The digital landscape is always evolving, and SAP Commerce is no exception. If you’re using SAP Commerce Cloud, you might already be aware of the planned deprecation of the Accelerator UI. This significant change affects businesses of all sizes, requiring them to take proactive steps to ensure they remain competitive in a fast-changing eCommerce environment.
In this blog, we’ll break down what this deprecation means, the official timeline for its rollout, why moving to the Composable Storefront (formerly known as Spartacus) is critical, and how expert partners can help make this transition smoother.
What Is SAP Commerce Accelerator UI Deprecation?
SAP Commerce Accelerator has been a go-to solution for businesses looking to launch their eCommerce platforms quickly. It provided pre-built templates, tools, and components to speed up development time and ensure scalability. However, as digital experiences evolve and customers demand more personalised, seamless, and modern interfaces, SAP is phasing out this legacy technology in favour of newer, more advanced solutions.
What Does Deprecation Mean?
When a feature is deprecated, it means that SAP has flagged it for future deletion. While the feature is still available and supported for the time being, SAP has made it clear that it will eventually be removed from their platform.
Deprecation is announced well in advance to give businesses the opportunity to adjust their SAP Commerce Cloud solution accordingly. This ensures you have time to plan for the eventual removal of functionality, mitigate any potential issues with future upgrades, and explore modern alternatives such as the Composable Storefront.
Once the functionality is officially deleted, it will no longer be part of SAP Commerce Cloud. This means it will no longer be provided with the software, nor will it receive any support from SAP. For businesses relying on the Accelerator UI, this makes migrating to a new solution not just optional, but essential.
Why Were the Accelerator UIs and OCC Template Extensions Deprecated?
The deprecation of Accelerator UIs and OCC (OmniCommerce Connect) template extensions is part of SAP’s broader vision for a fully cloud-native eCommerce platform. But why were they deprecated in the first place? Let’s take a closer look:
The Accelerator UI implementation hasn’t seen any major updates for quite some time. It’s tightly coupled with the SAP Commerce Cloud code, making the upgrade process more difficult and costly for businesses.
The template-driven Accelerator UI approach means backwards compatibility with SAP Commerce Cloud can’t always be guaranteed when new versions are released. This leads to inefficiencies and disruptions during upgrades.
The Accelerator UI lacks the flexibility and responsiveness of modern eCommerce solutions. By moving to a headless architecture like the Composable Storefront, businesses can benefit from a faster, more flexible, and customer-centric solution.
SAP is committed to offering a fully cloud-native eCommerce platform that prioritises:
By deprecating and eventually deleting the Accelerator UIs, SAP is moving closer to this vision. The new headless storefront model allows businesses to adopt updates at their own pace without worrying about compatibility issues with their front end.
Key Timeline of the Deprecation
To ensure businesses have sufficient time to plan and migrate, SAP has outlined a detailed deprecation timeline for the Accelerator UI. Below are the critical milestones you need to keep in mind:
In the November 2022 (2211) release, SAP officially announced the deprecation of the Accelerator UI. This was a key signal for businesses to begin evaluating their future plans.
SAP will continue to provide limited support for the Accelerator UI during the transition period. However, no new features or improvements will be developed.
By 2028, support for the Accelerator UI will be completely withdrawn. Businesses that fail to migrate by this deadline risk running unsupported technology, leading to potential security vulnerabilities and performance issues.
The deletion dates are as follows:
It’s clear that the clock is ticking, and organisations must act swiftly to ensure a smooth transition to a future-proof solution.
Why Migrate to the Composable Storefront (Spartacus)?
The Composable Storefront, previously known as Spartacus, is SAP’s recommended solution for replacing the Accelerator UI. Built on a modern headless architecture, the Composable Storefront separates the front end (customer-facing UI) from the back-end systems, enabling greater flexibility and innovation.
Key Benefits of the Composable Storefront:
With its API-driven, modular design, businesses can quickly introduce new features and integrate third-party solutions without disrupting the entire platform.
The Composable Storefront leverages modern web technologies such as Angular and React to deliver lightning-fast page speeds and smoother user experiences.
Create highly personalised, mobile-first, and responsive eCommerce experiences that align with your customers’ evolving expectations.
Adopting a headless approach ensures your platform remains adaptable to future technology advancements.
Improved load times and customisation options help businesses rank higher in search engines, boosting traffic and visibility.
By moving to the Composable Storefront, businesses not only comply with SAP’s roadmap but also position themselves for long-term success in a competitive market.
How Langia Can Help with Your Migration
Transitioning from the SAP Commerce Accelerator UI to the Composable Storefront is no small feat. It requires a detailed plan, technical expertise, and the right tools to minimise downtime and disruptions. That’s where Langia comes in.
Langia specialises in SAP Commerce Cloud implementations, migrations, and optimisations. With years of experience and a dedicated team of experts, Langia ensures a seamless migration process tailored to your business needs.
What Langia Offers:
Langia starts with a thorough assessment of your current eCommerce setup, identifying gaps, dependencies, and potential risks.
The team builds bespoke solutions to align your new Composable Storefront with your brand identity, customer expectations, and operational workflows.
Ensure product, customer, and transactional data works seamlessly on the new storefront without the need for migration.
Langia doesn’t just implement your new platform; they also train your internal teams and provide ongoing support to ensure you get the most out of your investment.
With their proven methodologies and expertise, Langia reduces the time required for migration, helping you go live on your new storefront faster.
Why Choose Langia?
What Happens If You Don’t Act?
Ignoring the Accelerator UI deprecation could have significant repercussions for your business, including:
Unsupported technology is a prime target for cyberattacks, potentially compromising your customers’ data and trust.
Without regular updates and maintenance, your storefront may become sluggish and less competitive.
Fixing issues on an outdated platform often ends up being more expensive than upgrading to a modern solution.
The Composable Storefront offers tools and features to help you stay ahead in the eCommerce game. Failing to adopt it means missing out on these advantages.
How to Get Started with Your Migration
If you’re unsure where to begin, don’t worry. Langia is here to help guide you through every step of the process. Start by booking a consultation with their team to evaluate your current setup and understand your specific needs. From there, Langia will develop a customised roadmap to ensure a smooth and successful transition.
Final Thoughts
The deprecation of SAP Commerce Accelerator UI is a pivotal moment for businesses relying on SAP Commerce Cloud. While change can be daunting, it’s also an opportunity to embrace innovation and build a more robust eCommerce platform. By migrating to the Composable Storefront, you’ll future-proof your operations, deliver better customer experiences, and gain a competitive edge in the market.
With experts like Langia by your side, you can make this transition confidently and efficiently. Don’t wait until the last minute—start planning your migration today!
FAQs
It’s a legacy front-end framework used in SAP Commerce Cloud to build eCommerce storefronts quickly.
Support for the Accelerator UI will end in 2028, with limited support available until then.
It’s SAP’s next-generation front-end solution, designed with a headless architecture for greater flexibility and scalability.
Langia offers tailored migration services, technical expertise, and post-launch support to ensure a seamless transition to the Composable Storefront.
The timeline depends on the complexity of your current setup, but Langia’s proven methodologies ensure the process is as efficient as possible.