7-Step Guide to Magento Migration

          Why should you migrate from Magento 1 to Magento 2?

Magento 2 delivers a modern, scalable ecommerce solution for businesses of all sizes. Moreover, compared to Magento 1, Magento 2 can process more orders per hour on the same hardware with faster server response times. By staying with Magento 1, you not only risk customer data, but you also lose your competitive edge as new features and innovations will only come out for Magento 2. When June 2020 comes around, there will no longer be any official security patches for Magento 1. If you had mixed feelings before, it’s time to embrace change and upgrade to Magento 2, because otherwise, you'll be a sitting duck for hackers.

        How to migrate Magento 1 to Magento 2: Success in 7 Steps

Magento 2 migration includes four components: data, extensions and custom code, themes, and customizations.

                                                Step 1: Create a migration plan

Before any code is written, the stakeholders, internal team, and external team have to sit down and map out the process so everyone is on the same page. The more details you write down, the more time you’ll save on development and post-deployment. 

Try to split up planning into three stages:

1. migration details for data — products, categories, customers, orders, and content (articles, pages);
2. project specifications — are needed if any additional development is required. In this section, describe how the project will be developed, including all pertinent processes;
3. project planning — a step-by-step list of milestones with deadlines and definitions of done.

                                            Step 2: Prepare the testing environment

It is highly recommended to perform each step of migration and develop all related projects in a separate environment (on an allocated server) so that your current store can continue operating without downtime. At this point, prepare a test development environment and install the default Magento 2 platform (Open Source or Commerce), and configure the version control system (Git/SVN) to make sure everything is ready to run the project.  

                                     Step 3: Install extensions and custom development

This is where you take the migration plan with the mapped extensions and install the corresponding Magento 2 extensions. This is also where you develop custom extensions or additional features for Magento 2. 

                                                 Step 4: Magento Data migration

A very important step in the process because it’s the bulk of the information that you need to transfer. Magento includes an automated tool for transferring only the data existing in Magento by default: (everything except files, layouts, media, custom code, and control access configurations).

                                              Step 5: Create a design for Magento 2

The themes for the Magento 1.x and Magento 2.x platforms are incompatible. It is possible to copy your current theme for Magento 1.x to Magento 2, but this will require some elbow grease, and it is highly recommended updating the design because so many more features are available in Magento 2.

                           Step 6: Launch plan and additional database synchronization 

After finalizing and testing the design, set up the hosting server according to the new system requirements for Magento 2. Once you optimize the server for Magento, you can perform a final database synchronization so no orders or customers get left behind in migration. Once you’ve tested the final version and ensured everything works, the store is ready to launch.

                                         Step 7: Magento 2 store launch on a live server

This is the last step of migration — launch day. If everything was done correctly and according to the plan, your engineering team will perform a smooth transition to the new store so you can start selling and shipping products right away.

                       Takeaways — Magento migration in a nutshell 

Hopefully, after reading this article you have a better understanding of what’s involved with Magento 2 migration. To reiterate:

• you can migrate all of your data with a hybrid approach (manual +  automated);
• you can retain your Magento 1 design, although we would recommend investing in a new design with modern technologies and architecture that Magento 2 offers;
• it will take approximately 2-3 months; depending on the size and complexity of your business it can go much faster or take much longer;
• by entrusting the process to Magento experts, you minimize risk and downtime;
• Magento 2 has more features and Adobe is continuing to improve the integrations and feature-set;
• Magento Commerce 2 is superior to Magento Open Source —  it provides everything an enterprise-level company needs (and saves them money at the same time).

We’re always available to help you upgrade your store to Magento 2. Check out our Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration services. And please feel free to contact us with any questions.