Guirled Project — PrestaShop 9 Migration and Custom Development

Since 2019, we've been working with Guirled — a PrestaShop e-commerce store specializing in customizable LED string lights. What started as a simple CSS optimization has evolved into a 6-year partnership, spanning 28 interventions covering performance, security, custom development, and now a major project: migrating to PrestaShop 9 with a complete theme redesign.

This article traces this collaboration and illustrates how long-term technical support enables an online retailer to focus on their business while maintaining a high-performing, secure and cutting-edge store.

Partnership timeline: 2019 — 2025

Here are the key milestones of our collaboration with Guirled, year by year:

6 years of collaboration — from the first CSS optimization in 2019 to the PS9 migration project in 2025, our relationship with Guirled is a concrete example of what a long-term technical partnership can bring to an online retailer.

The big project: PrestaShop 9 migration + theme redesign

In September 2025, Guirled entrusted us with their most ambitious project: migrating to PrestaShop 9 while completely redesigning the store's theme. A major technical undertaking that has kept our team engaged for several months.

Why migrate to PrestaShop 9?

• Improved performance — Symfony 6.4, PHP 8.2+, modernized architecture
• Enhanced security — Known vulnerability fixes, better session management
• Future compatibility — Staying on a supported and maintained version
• New features — Improved API, redesigned back-office

Custom page builder module

One of the most ambitious developments in this project: creating a custom Elementor-like page builder module for PrestaShop. This module allows the client to build and edit their content pages visually, without technical intervention.

• Custom widgets — Product blocks, galleries, rich text sections, banners
• Drag & drop — Intuitive interface for rearranging elements
• Native responsive — Each widget automatically adapts to mobile
• Theme integrated — The builder uses the theme's styles for perfect consistency

Adapting existing modules

One of the major challenges of a PrestaShop migration is third-party module compatibility. Many modules working under PS 1.7 are not compatible with PS9. Our work includes:

• Compatibility audit of all installed modules
• Rewriting obsolete hooks and classes
• Adapting Smarty templates to new conventions
• Module-by-module regression testing

Custom widget development

Beyond the page builder, we're developing widgets specific to Guirled's needs:

• Customizable product showcase widget
• Trust badge block tailored to the home decoration market
• Customer review integration with custom design
• Product carousel with dynamic filters

Performance optimization: an ongoing effort

Performance has been a constant theme throughout our collaboration with Guirled. Here are the key interventions:

CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift)

CLS measures a page's visual stability. Elements that "jump" during loading degrade user experience and hurt SEO rankings. We intervened twice (2021 and 2022) to fix layout shifts caused by images without explicit dimensions, unoptimized web fonts, and late-loading ad blocks.

TTFB (Time To First Byte)

TTFB represents the time it takes for the server to send the first byte of the page. In 2022, we worked on TTFB optimization by addressing caching, SQL query optimization, and server configuration.

Lazy Loading

In 2021, we fixed the lazy loading implementation for images to ensure only images visible in the viewport are loaded immediately, significantly reducing the initial page load time.

Security: two hack recoveries

Guirled was the victim of two security incidents that we managed:

These incidents illustrate an e-commerce reality: a site that isn't regularly updated is a target. After the second incident, we implemented enhanced security measures and regular monitoring to prevent recurrence.

Key point: Migrating to PrestaShop 9 is also a security initiative. By moving to the latest major version, Guirled will benefit from the latest security patches and a more robust codebase.

Custom developments

Over the years, we've developed several custom features to meet Guirled's specific needs:

Quick add to cart

A custom feature allowing customers to add a product to cart directly from the product list, without opening the product page. Particularly useful for returning customers who already know the products and want to order quickly.

Accordion descriptions

Replaced standard product descriptions with a custom accordion system, organizing information into collapsible sections: technical specifications, customization guide, shipping information. Better readability, especially on mobile.

Mobile customizer fixes

The LED string light customizer is a central element of the Guirled experience. We fixed mobile-specific display bugs to ensure a smooth experience across all devices — critical when over 60% of e-commerce traffic comes from mobile.

Multilingual integration (Weglot)

Fixed bugs related to the Weglot automatic translation module integration. Ensuring translated content displays correctly and multilingual URLs work without breaking SEO.

What this case study demonstrates

The Guirled case perfectly illustrates the difference between a "one-shot" approach and a long-term technical partnership:

• Project knowledge — After 6 years, we know Guirled's architecture inside out. Every intervention is faster and more precise.
• Progressive evolution — Instead of a brutal redesign every 3 years, the site continuously evolves with targeted improvements.
• Crisis responsiveness — During both hacking incidents, our knowledge of the site allowed us to intervene quickly and effectively.
• Technical consistency — Custom developments integrate perfectly because we master the entire codebase.
• Long-term vision — The PS9 migration is planned and executed calmly, without rush, with a clear roadmap.

Our belief: A high-performing e-commerce site is not the result of a single intervention, but of continuous support that adapts to the client's needs, technological evolutions, and security threats.

Do you have a similar PrestaShop project?

Whether you need a PrestaShop migration, a theme redesign, custom developments, or ongoing technical support, our team is at your service.

• PrestaShop 1.6/1.7 to 8 or 9 migration — Compatibility audit, module adaptation, data migration
• Theme redesign — Custom design, responsive, Core Web Vitals optimized
• Custom module development — Page builder, business-specific features
• Performance optimization — CLS, TTFB, LCP, lazy loading, compression
• Security — Post-hack cleanup, audit, preventive hardening
• Long-term support — A technical partner who knows your project inside out