Elastic Path SMCDTCHeadless Commerce

Beyond the Upgrade: Expert Guidance, Lasting Impact

From custom Solr search to a Java 17 migration, we tackled both technical and strategic challenges. See how Data Realm guided the client to a stable, scalable platform and a clear path for the future.

Consumer Vehicle Transportation

Service Category

Ecommerce Implementation/Upgrade

Industry Category

Transportation

Value Prop

Operational Efficiency

The Challenge

Data Realm was engaged to upgrade the client's current Elastic Path (EP) 8.2 commerce platform to version 8.5. While upgrades between closely related versions are typically straightforward, this one was not a simple lift-and-shift. It involved significant architectural and dependency changes, particularly in three key areas:

Highly Customized Search Functionality
The client’s use cases required a highly customized search experience, relying on a deeply tailored Solr integration that supported complex vehicle attribute queries—including over 50 filters for both standard and custom product features. These custom search extensions bypassed standard Elastic Path Cortex APIs and directly constructed Solr queries, making version compatibility fragile.

Java Runtime Upgrade (Java 8 → Java 17)
Moving from Java 8 to Java 17 introduced breaking changes in multiple underlying components such as JPA, OSGi, and Apache Camel. These changes impacted the systems cache invalidation mechanisms, which were essential to ensure real-time data pushed through the Integration Server was presented correctly to the end user.

Ongoing Maintenance & Support Challenges
Post-upgrade, the client required ongoing consistent support for patch releases, bug fixes, and mentoring of less experienced developers on the Elastic Path system. With limited resources available, the client needed a reliable SME to ensure continuity and technical stability.

Heavy traffic on a multi-lane road at night, with numerous cars and motorcycles, all with illuminated red brake lights.

What We Did

Data Realm was part of the upgrade project and provided ongoing support through a combination of technical expertise, strategic troubleshooting, and providing subject matter expert (SME) support:

Managed the Full EP 8.2 → 8.5 Upgrade
We carefully navigated the complexities of the Elastic Path (EP) upgrade, including updates to third-party tools like Apache Camel and changes to the Java runtime. We identified and resolved bundle loading issues caused by OSGi constraints, using iterative testing and refactoring to achieve compatibility.

Refactored and Stabilized Custom Search Functionality
We analyzed and adapted the existing custom Solr query architecture to remain functional under EP 8.5, maintaining vehicle-specific search capabilities and implementing enhanced filtering with new functionality as part of the upgrade.

Addressed Java 17 Compatibility Risks
Our team reviewed and modified impacted packages, ensuring that system components, - from integration services to cache invalidation - worked reliably under the updated Java runtime, with no additional issues arising from the Java upgrade.

Provided Subject Matter Expertise and Production Support
After the upgrade, we continued to provide SME services to the client, handling urgent bug fixes, patch troubleshooting, and system behavior analysis. We also supported a customer request (CRA) to expand search capabilities and mentored other developers to increase their platform fluency.

Person in a suit holding a small car model with code displayed on a screen in the background, symbolizing technology in the automotive industry.

The Result

Successful Upgrade Deployment
Our client transitioned from EP 8.2 to 8.5 without functional regressions, while addressing significant infrastructure and runtime changes.

Resilient and Customizable Search Functionality
Complex queries remained intact, preserving the customer experience while allowing for future extensibility.

Stability Post-Java Runtime Migration
Java 17 migration risks were mitigated through careful planning, analysis, and testing - minimizing downtime and avoiding major service disruptions.

Expert-Led Maintenance and Developer Enablement
With Data Realm acting as the Elastic Path SME, the client was able to maintain and improve their commerce system with significantly reduced friction. We ensured critical issues were addressed and provided a safety net during staffing changes.

Hand giving car keys to another hand, with a blurred highway at night in the background, showing light trails from passing vehicles.

Outcome

This engagement demonstrated Data Realm’s ability to go beyond a standard version upgrade by solving deeply technical challenges stemming from a customized commerce environment and a major Java runtime shift. More importantly, our team worked closely with the client not only to implement what was asked, but to help clarify and align on what was truly needed to achieve their business goals.

By understanding the underlying objectives, we were able to guide architectural and functional decisions that ensured long-term success. With our deep Elastic Path expertise, we delivered a stable, scalable upgrade while preserving mission-critical customizations - and continued to support the client post-launch with expert mentoring, issue resolution, and trusted SME services.

Frequently Asked Questions

Everything you want to know.

Data Realm has been working with headless commerce for over 10 years, partnering with Elastic Path since the launch of one of the first true headless commerce platforms.

Headless commerce gives our clients the flexibility to create custom experiences, move faster, and scale with confidence. It allows front-end and back-end teams to work independently, supports modern omnichannel strategies, and integrates easily with best-in-class tools, making it ideal for businesses that want to innovate without being held back by rigid platforms.

Not necessarily. Headless architecture offers major benefits, like flexibility, speed, and customization. But it also adds complexity. It's best suited for businesses with unique experience needs, multiple channels, or complex integrations. For simpler use cases, a traditional or hybrid approach may be more efficient and cost-effective.

Absolutely! Data Realm has deep experience with both headless and traditional ecommerce platforms. We help clients choose the right approach based on their goals, complexity, and growth plans, and we support everything from full-stack implementations to headless builds with custom front ends and API integrations.

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