What’s New in Umbraco 13: Features and Installation Steps

For over 2 decades, Umbraco CMS has been empowering more than 92,500^[i] websites globally. It provides a combination of features, including flexible content management, intuitive editing, composable DXP, strong community, multilingual support, and more. Leveraging it, businesses have improved their site speed, SEO capabilities, and security features.

However, Umbraco’s transition from version 10 LTS (long-term support) to version 13 LTS has introduced a wealth of new features and enhancements, enabling a more powerful and user-friendly CMS experience. The Umbraco 13 upgrades include–

– Comprehensive headless capabilities integrated directly into the core
– An updated Tiny MCE rich text editor with premium plugin integration
– A customizable maintenance page for enhanced user communication
– Support for Entity Framework Core to enable streamlined extensions and custom integrations

Among others.

This blog post meticulously decodes these latest improvements in Umbraco 13 and also shares insights on the smooth installation of the platform. Through a blend of technical insight and practical advice, let’s explore how Umbraco v13 not only meets but exceeds the evolving needs of digital businesses.

Cheers to an upgraded CMS tech stack!

Key Features of Umbraco 13

Version 13 of Umbraco CMS is all about elevating developer’s experience, enabling them to amplify their performance. Here’s how.

1. A Long-Term Support Version Release

Umbraco 13 ensures reliability and a commitment to longevity. It aligns with Microsoft’s latest LTS versions, including .NET 8 and C# 12, enabling features like security, stability, and a forward-compatible platform for developers and businesses. With support guaranteed until the fourth quarter of 2026, users can confidently plan their projects and upgrades implementing Umbraco 13. This approach to release cadence also promises predictability and facilitates smoother transitions & planning for future developments.

2. Synchronization With .Net 8 and C# 12

Umbraco 13’s sync with .NET 8 and C# 12 embodies a leap towards cutting-edge development, enhancing performance & scalability, and introducing new features for a more robust development foundation. This version includes improvements on an adaptive garbage collector for dynamic memory optimization, leading to better scaling and performance.

Additionally, its advancements in Serialization, JSON handling, and the inclusion of C# 12 features such as Primary Constructors and Lambda Improvements can enrich the developer’s toolkit. Beyond performance, this upgrade also emphasizes sustainability, showing a modest increase in efficiency in internal tests. Umbraco 13 encourages adopting sustainable practices in development, aligning technological upgrades with environmental consciousness.

3. Dynamic Root

The Dynamic Root feature update in Umbraco 13 significantly enhances the Multinode Treepicker, a tool widely used for selecting multiple content nodes within the CMS. Previously, setting dynamic roots relied on the complex Xpath syntax, which could be daunting for those not well-versed in its intricacies. Umbraco 13 simplifies this process, making it more accessible and less technically demanding.

By introducing an easier and more powerful way to set up dynamic roots, users can now configure the start points for content selection more intuitively. This improvement streamlines the content management process and opens the door for the integration of future features that depend on direct interactions with the content data store.

4. Blocks in Rich Text Editor

The introduction of Blocks within the Rich Text Editor marks a significant evolution in Umbraco 13’s content creation capabilities. Moving beyond Macros, this feature integrates the flexibility of Block List and Block Grid elements directly into the editor, providing a more dynamic and structured approach to crafting content.

This development is not just an enhancement but a strategic alignment with Umbraco’s broader vision for content management. It anticipates the integration of global blocks, facilitating reusable content across the platform. This update also signifies a forward-thinking adaptation, harmonizing with the intuitive workflows that Umbraco users appreciate.

5. No-Code/Low-Code Webhooks for Editors

Webhooks in Umbraco 13 empower editors with a headless, no-code/low-code solution for integrating with third-party systems seamlessly. This feature also provides a user-friendly interface that enables editors to specify URLs for callbacks, including custom headers, and select events to trigger these calls. Umbraco 13 automates the execution, queuing, retrying, and logging of these webhooks.

Additionally, customization becomes flexible through the implementation of proprietary webhooks. By delegating certain integrative tasks from developers to editors, this enhancement amplifies editorial autonomy and efficiency in content management workflows.

6. Nested Field Limiting and Expansion

Umbraco 13 introduces the Nested Field Limiting and Expansion feature for its Content Delivery API, inspired by the Umbraco Commerce Storefront API. This enhancement enables a more granular control and flexibility when retrieving content. Users can now precisely limit and expand properties across multiple levels within their API calls, optimizing data delivery and response times. This feature streamlines content management and enhances the headless API’s efficiency, enabling developers to tailor content delivery to exact requirements, and ensuring an engaging/ customized user experience.

