HCL Connections 8.0 CR11: Advancing Our Roadmap with Modern APIs, Features, and Experiences

Since the launch of HCL Connections 8.0, we've been delivering quarterly updates, focusing on what matters most: customer-prioritized fixes, platform modernization, and enhancing existing features. Our recent CR10 and CR11 releases are major steps forward on our roadmap for 2025 and beyond, adding feature enhancements, advanced security, and developing modern integration capabilities. This blog will guide you through the key highlights of CR10 and showcase the new features in CR11.

A Quick Look Back: What We Delivered in CR10

Here’s a refresher on some of the key updates in 8.0 CR10:

• UI modernization kickoff: We began foundational UI improvements, starting with font-related CSS refactoring which were created to provide greater consistency, future flexibility, and easier maintenance for administrators.
• Better community rename: Renaming a Community now automatically updates all associated apps (like Blogs), so widgets like “News” stay intact.
• Typeahead in recently visited: Find your recent activity more easily with real-time filtering.
• Mobile highlights: Our core Widgets now render cleanly across mobile devices.
• Rich content support: The Highlights app now supports Rich Content and Gallery apps, introducing this as a new feature to make Communities more dynamic.
• Accessibility improvements: Enhanced usability for all users, with updated VPATs.
• Maintenance fixes: Addressing customer-prioritized issues across the platform.

What’s New in CR11: Security, Modernization, and API Innovation

HCL Connections 8.0 CR11 keeps the momentum going with critical updates in three key areas:

Platform and Security Updates

• Password Info Banner: A new banner during self-registration makes password requirements clearer for users.
• Updated SAN Certificate support: Now compatible with IBM WebSphere 8.5.5 FP27.
• TLS for Ingress Controller: Enhances encryption for containerized deployments.
• Anonymization enhancements: We've expanded capabilities within the Data Privacy Toolkit (DPTK).
• IBM DB2 v12.1 support: Connections now supports the latest version of DB2.

UI Modernization Progress

We’re continuing our mission to deliver a cleaner, more modern UI with better accessibility and a consistent user experience. In CR11, we've focused on key foundational improvements to support this effort, including:

• Refactoring and simplifying CSS across apps to streamline the codebase.
• Standardizing button CSS for a more uniform look and feel.
• Reworking the layout for the slim business card to improve readability.
• Refining the Wiki layout and spacing for a cleaner design.

You can expect more UI enhancements in future CRs as we continue this modernization journey.

Introducing the Blogs API and API Gateway (Preview)

This is the big one. CR11 introduces a preview of our new Blogs APIs and API Gateway, part of our broader Open API Initiative.

Why it matters:

• OpenAPI-Compliant: Modern, lightweight, and easy to use.
• Future-Ready Architecture: Built with Node.js and containers.
• Incremental Delivery: Delivered via the new API Gateway to avoid disrupting existing integrations.
• Developer Friendly: Enables faster onboarding and deeper integrations for customers and partners.
• Build powerful, total experience apps across the collaboration ecosystem.

We’re augmenting legacy Atom-based APIs with modern REST APIs using JSON, making it easier for developers and partners to build integrated, user-friendly solutions on top of Connections.

We’re looking for your feedback! Explore the new Blogs APIs in our public preview environment.

1. To get started, you must first self-register for the environment by completing this form.
2. Join and explore the new Blogs API on our public preview environment:
   Connections API Modernization Initiative.
3. Review the Wikis on using the new Blogs APIs.
4. Provide feedback via the Community Forums here.

Help us shape the new Blogs APIs before their official release, targeting 8.0 CR12.

What’s Next

Looking beyond HCL Connections 8.0 CR11, here’s a preview of what’s coming:

• More modern APIs built on our Open API Initiative.
• Continued UI enhancements across apps, including improved Wiki usability and layout, and standardized button design.
• Engagement Center v2: A redesigned experience built with modern web technology.
• Ongoing backend updates, customer-prioritized fixes, and continued accessibility improvements.

Final Thoughts

CR11 marks another important step in the evolution of HCL Connections—advancing usability, security, and integration capabilities. From backend updates to the launch of our new API preview, we’re laying the foundation for the next generation of open, extensible digital workplaces.

We encourage you to explore CR11 and get hands-on with the new Blogs APIs preview. The feedback you provide now will directly influence what comes next, so let's build the future of Connections together.