Right after we launched X-Cart 5.5.1 Beta in April, we continued to work on improvements and adding new features to this brand new X-Cart version. So give a warm welcome to X-Cart 5.5.1 Stable with its updated Storefront API, improved Demo Frontapp, even better performance, import improvements, and more. Let’s see what’s new there. 

What’s New? 

While working on X-Cart 5.5.1, we concentrated on the ability to deliver API-driven experiences and smoother storefront navigation ultimately boosting website performance. 

Storefront API Improvements

With that approach in mind, we added support for the following features to the Storefront API in addition to what was already available with Beta: 

• YMM and Garage features (ATTN: auto parts and accessories sellers!) 
• Checkout 
• Payments 

With the new payments feature in the Storefront API, it now supports offline payments, Stripe, and a variety of payment systems available through X-Payments. By adopting the API-driven architecture, X-Cart is getting close to becoming fully headless. 

This section of the developer portal will give you the details on Storefront API. 

Frontapp 

Frontapp now supports Year/Make/Model filtering, Garage, and VIN Lookup (available in X-Cart Automotive), Shop by Brand and Shop by Make functionality, and checkout and payments via offline methods. 

As we mentioned in our previous release notes, our Frontapp is a demo storefront designed to demonstrate the abilities of the Storefront API and can make a solid template for building your own storefront. 

Other Look and Feel Modifications

We improved ADA compliance for the following free templates: Crisp White, Auto, Soft Blue, Dewy Green, Forest Green, Marble Gray, Delicate Pink, and Dark Sparkle. For that purpose, we revised the layouts and made sure the color palettes used are contrast enough to pass ADA tests. 

X-Cart 5.5.1 now supports WebP images format, which speeds up website load times and by implication improves SEO rankings. 

Import Performance

The newly released CLI import – or parallel import – now supports importing multiple files simultaneously as well as importing brands. 

For more details on CLI import, see the developer docs. 

PayPal Updates 

In order to keep X-Cart up-to-date with the most recent changes and provide better functionality, some of the PayPal payment methods will be replaced by PayPal Checkout. Why is PayPal Checkout better?

The following legacy PayPal methods have been removed in X-Cart 5.5.1:

• PayPal Payflow Link
• PayPal Partner Hosted with PCI Compliance
• PayPal Payments Advanced
• PayPal Payments Standard
• PayPal Express Checkout
• PayPal Adaptive payments

The following PayPal methods will remain intact:

• PayPal Checkout
• PayPal for Marketplaces

In fact, we recommend all our customers to switch to PayPal Checkout in order to keep receiving payments regardless of what X-Cart version you are on. 

The reason behind this decision is that PayPal Checkout has all the functionality represented in all the legacy methods combined, plus adds new cool features to advance checkout on your website: 

• PayPal Pay Later 
• Venmo 
• Crypto 
• Direct credit card options (with or without PayPal branding!) 
• Fraud protection with PayPal’s own AI technology 
• Customizable PayPal buttons 
• And more! 

Other Improvements 

As with any other Beta version, we fixed bugs that we discovered since the 5.5.1 Beta release, added the ability to search by brand in the admin zone, and corrected a couple of performance issues. 

Bottomline

With the enhanced API structure and frontend experiences, support for the latest PHP versions, performance improvements and new cool core features, X-Cart becomes a solid foundation for your business success. 

We’re now working on more new features and integrations as well as further performance improvements to make sure X-Cart covers all your business needs whatever they are and whenever you need them.