7. Additional Features

Umbraco 13 includes a few more enriching upgrades that enhance usability, security, and performance. It introduces a Minimal Hosting Model for a streamlined application setup that also aligns with Microsoft’s latest standards. It includes updated NuGet dependencies, including an improved ImageSharp that boosts performance/ security and optimizes image management.

Umbraco 13’s Media Delivery API enhancement advances headless media handling, ensuring a smoother experience. Its Concurrent Login Control feature prevents simultaneous logins, enhancing account safety. Additionally, a refreshed Login Screen previews the upcoming “Bellissima” backoffice revamp, showcasing technological advancements and promising a future of continuous innovation within the Umbraco ecosystem.

Related Read: Designing an Engaging Website for a Leading Mortgage Lender with Umbraco

Here’s How You Can Install Umbraco 13

Step 1: Prepare Your Environment

– Install .NET 8: Before initiating the Umbraco installation, ensure that .NET 8 is installed on your local machine. This step is crucial as Umbraco 13 depends on .NET 8, and failure to install this prerequisite will result in installation failure.

– Update Visual Studio 2022: Next, verify that your Visual Studio 2022 is updated to at least version 17.8.0, which supports .NET 8. This update is necessary to work with Umbraco 13 seamlessly.

Step 2: Install the Umbraco 13 Template

– Use Command Line Interface (CLI) for Template Installation: The recommended method to install the Umbraco 13 installation template is via the CLI. Execute the following command in your terminal to install the template:

dotnet new -i Umbraco.Templates::13.0.0

Step 3: Create Your Umbraco Website

– Generate and Run Your Project: With the version 13 template installed, create your new Umbraco website using the CLI command:

dotnet new umbraco -n “MyProject”

– Then, navigate to your project directory and launch your website with:

dotnet run –project “MyProject”

– Access Your Site Locally: After running the project, a terminal output will display the local URL to access your website. This URL is typically the first one listed in the output. Copy this URL into a web browser to initiate the Umbraco installation wizard.

Step 4: Complete the Umbraco Installation Wizard

– Admin User Setup: Upon launching your site, the Umbraco installation wizard will guide you through setting up your SQL database and admin user. Input your chosen email and password, which will serve as your credentials to log into the CMS. Remember these details to avoid being locked out.

– Database Configuration: Although SQLLite is the default database option, it is recommended for local experimentation only. For production environments or more robust development, opt for a SQL server-hosted database. This foresight facilitates easier migration to production environments and avoids potential database re-creation later on.

Additional Tip: If you’re unsure about setting up an SQL server-hosted database, seek additional resources or tutorials, as understanding database configuration can significantly impact your project’s scalability and ease of migration.

However, a digital partner specializing in Umbraco can significantly amplify your website’s potential. They can provide you with expert insights, custom solutions, and seamless integrations, ensuring your CMS platform is optimized, secure, and scalable. Leveraging their expertise, you can also unlock the full capabilities of Umbraco 13 for superior digital experiences.

Frequently Asked Questions About Umbraco 13

Ques 1: What are the new features of Umbraco 13?
Ans: The latest features in Umbraco 13 include enhancements in content management with Headless Webhooks, Lazy Loaded Content Cache, Block Reuse, and Block Level Variations, enabling a more seamless, efficient CMS experience through improved performance, flexibility, and scalability.

Ques 2: What version of Net is Umbraco 13?
Ans: Umbraco 13 runs on .NET 8 and ASP.NET Core 8, which are the latest long-term supported versions of Microsoft .NET, along with the latest version of C# (12).

Ques 3: What is the Minimal Hosting Model in Umbraco 13?
Ans: The Minimal Hosting Model in Umbraco 13 simplifies application initiation by merging the traditional program.cs and startup.cs into a single program.cs file, aligning with Microsoft’s approach for tutorials and examples.

Ques 4: What language is Umbraco built in?
Ans: Umbraco is built in C#, utilizes a relational database like Microsoft SQL Server, and operates on the Microsoft Kestrel server, compatible with both Windows and Linux. Its front end relies on ASP.NET Core within the .NET framework.

Ques 5: What browser is compatible with Umbraco?
Ans: The Umbraco UI is compatible with all modern browsers, including the latest versions of Chrome, Edge (Chromium-based), Firefox, and Safari.

Ready to Solidify Content Management With Umbraco 13? Let’s Talk!

References:

^[i] Trends BuiltWith