Why Umbraco 8 - FadiZahhar/umbraco8showandtell GitHub Wiki

Umbraco 8 is a major version of the Umbraco CMS (Content Management System) that was officially released in February 2019. Here’s why you might encounter or work with Umbraco 8:

Why Umbraco 8?

  1. Widespread Adoption (Legacy Projects):

    • Many businesses and agencies launched sites on Umbraco 8 between 2019–2021. If you’re maintaining, upgrading, or inheriting projects, there’s a high chance they’re built on Umbraco 8.

  2. Modernized Architecture:

    • Umbraco 8 introduced significant architectural improvements over Umbraco 7:

      • Infinite Editing: Allowed content editors to work on related content without losing context.

      • Language Variants: Built-in multilingual content editing and management.

      • Content Apps: Custom add-ons for editors, such as dashboards and analytics, inside the editing experience.

      • Improved Cache & Performance: More efficient caching and lazy loading for better performance.

  3. Developer Experience:

    • Still based on .NET Framework (not .NET Core/.NET 5+), which made it easy for teams invested in .NET Framework to build and maintain.

    • Strong documentation and community support, especially during its peak years.

  4. Training and Documentation:

    • Many tutorials, courses, and agency playbooks still use Umbraco 8 as their basis. If you’re learning Umbraco or working with teams, you’ll encounter lots of Umbraco 8 resources.

  5. Stability:

    • By late 2020, Umbraco 8 had reached a stable, mature state with lots of bug fixes and available packages.

Why Not Umbraco 8 for New Projects?

  • Newer versions (Umbraco 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and now 15) run on .NET 5/6/7/8 (cross-platform, faster, better security).

  • Long-term support: Umbraco 8 is no longer the recommended version for new builds.

  • Modern features: Newer versions offer headless capabilities, better APIs, improved backoffice UX, and are future-proof.

Summary Table

Use Umbraco 8 If... Use Umbraco 10+ If...
Maintaining an existing Umbraco 8 project Starting a new project from scratch
Need .NET Framework support Want cross-platform .NET 6+ support
Using legacy plugins only available on v8 Need best performance, modern features, security

TL;DR:
Umbraco 8 is still very relevant for maintenance, upgrades, or when dealing with established enterprise solutions, but for greenfield projects, Umbraco 10+ is the best choice.

Absolutely! Here’s a clear rundown of what’s new and improved in Umbraco 10+ compared to Umbraco 8. I’ll highlight the most important changes and why they matter for developers and editors.

What’s New in Umbraco 10+ vs. Umbraco 8?

1. .NET Core and Cross-Platform Support

  • Umbraco 10+ is built on .NET 6/7/8 (LTS) — cross-platform (Windows, Linux, Mac), faster, more secure.

  • Umbraco 8 runs only on the legacy .NET Framework (Windows only).

  • Why it matters: You can now host Umbraco sites anywhere and take advantage of modern .NET tech.

2. Headless Capabilities & Modern APIs

  • Umbraco 10+ offers a robust Content Delivery API (headless) and a modern OpenAPI/Swagger endpoint for integrations.

  • Umbraco 8 had only basic APIs, mostly for backoffice extensions.

  • Why it matters: Easily build SPA apps, mobile apps, or multi-channel experiences.

3. Package Ecosystem:

  • Umbraco 10+ supports NuGet-based package management and “Composable DXP” architecture.

  • Packages are easier to install, update, and develop.

  • Why it matters: Faster dev workflow, safer updates.

4. Modern Backoffice & Improved UX

  • Backoffice UI is faster, more accessible, and is being actively improved.

  • More extensible, with a move towards Web Components and AngularJS phase-out.

  • Why it matters: Editors get a smoother experience, devs can build cleaner customizations.

5. Long-Term Support (LTS) Releases

  • Umbraco 10, 13, etc. are LTS releases — guaranteed security and bug fixes for years.

  • Umbraco 8 is no longer LTS.

  • Why it matters: Peace of mind for business-critical sites.

6. Stronger Multilingual Support

  • Multi-language (“Variants”) editing is even smoother and improved in 10+.

  • Better UI for language management and translation workflows.

7. Stronger Typing and ModelsBuilder

  • Uses modern source generators for ModelsBuilder, resulting in better performance and type safety.

  • No more “AppData” folder pollution — models can be generated in-memory or to a desired location.

8. Cloud Native & Modern DevOps

  • Easier to containerize (Docker/Kubernetes support), better CI/CD pipeline compatibility.

  • Azure, AWS, and other cloud platforms fully supported.

9. Dependency Injection (DI) by Default

  • Everything is built to use .NET Core’s DI — services, controllers, etc.

  • Makes code more testable and maintainable.

10. Better Performance & Security

  • Massive improvements in performance and memory usage.

  • Security updates flow faster, aligning with .NET LTS.

11. Upgrade Path

  • Tools and guidance available for migrating from v8 → v10+.

  • Umbraco is investing in making major upgrades less painful going forward.

Quick Table: Major Differences

Feature Umbraco 8 Umbraco 10+
Framework .NET Framework .NET 6/7/8 (cross-plat)
Hosting Windows only Windows, Linux, Mac
Headless API Basic Full Content API
Backoffice UI AngularJS Modernized/ongoing
Dependency Injection Manual Built-in (native)
Packages Old installer NuGet, modern tooling
LTS Support Ended Yes (10, 13, etc.)
ModelsBuilder T4 templates Source generators
Performance/Security Good (for time) Best

TL;DR

Umbraco 10+ is faster, safer, cloud-ready, cross-platform, and future-proof, with better APIs, backoffice, and developer experience.

Absolutely! Here’s a quick response template you can use to offer help planning a migration from Umbraco 8 to 10+ (feel free to adjust the tone as you like):

Let me know if you need help planning a migration from Umbraco 8 to 10+. The upgrade process introduces many benefits, including improved performance, cross-platform hosting, and long-term support, but it does require a careful approach. I can help with:

  • Assessing your current Umbraco 8 setup (content types, custom code, packages)
  • Identifying breaking changes and compatibility issues
  • Creating a step-by-step migration plan to move your solution safely to Umbraco 10+ (or latest LTS)
  • Testing and validating the migration to ensure everything works smoothly
  • Optimizing your new Umbraco instance for performance, security, and modern best practices

If you’d like to discuss migration options or need a tailored plan for your project, just let me know!

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