“Spartacus is a lean, Angular-based JavaScript storefront for SAP Commerce Cloud. Spartacus talks to SAP Commerce Cloud exclusively through the Commerce REST API.”
Spartacus is the next-gen technology that will power many commerce storefronts in the near future. A 100% API-driven, headless commerce SPA (Single Page Application), Spartacus is released independently of the SAP Commerce Cloud backend. This decoupling of the display-centric frontend from the commerce-centric backend provides for immense flexibility, scalability and most importantly, increased speed and frequency of frontend design changes. Commerce business will need these dynamic features to successfully cater to the high expectations of the next-gen, digital consumer.
Currently, Spartacus is available under version 2.0 released in June 2020, with another release pre-planned for mid-August 2020 for version 2.1, which is expected to be the first Spartacus release supporting B2B features.
A step back to review the evolution of frontend development
In the 1990s, we were in what we now call the Static Age, or Web 1.0. The early-stage website frontends featured flat, static HTML text files. Even CSS functionality which we now take for granted was introduced only in the late 1990s when MS Internet Explorer was launched.
Dynamic webpages came into use only around 1997. With dynamic HTML, JavaScript, and XML in the picture, used in combination, (which we now refer to as Ajax) many CMS platforms were born, e.g. Documentum and Interwoven.
By the mid-2000s, CMS platforms matured, and became necessary to manage large-scale content on major websites. This was the time that Open Source CMS platforms like WordPress, Drupal, and Joomla became very popular. These could handle frontend elements like layout, images, as well as some backend website functionality related to storing captured data, enabling download of files, etc. This was the Web 2.0 era, after the consolidation that followed the ‘dotcom bust’ in the early 2000s.
Then came the Web 3.0 era, which saw the emergence of mobile devices – smartphones and tablets that changed the frontend landscape drastically. The focus now shifted to multi-device compatibility, and mobile content delivery.
The era of personalization and headless commerce
In the present day, we are now in an era marked by personalization at scale. AI/ML is now significantly impacting content management. CMS systems are moving towards headless architecture, which features APIs to communicate with various content channels like webpages, mobile apps, social channels, etc. E-commerce websites are transitioning to headless commerce for digital delivery to these channels.
SAP Spartacus is becoming the headless commerce platform of choice for many e-commerce players. Its microservices-based architecture allows developers to freely integrate the website with third-party applications and use them as a backend on cloud. This is the era of advanced JavaScript technologies like AngularJS, React. JS, Vue.js, JSON.
Updated features of SAP Spartacus Ver 2.0
The current version of Spartacus, released in June 2020 is Version 2.0 and is a new major version with several significant updates.
- Framework updated to Angular 9, including related dependencies such as ngrx 9
- Schematics which allow you to install Spartacus libraries to your Angular project have been updated in Ver 2.0
- Lazy loading of CMS components brings better performance optimization by allowing components to be loaded only when needed.
- Updated persist state in localSotrage or sessionStorage which is more sophisticated than the previous one (storageSync).
- Custom Angular URL matching routing module extension for managing more sophisticated URLs.
- Accessibility keyboarding features added which enable navigation through the webpages using a keyboard only.
- Updated event service leverages RxJs Observables to drive the streams of events (with Add to Cart event)
For more details on the changes in Ver 2.0 or information about migrating from Spartacus Ver 1.x please refer to the Spartacus Documentation here.
Spartacus – the roadmap ahead
The next release for Spartacus is scheduled for mid-August 2020. This release, Ver 2.1, is eagerly awaited as it is expected to support B2B features for the first time in Spartacus. Spartacus B2B features will require SAP Commerce Cloud 2005.
Here is a sneak peek at what may be coming up in Ver 2.1:
- B2B Commerce Org or ‘My Company’ management of units, users, budgets, cost centers, user groups, etc.
- Updates to Order Details to include B2B-specific information, such as approval table and cost center
- Lazy loading for modules
- Image Zoom on Product Details page
The next release expected by end-September 2020 is Ver 3.0:
- Will introduce features of Angular 10
- Session Management may be added
- B2B Checkout (check out by account, enter purchase order, select cost center, shipping address restricted by cost center chosen, subject to approval process)
- B2B Scheduled Replenishment (SAP Commerce Cloud 2005 required)
- B2B Re-order
This is likely to be followed by a 3.x minor release which may also have updates for B2B Quick Order, B2B Saved Carts, B2B Inventory Display, Buy online pickup in store, B2B Bulk Price List and much more…
RetailCX: Our own Spartacus-based framework for retail and F&B businesses
RetailCX from Sapours is a PWA and Spartacus-based framework designed to suit Retail and F&B businesses.
We built RetailCX using Spartacus headless architecture, providing our clients with more design flexibility to showcase the front-end as required by their brand or customer preferences. RetailCX has enabled our clients to deliver a seamless, unified experience to their customers.
RetailCX supports the strategic business objectives of retail and F&B store owners and delivers faster time-to-value. Request a demo of RetailCX to see how
Stay on top of the latest trends in e-commerce storefronts with Sapours
Author Details –
Vipin Killedar
Co-Founder and Director (Commerce)
Over 12 years of cross-cultural experience handling Technology and Systems across industries such as Retail, E-commerce, IT consulting and Logistics, and leading towards Digital Transformation.
