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Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration in 2022
Application Migration
Business Process Automation
E-commerce development
Magento (Adobe Commerce) is a leading eCommerce platform. The first version of the software was called Magento 1. 10 years after its debut, the second, updated version of Magento 2 was released. If the title of this article has captured your interest, then the issue of migrating from Magento 1 to Magento 2 is relevant for you now. Below, we will look at the difference between platforms, the Magento migration process, the advantages of Magento 2, and tell you how to transfer your online store from one version of the platform to the other.
There are many reasons why you might want to move your eCommerce store from Magento 1 to Magento 2 — from outdated design to dissatisfaction with poor performance and speed. But the main reason why migrating from the old to the new is that doing so is not based on a whim, but has become a necessity. Since 2020, Adobe has stopped supporting the Magento 1 platform — meaning the release of updates and fixes has been discontinued.
Naturally, then, the security systems of online stores running on Magento 1 have turned out to be extremely vulnerable to cyberattacks. To mitigate such a situation happening to your online store, migrating to Magento 2 has become an important, necessary step to take.
Magento was originally developed as a flexible eCommerce solution. However, the first version of the platform did not have some critical features and was notable for its slow speed. The goals driving development of Magento 2 included solving these problems, as well as creating several advantages built into the new version. Let’s take a look at the difference between Magento 1 and Magento 2.
| Magento 1 | Magento 2 | |
| PHP 5.2, partial support PHP 5.3, PHP 5.4 | Programming languages | PHP 5.5, PHP 5.6.3, PHP 7.0.13, HHVM 53 |
| Incompatibility with scaling technologies. | Scalability | MySQL Percona technology for performance and scalability. |
| Reduced productivity and speed when handling numerous orders. | Performance | Page loading speed is 50% faster. Performance optimization, server response time reduction. |
| Lack of ready-made solutions for SEO. | SEO | Availability of ready-made modules for SEO. |
| No longer updating security systems. | Security | Security updates and system bug fixes. |
| Conflicts when installing two or more extensions with similar functionality. | Extensions | Simplified process for installing extensions and updates. |
| Outdated templates, non-responsive design. | Design | Modern templates adaptable to any device. |
| Lack of design for mobile devices. | Responsiveness | Responsive design for mobile devices. |
Based on the aspects we have considered, many of the advantages of Magento 2 are already obvious. However, let’s dive in a little further, and take a closer look at the main benefits of Magento’s latest version.
The current version of Magento has an extended technology stack that significantly speeds up work, optimizes performance and expands the functionality of the platform.
The Magento 2 tech stack includes Apache, HTML 5, CSS3, JQuery, RequireJS, Knockout.js, NGINX, Varnish, Composer, Symfony, Redis and more.
Magento 2 can integrate with modules such as CRM, payment gateways, reports and analytics, external applications, etc.
The new version of the platform also provides the introduction of useful marketing and SEO functions, working with business metrics, and reporting tracking from the admin panel.
In addition, the admin panel has been significantly improved, making it more intuitive, and therefore easier for owners to use and navigate their business operations.
An important moment in expanding the functionality of Magento 2 was the introduction of Ajax Add-To-Cart technology. This tech allows you to skip reloading the page when adding a new product to the cart, which significantly increases the speed of site performance — and elevates the convenience of using the store for the buyer.
As we mentioned above, the discontinuation of updates for Magento 1 is already a considerable threat to your online store should you continue relying on the older software. In addition to the fact that the latest security updates for Magento 2 will continue to be released, the new version supports advanced built-in options. For example, the SHA-256 secure hashing algorithm and the built-in Signifyd anti-fraud system.
So, assuming you are fully convinced that your Magento store needs to migrate data from Magento 1 to Magento 2, how do you go about it?. What steps will be required to complete this process? We’ve got you covered! Let’s get to it, step by step.
Step 1: Create a full backup
The first step in the migration process is to create an archive of all your Magento 1 store data, such as customers, products, payment data, CMS pages, product descriptions, marketing, and SEO data. This is necessary to ensure the safety of this data in case of problems.
Step 2: Preparing the necessary theme for the site
Unfortunately, it is not possible to fully migrate your store theme from Magento 1 to Magento 2. That being said, to keep the look and feel of your store to suit your needs, it is possible to customize existing Magento 2 themes or create a theme of your own with the help of for-hire experts.
Step 3: Prepare the necessary extensions and modules
As with your original theme, it is not possible to integrate identical extensions from one version to the other. However, at this stage, you can turn to specialists who will integrate modules with the functions you require into your new store, or develop new extensions and modules from scratch.
Step 4: Custom code migration
Magento is an open-source platform. It is an important part of the migration process to pay attention to the safe migration of custom code from Magento 1 to Magento 2.
Step 5: Data migration
At this stage, the data of your site is directly transferred from Magento 1 to Magento 2, as well as their adaptation to the structure of the new version of the platform. After directly “moving” your store, it is important to test its operation on the new platform and make sure there are no failures or errors.
Let’s look at a few data migration tools that can greatly facilitate the migration process — both for Magento migration as well as for other platforms.
Data Migration Tool is a command-line interface for Magento 1 to Magento 2 data transfer.
Code Migration Toolkit is a data migration tool package for converting custom Magento 1 code to Magento 2.
Fivetran is an automated data integration tool.
Hevo Data is the tool that allows replicating from over 150 sources to a destination of your choice.
Matillion is a cloud platform that allows you to move data by migrating, extracting and transforming your data in the cloud.
Next, let’s look at what problems you’re likely to encounter when migrating your site from Magento 1 to Magento 2.
The loss of important data about products and customers is the most common issue when migrating from one platform to another. That is why we strongly recommend that you remember to back up the data that is important to your store.
If your site on Magento 1 continues to work during the migration process, be prepared that — with a poorly optimized store process — it will negatively affect the site loading speed.
Keep in mind that during the migration, the URLs of your site’s pages will change. We recommend setting up a 301 redirect to avoid errors.
Magento migration is a complex process in itself. At the very least, the cost of development will include the services of a team of specialists. In addition, the cost depends on the requirements that your business needs, such as themes, designs, extensions, etc.
In 2022 (and beyond), switching to Magento 2 is more of a necessity than a whim, and the advantages of the Magento 2 over Magento 1 are obvious. Migrating to Magento 2 will not only accelerate the speed of your online eCommerce store and iboost productivity, but also significantly increase the profits of your business due to the buyer-friendly interface and Magento 2 adaptability to mobile devices.
The process of Magento migration involves complexities that require a professional approach. IntexSoft specialists are ready to help you move your store and migrate data from Magento 1 to Magento 2, and execute the switch while considering all the aspects that your business needs. You can always contact us for a consultation.
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