Adobe Commerce 2.4.8: What Merchants Need to Know

Most eCommerce releases promise major features or game-changing functionality. Adobe Commerce 2.4.8 takes a different route—focused on stability, security, and long-term foundations rather than flashy upgrades.

Key Technical Updates
PHP 8.4 Compatibility: Support for PHP 8.4 ensures merchants stay compliant with PCI Rule 6.1, especially as PHP 8.1 reaches end-of-life on December 31, 2025.
Database Compatibility: Official support for MySQL 8.4 and MariaDB 11.4.
Library Updates: Behind-the-scenes updates to TinyMCE, RequireJS, and Monolog.
API Improvements: Performance enhancements for merchants using headless or custom integrations.
FedEx Integration: Transitioned from SOAP to REST, making it easier for developers to customize.

What’s Changed: The Technical Foundation

Most of the changes in 2.4.8 happen under the hood—hundreds of bug fixes aimed at making the platform more stable. Adobe’s continued investment in the platform (nearly a decade after launch), shows a clear commitment to maintaining a secure, enterprise-grade system.

Visible Improvements: B2B & Payment Processing
While 2.4.8 focuses primarily on backend stability, a few merchant-facing updates are worth noting—particularly for B2B merchants and those using digital wallets.
B2B Enhancements
Admins can now be assigned to a single company and switch between others in the hierarchy—a previously missing feature. Sales teams can link documents via DocuSign or Adobe Sign, streamlining contract workflows.
Payment Processing Updates

Braintree: Shipment tracking is now sent to Braintree, helping reduce “where’s my package?” disputes.
Google Pay & Apple Pay: These digital wallets now display cart line items during checkout, giving customers better visibility and improving trust.
4. Payment Processing Updates

Security Improvements
Adobe continues to improve encryption key management in response to vulnerabilities like Cosmic Sting. If your team hasn’t reviewed or rotated encryption keys recently, this should be a top priority.

What Hasn't Changed

From a day-to-day perspective, the admin experience remains largely unchanged. For merchants, this consistency is a benefit—it typically means fewer implementation headaches and lower upgrade costs.

When Should You Upgrade?

If you’re already on a supported version and up to date on security patches, there’s no need to rush.

Here’s a quick timeline reference:

Magento 2.4.4: Already unsupported
Magento 2.4.5: Support ends August 2025
Magento 2.4.6: Support ends August 2026
Magento 2.4.7: Support ends April 2027
Magento 2.4.8: No end date announced yet (likely April 2028)

One thing to keep in mind: PHP 8.1 support ends in December 2025. If you’re on any version prior to 2.4.8, you’ll likely need to upgrade PHP this year—whether you update the platform or not.

The Bigger Picture: Adobe’s Direction

At Adobe Summit, two new offerings were introduced:

Adobe Commerce as a Service: A fully managed version of the platform that keeps customization flexibility while reducing the technical lift.
Adobe Commerce Optimizer: Aimed at improving speed and simplifying content workflows.

Both signal Adobe’s growing focus on reducing merchant maintenance burdens—while still supporting complex needs.

Third-Party Modules: A Quiet Risk

Don’t forget your third-party modules. These often fly under the radar but can develop vulnerabilities over time. Regular audits and updates—even outside of platform upgrades—are key to long-term security.

To summarize, Adobe's only change is making the source code and database unavailable. Customization happens differently.

Next Steps for Your Business

The 2.4.8 release brings solid improvements without requiring immediate action for most merchants. If you’re on a supported version and current with patches, you have plenty of time to plan your upgrade strategically.

However, if you’re approaching the end of your current version’s support window or still using PHP 8.1, it’s time to start planning your upgrade path. Creating a thoughtful strategy that aligns technical requirements with business needs will ensure the most cost-effective approach.

At SwiftOtter, we understand these decisions aren’t always straightforward. With 15+ years of experience in the Adobe Commerce ecosystem, we’re happy to help you navigate the best timing and approach for your specific situation.