Key Steps Involved to Migrate from Magento 1 to Magento 2 CMS

Magento 2 was released for E-commerce developers & merchants in July 2015, and since then, the core objective shifted to Magento 2 Migration Services for business enterprises. Magento 2 is based on a different architecture than Magento 1 and integrated with advanced features. It supports PHP 7, full-page cache, and is much faster. Having a guest checkout method, improved indexers with database optimizations make it the most preferred choice for E-commerce store merchants.

As we already know End of Life of Magento 1 has already passed and no brand would like to run their website on an outdated platform. This is the perfect time to plan the Magento 2 migration process. It is a common process but if not handled in the right manner without strategic planning, can hamper the store functionality.

If looking to carry out the migration process, for your E-commerce store, this blog post is for you. Here’s everything you need to learn to perform the migration process. But before the actual implementation, learn about few things to avoid facing any problems including data corruption, or reduced functionality.

• Backup your E-commerce store with all files, folders, and the database.

• Don’t use the live store for Magento 2 migration process.

• Keep necessary extensions intact and delete the rest.

• Check the current themes, extensions, and custom code compatibility with Magento 2.

• Get rid of the outdated and unnecessary data from the database including logs, & recently viewed products.

Why Magento 2 Migration is Essential?

1. Security Risks

Security is the most significant reason why Magento 1 reached the end of life in 2020. With no official support and release of security patches for Magento's outdated version. It becomes essential to migrate to the latest version. After the withdrawal of official support, stores based on that version are vulnerable to numerous threats. This means websites are risky and have no official solution for security-related threats.

2. Mobile Friendliness

Consumers prefer buying online through mobile devices. This trend will only continue to grow. Online stores having mobile-friendly interfaces have higher conversion rates and improved sales. Magento 2 is integrated with mobile features helping e-commerce brands to stay ahead of the competitors. Magento 2-based stores offer a superior user experience which was missing in the older version. 

3. Better UI & UX

Magento 2 is facilitated with an engaging user interface (UI) that addresses different snags related to the earlier edition of the CMS platform. The new version is more mobile-friendly, responsive, and offers a smooth experience. As per reports, Magento 2 offers 60% faster add-to-cart response rate than Magento 1.

Steps to Migrate Magento 1 to Magento 2 

Step 1: Theme Migration

• To upgrade Magento 1 theme, it is important to check if the theme is compatible with Magento 2 version or not.

• If yes, installation of the same theme in Magento 2 will make the process easier for you.

• If no, then build a custom theme in Magento 2 or simply install a theme from Magento Marketplace.

Step 2: Magento 2 Extension Migration

• Next, check if Magento 1 extensions are compatible with the latest version or not.

• If yes, then simply integrate the same extensions in Magento 2.

• If No, then add new extensions with similar functionality, after migration. 

Step 3: Code Migration Tool for Customization 

• Magento 2 customization can be performed with the support of the Code Migration Tool.

• It can lessen the operational cost & efforts needed in the code migration.

• But once the toolkit is executed, manually edit the generated files.

Step 4: Data Migration Using Migration Tool

The last and most crucial step involved is to migrate data from Magento 1 to Magento 2. Once you use Magento 2 Data Migration Tool, you can migrate critical data including products, orders, categories, store settings as well as configurations.

Advantages of Magento 1 to Magento 2 Migration 

1. Upgraded Performance and Scalability

It is a universal fact that Magento 2 is superior to Magento 1 in every parameter. It’s integrated with an indexer to increase query performance speed. In addition, Magento 2 implements Varnish Cache, a prominent HTTP accelerator technology, which simplifies cache requests. This makes it simple for the admin to create and edit website product information without conflicts in Magento 2. Performance and scalability is enhanced because the CMS:

• Improves server response times 

• Improves web pages for faster delivery

• Improves proficiency of backend operations

• Improves database flexibility and scalability to address peak loads

2. Enhanced Security

Magento 2 is released with advanced security, to focus on securing user details and offer a secured checkout process.

Ways to Secure E-commerce Website

• Magento 2 boosts password security by using SHA-256 hashing algorithms.

• Magento 2 platform offers a remarkable 2-Factor Authentication extension giving an additional layer of protection.

• To further improve the security, E-commerce websites can have a full backup by downloading them with an FTP client. E-commerce admin on an hourly basis can perform backup plans and downloadable backups. A backup plan assures the E-commerce store doesn’t lose valuable data after hacks.

3. Improved Checkout Process

Magento 2 platform is packed with a safe and straightforward checkout process. Shoppers can access the website as guests, eliminating the login form needed for users to continue the checkout work. Another benefit is the display of shipping rates based on a specific country, region, or postal code. In Magento 2, it is easy to integrate payment methods into the checkout process. A wide array of payment options present including Paypal, Braintree, and Stripe. You can even make your own specific payment modules with simple integration of extensions. 

Wrapping Up:

After the migration has been done, make sure to test the proper functioning of the Magento 2 website. Hopefully, this blog post helps to migrate the Magento website. Magento 2 migration service is not a complex job, as it includes a lot of manual tasks. For hassle-free and secure migration, simply hire experts to complete your job.

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