WooCommerce 8.3 was released today, featuring Cart, Checkout, and Order Confirmation blocks as the default checkout flow for new installations. This is a major milestone in moving WooCommerce towards a block-first checkout experience.
Version 8.3 was slightly delayed, as core developers worked to ensure it would be compatible with the latest changes in WordPress 6.4 as well as the upcoming PHP 8.3 release scheduled for November 23, 2023. They also wanted to give time for plugin developers to prepare for the new reality of cart and checkout blocks as the default. An FAQ document outlines the steps for developers who still need to make their extensions compatible.
Developers with extensions that don’t work with the new default blockified checkout are encouraged to declare their plugins incompatible, so WooCommerce can display a message to users in the settings sidebar. (No action is required for plugins that do not extend the cart and checkout flow).
Although existing stores are not impacted by cart and checkout blocks becoming the default, merchants can easily opt into the experience using WooCommerce’s migration tool located at WooCommerce > Status > Tools > Create Pages. This tool will automatically generate the new pages with a block-based checkout flow. The blockified Order Confirmation template is currently only available to stores that are using block themes.
Other notable changes in WooCommerce 8.3 include the following:
- Themes added to the revamped WooCommerce > Extensions marketplace
- Marketplace search improved
- Mobile app onboarding improved, no longer requiring Jetpack
- Images optimized to reduce the WooCommerce package size
WooCommerce 8.3 includes 682 commits to the core plugin, along with 231 commits rolled in from WooCommerce blocks, thanks to the efforts of 96 contributors. Check out the changelog for a more detailed look at the many fixes, tweaks, and enhancements included in the release.
