Exciting Updates Announced for WooCommerce 9.9
The WooCommerce team has unveiled the impending release of WooCommerce 9.9, bringing with it a host of new features and performance improvements. Scheduled for final release on 2nd June 2025, this update promises to enhance the overall efficiency and functionality for WooCommerce-powered websites. Read the official announcement.
Release Schedule and Features
Important Dates
The release schedule begins with the availability of the WooCommerce 9.9 Beta for testing. Following this, the WooCommerce 9.9 Release Candidate is scheduled for 26th May 2025, leading up to the much-anticipated final release on 2nd June 2025. Users can try out the new features using the WooCommerce Beta Tester plugin or by downloading the latest release from WordPress.org.
What's New in 9.9
The upcoming version introduces several cutting-edge features designed to streamline the user experience and improve store management. Notable among these is the 'Blueprints' feature, which facilitates the export and import of store settings, particularly valuable for developers and multi-store owners seeking consistency across different environments.
Enhancements in Store Navigation and Performance
Seamless Product Collection Navigation
The Product Collection block sees improved compatibility detection, eradicating the need for a hardcoded list of incompatible blocks. This significantly improves client-side navigation, enhancing transition smoothness, and offers better performance in conjunction with compatible third-party blocks.
Enhanced Dashboard Performance
A notable performance boost is expected from the asynchronous loading of the WooCommerce status widget on dashboards, particularly benefiting high-volume stores by reducing homepage load times from minutes to mere seconds.
Simplifying Store Management
Hide Shipping Rates Option
WooCommerce now allows users to hide all shipping rates if free shipping is available,a functionality previously achieved through custom code or third-party plugins. This update simplifies shipping option management considerably.
Selective Product Exports
The newest version supports selective export of products and variations directly from the product list with product IDs. This enhancement accelerates bulk editing tasks, eliminating the need for full catalogue exports.
Additional Technical Improvements
Automatic Database Updates
To alleviate update process friction, WooCommerce 9.9 introduces automatic database updates and migrations in the background. This feature can be turned off using a specific filter, catering to the needs of developers.
Tax API Support Improvements
A critical issue with non-Latin character class names in tax rates has been addressed, facilitating accurate API handling for global users.
Experimental Features and Future Prospects
Product Gallery Improvements
The updated Product Gallery block in beta boasts enhanced navigation controls, a more intuitive mobile layout, and significant performance improvements. Further developments are anticipated in the 10.1 release.
Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) Tracking
New built-in support for tracking cost of goods sold enables merchants to manage cost data for products systematically and view cost breakdowns at the order level. This integrates fully with admin and APIs.
Developer Advisories
The function wc_current_theme_is_fse_theme() is deprecated in WooCommerce 9.9, with a shift towards WordPress core’s wp_is_block_theme(). Developers are encouraged to update their codes accordingly.
Preparing for WooCommerce 9.9
For those keen to explore the upcoming changes, testers are encouraged to utilise the WooCommerce Beta Tester plugin to trial the beta versions. Detailed changelogs and a developer advisory offer additional insights into the compatibility adjustments required.
As WooCommerce 9.9 nears its release date, it is poised to deliver considerable advancements to the e-commerce landscape, promising better performance and user-friendly features designed to aid store owners and developers alike.
