Shopware Updates and ThemeWare®
In this guide you will learn how to proceed if you need to update Shopware 6 together with ThemeWare® update.
We regularly release updates of ThemeWare®. So most of the ThemeWare® updates you do independently from Shopware updates.
But of course there are also cases where you want to perform a Shopware update. In these cases, it always makes sense to update extensions (plugins, apps or themes) before or after.
Whether you need to update extensions before or after the Shopware update depends on the compatibility of the extensions (plugins, apps or themes).
The type of Shopware release must also be taken into account here, as there are different types of Shopware releases:
Shopware versioning
Major-Release
Incompatible API changes are made (= breaking changes)
z.B. 6.5 > 6.6
Minor-Release
Functionality is added in a backward-compatible manner
z.B. 6.5.1 > 6.5.2
Patch-Release
Backward-compatible bug fixes are made
z.B. 6.5.1.1 > 6.5.1.2
Compatibility
Basically,ThemeWare® is always compatible with the latest Shopware version or will be released in a compatible version in the short term. Accordingly, there is always a suitable ThemeWare® version for older Shopware versions.
As we test ThemeWare® in every new Shopware release, it can happen – depending on how extensive the necessary adjustments are – that a ThemeWare® update is only released shortly after the Shopware update.
Major-Releases
However, it can happen that there is no ThemeWare® version (this applies to all extensions) that is compatible with both the old and the new Shopware version at the same time. This is always the case when Shopware makes so-called "breaking changes" that make compatibility with both versions impossible.
As you can see in the "Shopware versioning" above, "breaking changes" are mainly possible in major releases.
Important: Please always use the update option of the extension management and do not install extensions manually to avoid installing an incompatible extension.
Shopware Update
The Shopware update wizard will inform you if there are incompatible extensions. Incompatible extensions must be deactivated before the Shopware update and should only be activated when a compatible version has been released.
Please find more information on the correct procedure in the following instructions.
Tip: Most of this guide applies to all extensions (plugins, apps or themes), but to simplify matters we refer to ThemeWare®.
Step-by-step instructions:
Please find below a step-by-step guide for Shopware updates. Basically there are three possible cases:
These three cases are considered in the following instructions:
1) Preparation
We recommend that you wait a few days/weeks before updating Shopware - especially for major releases of the update.
Tip: Wait a few days/weeks for the Shopware update, especially for major Shopware releases.
Test each update in advance in a test system or a staging environment and check that everything works smoothly.
It is also essential to create a complete backup of your shop before the Shopware update.
Tip: Create a complete backup of your shop before the Shopware update and test the update in advance in a test or staging system.
Update ThemeWare® and all extensions (plugins, apps or themes) in your system to the latest versions.
Important: Update all extensions (plugins, apps or themes) in your system before every Shopware update.
Check whether there is already a compatible version for all extensions (plugins, apps or themes) or themes.
It is best to only perform out the Shopware update if you have ensured that all extensions used are installed in a compatible and error-free version.
If you want to perform the Shopware update even if not all extensions used are compatible, leave incompatible extensions deactivated until you have been able to install a compatible version.
Important: Deactivate all incompatible extensions before a Shopware update and activate them if you have been able to update them to a compatible version.
2) Shopware Update
There are three options for Shopware updates:
A. Already compatible
ThemeWare® is already compatible with both the current and the new Shopware version:
Optional:Assign the "Shopware default theme" to your sales channel
Optional: Then deactivate your ThemeWare® theme
Tip: Clear the entire Shopware cache once
Optional: Perform a ThemeWare® update
Perform the Shopware Update
Important: Only if really all extensions are "already compatible"!
Optional: Activate ThemeWare® again
Tip: Clear the entire Shopware cache once
Optional: Assign ThemeWare® to your sales channel to complete the process
Clear the entire Shopware cache once and reload the administration
B. Now avaiable
A compatible ThemeWare® version is available before the Shopware update:
Assign the "Shopware default theme" to your sales channel
Then deactivate your ThemeWare® theme
Tip: Clear the entire Shopware cache once
Perform the ThemeWare® update
Now perform the Shopware update
Important: Only if really all extensions are "already compatible"!
Activate ThemeWare® again
Tip: Clear the entire Shopware cache once
Assign ThemeWare® to your sales channel to complete the process
Clear the entire Shopware cache once and reload the administration
C. With new Shopware version
A compatible ThemeWare® version is available after the Shopware update:
Assign the "Shopware default theme" to your sales channel
Then deactivate your ThemeWare® theme
Clear the entire Shopware cache once
Perform the Shopware update
Now perform the ThemeWare® update
Activate ThemeWare® (in the compatible version) again
Tip: Clear the entire Shopware cache once
Assign ThemeWare® to your sales channel to complete the process
Clear the entire Shopware cache once and reload the administration
Attention: Do not activate an incompatible version of an extension in your Shopware shop!
In this scenario, the old ThemeWare® version is not compatible with the new Shopware version and the new ThemeWare® version is not compatible with the old Shopware version.
D. Not compatible
A compatible ThemeWare® version for the new Shopware version is NOT yet available:
If there is no compatible version of ThemeWare® yet for the new Shopware release, wait with the Shopware update until this is the case.
If you still want to perform the Shopware update, leave ThemeWare® (or any incompatible extension) deactivated until you have been able to update to a compatible version.
Troubleshooting
We hope you have followed the hints regarding the creation of a backup and testing in a staging environment and you can restore your backup or perform a new test.
If the administration is not accessible due to an incompatible extension, deactivate the corresponding extension via the database (see Deactivating ThemeWare® via the database). The administration should then work again.
Update guidelines 💡
Always refer to our update guide when updating ThemeWare®:
Further information
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