It was a while since we posted an update on the progress of Qala, our packaged WordPress and WooCommerce solution. Qala’s newest platform release represents a major leap forward — offering faster load times, smarter architecture, and a vastly improved user experience. If you’re evaluating enterprise-grade WordPress solutions, this update showcases exactly why Qala is trusted to deliver modern, compliant, and conversion-ready websites at scale.
Built for Business Impact
Smarter Navigation, Better Engagement
The new Qala Mega Menu delivers a highly flexible navigation experience designed to handle even the most complex ecommerce catalogs. Features include:
- Multi-column, tabbed layouts
- Height-based scroll for large menus
- Configurable column widths (25%, 33%, 50%, 100%, or auto)
This gives your customers clarity and control, helping them find what they need faster — reducing bounce rates and driving conversions.
Faster Websites, Happier Customers
Major performance enhancements mean your website loads faster and feels smoother:
- Streamlined codebase reduces CSS and JavaScript bloat
- Smarter image handling for better load performance
- Redundant plugins removed to improve server-side speed
Qala is now faster across all devices, with measurable gains in Core Web Vitals — which means better SEO, improved user satisfaction, and reduced cart abandonment.
Flexible Page Templates and Branding Control
New templates and layout options make it easier to maintain a consistent brand:
- No-title and no-breadcrumbs page templates
- Site-wide Information Bar with customizable appearance
- Improved layout controls for full-site editing
- New responsive settings for layout blocks: Editors can now adjust spacing, padding, and alignment independently for desktop, tablet, and mobile — directly within the block editor
- Buttons now support inline icons, allowing editors to visually enhance calls-to-action using a built-in icon library — no custom HTML or third-party plugins required
You gain precise control over how your brand is presented — without needing to write a single line of code.
Better Accessibility = Broader Reach
Qala now adheres even more closely to accessibility best practices:
- Semantic improvements across UI components
- Site-wide support for reduced-motion preferences
- Improved ARIA labeling and keyboard navigation
Your site is more inclusive, meets compliance expectations, and reaches a wider audience.
Smarter SEO and Marketing Stack
Qala now uses The SEO Framework by default — replacing heavier alternatives like Yoast. Benefits include:
- Cleaner, more performant metadata output
- Reduced plugin bloat and admin distractions
- Built-in schema and automation enhancements
In addition, editors can now embed external content such as videos, maps, and dashboards using the new Iframe Block — directly within the block editor. This makes it easy to incorporate rich media without relying on custom HTML or third-party shortcodes.
This helps achieve higher search rankings and create more engaging, content-rich pages — all with less overhead and fewer technical bottlenecks.
Enhanced Ecommerce Support
Qala’s ecommerce layer is more powerful and stable than ever:
- WooCommerce upgraded to 9.5.2
- Klarna, Mollie, and PayPal plugin updates ensure smooth checkout
- WooCommerce Bookings restored and now fully PHP 8.1 compatible (Thanks to bugs reported by us)
- Enhanced minicart, variation logic, and checkout UX
These updates directly support higher conversion rates and fewer support requests.
Privacy and Compliance, Simplified
Updated GDPR tools (Complianz) and EU VAT support help maintain regulatory compliance out of the box. New plugin management makes feature configuration faster and easier — reducing reliance on developers.
Built for Developers, Designed to Scale
Fully PHP 8.1 Compatible
Qala Core now runs cleanly on PHP 8.1, with all dependent plugins and components updated or replaced accordingly.
Composer-Driven Simplicity
All plugins and dependencies are now consolidated via Composer — simplifying updates, maintenance, and dev onboarding.
Utility Enhancements
- WS Forms now included as default
- New Qala Plugin Manager and Debug Level tools
- Improved project setup and environment automation
- SASS inheritance, test scripts, and backup handling upgraded
This significantly reduces the time and complexity involved in launching and maintaining Qala projects — our team to invest more time in innovation.
What’s Next for Qala
We’re actively working on new features that further expand what’s possible in the WordPress block editor:
Built-in Animation Support for Qala Blocks
Soon, content editors will be able to add tasteful, performance-friendly animations — like fade-ins, reveals, and movement triggers — to any Qala block. This will require no third-party libraries or JavaScript. The feature is currently under development and designed to enhance visual engagement while maintaining accessibility and speed.
Stay tuned — our next release will continue to make high-performance, enterprise-grade WordPress sites even easier to build and scale.