Announcing Concrete CMS 9.5.0RC1 Release

What’s New in 9.5.0RC1

Twig Templating Support

Concrete CMS now supports the Twig templating language in block views, page templates, single pages, and more. Twig makes templates easier to read, maintain, and reuse  helping teams build modern sites faster while keeping code clean and organized.

This aligns with current development trends toward flexible, designer-friendly templating systems.

Behavioral Improvements

These updates focus on clarity, performance, and better site management:

Smarter Update Awareness

Admins are now notified when updates are available locally (such as when using Composer). When this setting is enabled, the Dashboard updater is disabled to prevent accidental misconfiguration.

Instant Visual Feedback

The Hero Image block now updates its height immediately when adjusted no refresh needed.

Clearer Logging Information

If your site stores logs in files instead of the database, the Dashboard now clearly communicates this to administrators.

Improved SEO Controls

You can now decide whether pagination parameters from the Page List block are added to a page’s canonical URL, helping keep URLs clean and search-engine friendly.

Performance Enhancements

More core blocks are now cached in additional scenarios, resulting in faster page loads and better overall performance.

Bug Fixes

This release includes many important fixes that improve reliability and usability, including:

• Corrected permission issues for editing page type defaults
• Fixed file selection problems after files were deleted
• Resolved errors in Express forms when target folders were missing
• Improved search accuracy for files with special characters
• Fixed multisite Dashboard issues caused by special characters
• Improved translation support across the interface
• Restored missing Dashboard functionality for activating page templates
• Fixed display issues in the Document Library and Tags block

These fixes help ensure a smoother, more predictable CMS experience.

Developer Updates (For Testing & Feedback)

• Email handling now uses Symfony Mailer instead of Laminas
• Legacy mail importing functionality has been removed
• PHP dependencies have been updated where possible
• More granular block caching controls are now available
• Improved JavaScript file handling behavior
• Additional environment details now visible in the Dashboard
• Console tooling improvements for PHP CS Fixer

Backward Compatibility Note

Stack & Clipboard Behavior Change

Blocks dragged from stacks or the clipboard now always create a copy instead of referencing the original block. This prevents unexpected content changes across pages.

If you want shared, centrally managed content, continue using stacks by placing the entire stack on the page.

Full Release Notes

https://documentation.concretecms.org/9-x/developers/introduction/version-history/950rc1-release-notes

Why Test 9.5.0RC1?

• Validate compatibility with your custom themes and add-ons
• Explore upcoming features like Twig templating
• Help shape the final 9.5.0 release by reporting issues early

Your feedback during the RC phase is essential to delivering a stable, high-quality release for everyone. 

What To Test

As you explore the Concrete CMS 9.5.0RC1, there are several key areas to test in order to ensure a smooth experience for all users:

1. New Features: Test and explore all the new features of Version 9.5.0RC1 here.
2. Content Creation and Editing: Test creating, editing, and formatting content, including text, images, and multimedia. 
3. Test the upgrade process – run through the official manual upgrade process and report any issues you come across.
4. Test how the new editing interfaces work with your theme. We’ve improved the in-page editing user experience, but it’s possible some of these updates might conflict with how your themes are built. If that’s the case, we’d love to know about it. 

How To Submit A Bug:

Submitting a bug report is a crucial step in helping developers identify and resolve issues in the software. If you encounter a bug while using Concrete CMS, follow these steps to submit a bug report:

1. Reproduce the issue: Ensure that the issue can be consistently reproduced. Attempt to replicate the problem multiple times and take note of the steps that trigger the bug.
2. Check the forum: The Concrete CMS community forum is an excellent resource for help and advice from fellow users. Search the forum to see if anyone else has experienced the same issue and if a solution has been identified.
3. Check Github: Look for any related issues on the Concrete CMS Github repository.
4. Create a detailed report: Provide a clear and concise description of the problem, including any steps needed to reproduce the issue. If possible, include screenshots or videos demonstrating the issue.
5. Include system information: Include details about your system and environment. To access a snapshot of your Concrete CMS site's configuration, visit the Environment Information page (Dashboard > System & Settings > Environment > Environment Information), where you'll find the current version, a list of installed packages, a list of overrides, and hosting environment details.
6. Submit the report: Send the bug report to the Concrete CMS development team via forums or Github, including all the information you've gathered to help the team diagnose and fix the issue efficiently.

By following these steps, you'll support the Concrete CMS development team in identifying and resolving bugs, ensuring that the software remains stable and reliable for all users.

So, don't wait any longer! Download the Concrete CMS 9.5.0RC1 today and start discovering all the new features and enhancements. We're eager to hear your feedback, and we appreciate your contributions to the development of this incredible CMS.