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PrestaShop tips & tricks

What are the main news of PrestaShop 1.7.x

It’s no longer a secret among the developer community that an entirely new PrestaShop version 1.7 is being developed. What are the advantages of this version? What are the benefits for everyday store owners, and what changes are coming?

The new PrestaShop version is being fundamentally restructured due to architectural shortcomings in the current version. It will focus on new opportunities, even at the cost of losing compatibility with older versions.

Old Themes Will No Longer Be Compatible

One of the significant changes is that older themes will no longer be compatible for technical reasons. This means that if you want to upgrade your current PrestaShop version to 1.7, you’ll need to completely rewrite and redevelop the front end.

The upgrade will significantly impact both time and cost from a business owner’s perspective. It’s worth considering these updates today and planning your budget and resources for the long term.

PrestaShop acknowledges that using older versions isn’t necessarily bad, especially since security patches will still be released for some time. However, the focus is clearly on the future, which looks promising with this complete overhaul.

Even though older versions like 1.3 and 1.4 are still available on the market, owners of such stores are strongly advised to upgrade. Many functionalities now included in the standard package were previously developed manually at additional cost.

From the developer’s perspective, significant adaptation will be needed. PrestaShop will now use Twig instead of Smarty for templating, and other technological shifts must be embraced.

However, module compatibility should largely remain intact, and most modules will still work with version 1.7 for the time being.

New Default Theme “Starter”

Even though old theme compatibility is dropped, store owners will benefit from a new default theme called “Starter.”

This minimalist theme focuses on commerce without unnecessary design elements, helping developers deliver faster. It serves as a framework from which to build.

Admin Panel Redesign and Improvements

PrestaShop has focused heavily on how admins use the platform and decided to overhaul the admin interface. Analysis showed that admins spend most of their time on orders, product editing, and customer sections.

Version 1.7 will feature a redesigned product editing page, updated module management, and more intuitive naming, such as CMS → Pages, Price Rules → Discounts, Manufacturers → Brands, etc.

The menu structure has been reorganized into logical sections:

• Sell – daily tasks: orders, customers, customer service, statistics
• Improve – all tools for design, modules, and payments
• Configure, store, and administer settings

More improvements will follow in other key admin areas. Internal menu items have been updated and grouped more logically based on frequency of use.

Attributes and features are now managed in one place. The same applies to manufacturers and suppliers.

Widget System

This new functionality is similar to WordPress widgets. Modules can now display content directly within templates and hook into any part of the site layout (sidebar, header, footer), simplifying design and configuration.

Other New Features

• Revamped payment module system – now more conversion-optimized checkout pages
• Symfony framework integration – for more efficient and modular code following modern PHP standards
• New translation system – no more translating the same word multiple times
• Speed and modern architecture – faster, more scalable, and future-proof

So, What Makes PrestaShop 1.7 Better?

• More structured and efficient technical base for complex projects and reduced development costs
• Redesigned admin panel for faster navigation, editing, and store management
• Better module and widget integration to simplify system configuration
• Conversion-focused checkout process with the new standard theme
• Higher speed and bug resolution thanks to improved core and architecture

Current Drawbacks of PrestaShop 1.7

• You’ll need a strong developer team to adapt to the changes
• High upgrade costs due to new templates and incompatibility with previous themes

These updates will clearly show which developers worked correctly and followed best practices—and which didn’t, as reflected in the upgrade cost.

PrestaShop 1.7 is expected to be released later this year.