The Right Magento Version for You

In 2015, Magento launched its new V2 version. This confused the webmasters whether they should migrate their sites or provide self upgrades. It already has production stable release.

Talking about Magento version one, it constantly issues updates. Magento 1.9.2.2 was released at the end of 2015. Each update has some improvements. With the launch of version 2; eCommerce marketing takes the decision to either migrate or stay updated with version 1 as long as possible.

Web Development teams at well known PHP development companies are specialists in developing websites on eCommerce platforms like Magento. It offers website development as well as maintenance for small to large business enterprises.

We constantly keep on learning and improving the Magento. This definitely affects the clients for existing sites as well as newly developed ones.

So, now you will be in a dilemma that which Magento version is right for you?

Let’s say if you are using 1st version or we can say the latest version then it is always right and hence it is recommended for all eCommerce retailers to use Magento 1.9.2.2 i.e. the latest version.

As mentioned, V2 comes with stable production release. So, here the question is what new clients should do; should they migrate from the current version to the latest one or wait for V2.

Before taking this decision; it is necessary to identify certain things which are as follows:

• Is there any need to shift your existing website to Magento?
• Is it necessary to develop new site on Magento?
• Do you need to upgrade the present Magento website?

All the existing Magento clients having version lower than 1.9 must switch to 1.9. This is mandatory. This can be costly but it is needed. However, some companies may think to start again with V2.

But one thing is V2 is very much new and most of its functionalities are facilitated by third party extensions and this is not present in the V2 Magento version. This is one of the reasons companies are taking time to get shifted from one version to another.

Now, let’s take a look at some advantages and disadvantages of Magento 2.0:

Challenges faced while migrating a website to Magento:

We all know that Magento is popular however we also know that it is very complex to handle. Hence, migration is a very tough task. Magento is an eCommerce platform for companies with digital turnover of more than 1 lakh pounds per year.

So, we can say that your website has to process several transactions in a day. One cannot afford to perform and upgrade it offline. Shifting the websites can result into loss of customers as well as record orders for the interim period.

Let’s say if you have a Magento site then the work associated with the up gradation process depends on the current Magento version you are using. Be it Magento upgradation or migration on V2, detailed audit of all third party extensions is needed.

The upgrading or we can say migration process will be trialled on local basis or on the development server first. Then it is followed by extensive testing.

How this Migration is managed by well known PHP development companies?

Normally, expert companies like Softqube Technologies have same approach for migration which is as follows:

• Planning & Mapping: First of all the processes are to be mapped and then a perfect plan is made to test all functionalities as this will solve every problem.
• Roll out is considered carefully: Then a second trial is conducted to enhance the process and then write the batch automation scripts so that actual roll out can be streamlined.

  During this there’s no sensible alternative apart from taking the site offline and down for maintenance. This roll out process takes 2-8 hours based on the complexity of every individual site.

  This can be labour intensive and expensive but when the alternatives are weighed up then one can see why it is important to upgrade and migrate for a site’s success.

• Risks of Non migration: If one doesn’t migrate then there are chances of security issues as well as outdated server architecture requirements. For instance; earlier Magento versions cannot work on new PHP versions.

  New extensions and functionality cannot work on older Magento versions and cannot directly get upgraded to Magento V2 before upgrading it to Magento 1.9. Hence, all these aspects are important to be considered to reduce security risks and unnecessary damage to the site.

Take Away:

Magento is one of the well known digital eCommerce platforms which offers omnichannel solutions that encourages eCommerce retailers and enhances online shopping experiences.

Let’s say if you are using Magento then one must upgrade to Magento 1.9 so that this platform can be used to the fullest with all of its capabilities. For those who wish to develop a new Magento site, V2 is highly recommended.

Hope this blog post will be helpful to you. For more such details about PHP related eCommerce softwares, stay tuned with us.