - no one used it. Crooked, hunched, with "swamp" service buttons that took several minutes to load.

5. Fixes and corrections.
Many small fixes in the code that essentially didn't cause any significant problems, since the 3.0.3.8 version was and is stable and self-sufficient. But improvements are good. Pagination fixes on personal account pages: Order History, Downloads, Transactions, Returns, etc. Fixed sorting of product options in the order in the admin. Fixes for the PayPal and Klarna payment modules. And various corrections of spelling mistakes, missing translations and compliance with the overall "code style".

Conclusion.

The new OpenCart 3.0.3.9 version is worth attention, and if you want to build an online store - it's worth choosing it, download and install, but this is as of now, since the 4.0 version will be updated and will become better and more modern. Right now the latest "third branch" is fully stable when used on PHP 7, but on PHP 8 you may still catch something. That is, it's the same great 3.0.3.8 build with only a few minor improvements. And if you have questions like "will modules work on 3.0.3.9 if the author declared support only for 3.0.3.7 or 3.0.3.8" - the answer: they will work, but only if you have PHP 7 on the server. On PHP 8 modules may be incompatible.