Data Connection Updates: PHP 8.2 and AEP Web SDK Support

On 17 January 2023, Adobe released an updated version of the Data Connection extension for Adobe Commerce, bringing long-awaited PHP 8.2 support and enhanced compatibility with custom Adobe Experience Platform Web SDK implementations.

PHP 8.2 Support: Future-Proofing Your Stack

The Data Connection extension now supports PHP 8.2, closing a critical gap for merchants running modern PHP versions. PHP 8.2 ships with performance improvements and stricter deprecation warnings that catch issues early. For merchants planning upgrades, this removes a major blocker: previously, moving to PHP 8.2 meant disabling Data Connection temporarily. With this release, merchants can confidently upgrade their entire stack on the same timeline.

Custom AEP Web SDK Compatibility

Data Connection previously relied on the standard Adobe Experience Platform Web SDK, limiting merchants needing custom implementations. The update now supports pluggable Web SDK providers, allowing merchants to integrate custom or modified SDK versions. Enterprise retailers often have bespoke tracking requirements requiring SDK customization. Previously, merchants had to choose between Data Connection and custom tracking. Now they can have both.

Implementation Approaches

Drop-in replacement: swap the default SDK for a custom version using a simple configuration hook. SDK wrapping: wrap the standard SDK with middleware to intercept and modify events. Hybrid mode: use the standard SDK for baseline tracking while layering custom logic on top.

Technical Deep Dive

The extension uses a provider pattern, allowing merchants to define their own SDK initialization logic. Merchants can now implement consent management before sending events, enrich events with custom context, filter or throttle events based on business rules, and route events to multiple destinations simultaneously.

Data Quality and Governance

With custom SDK implementations comes responsibility: merchants must ensure data integrity, privacy compliance, and schema consistency. Adobe provided updated documentation on event validation and schema registration to help teams avoid common pitfalls.

Adoption Timeline

PHP 8.2 support and custom AEP Web SDK compatibility are available immediately to all Adobe Commerce subscribers. For technical teams, prioritizing this upgrade will unblock PHP 8.2 adoption and unlock new tracking capabilities without architectural rework.