If you are an entrepreneur having used Magento platform to build an e-commerce website, then you must have noticed a lot of significant changes since Magento 2 platform was born, both out-of-the-box features and … headaches too, one of which is Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration. Change is never easy but well worth to become far more successful.
In this article, we summarize eight most basic steps to give you an overview as well as the full route to make this challenging task done at ease.
Still feel hesitate of Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration? – Read our our previous post later to know why and when to take this change.
Discuss and Plan Your Magento to Magento 2 Migration
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Before starting, please note that Magento 2 is not an upgraded version of Magento but an entirely different software architecture, in which all functionalities has been completely reworked with the new technology. Hence, Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration means building a new online store on the base of Magento 2 platform while copying the features of your already-owned Magento site.
As mentioned, this migration is not merely a regular update task. You will need to ensure all components work well together to get the best result, the direct involvement of developers is an essence. First off, agree on which functionality, types of product, marketing tools, etc. you want to have on your new site and which changes are needed before, during, and after the migration. Do not miss out the off-the-shelf features on the new Magento 2 platform. Several meetings to generate the full plan is extremely necessary.
Learn about Both Magento and Magento 2 platforms
Learning about the new platform before the move is indispensable. Organize your knowledge about both and make a close comparison. Especially, finding out their differences and how they can boost your business is integral to work more effectively at the next stage. Since the developers are those performing the changes, make sure your developer team has already known about Magento 2.
Conduct Statistics and analysis about the heath of the current website
- The first task of developers in this step of Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration is to aggregate all the functionalities of the Magento site. After comparison, they should consider adding the necessary features and removing the ones supported by Magento 2 or possibly updated from Magento Marketplace. Don’t forget to review the feasibility of new features added to the new site.
- Then, check the unique custom features available only for your Magento site since they might be the changes on themes or the default features to improve your business purposes.
- Theme is also an essential component to take into account when migrating Magento 1 to Magento 2. Usually, you might want to re-create a theme for Magento 2 platform yet having the familiar look of your old site. In case, you used the third-party theme, remember to contact them first to see whether they have a version for Magento 2 platform.
- Last but not list, database is probably the most crucial part of the migration. Hence, the developers must research the site’s database carefully and find the safest way to update it for Magento 2 platform.
Estimate The Time to Migrate Magento 1 to Magento 2
In the above three steps, your workload and its path are quite clear that you can estimate the number of hours to complete those tasks. It is critical, especially when you provide migration service since your customers want to know how long after their site can be back in operation.
Rebuild Your Store on Magento 2 Platform
After having all the documents and resources prepared, it is time to embark on Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration. It is possible to start by creating and re-installing the theme similar to the previous Magento site. Install and test the functionality of the viewer module that has been functioning correctly.
Afterward, check the performance of the installed modules to ensure they run as described in the documents. Once all of them are ready and work properly, it is high time to back-up the whole work and turn to the next step.
Start Moving from Magento 1 to Magento 2
In this step, you begin moving most of your database from Magento to Magento 2 platform. Please ensure that this process is quick and get the whole developer team involved at all time so that they can timely solve arisen errors as if; or else; your business might stop for a while. Pro tip for you is to start with the database you extracted from your old site. The larger your data volumes are, the longer it takes.
Here, we introduce you to Here, we introduce you to Data Migration Tool by Magento team – a completely free open source tool to help you save resources and time in the best way while still ensuring the accuracy and avoiding data loss during the migration.
Follow up is to deploy and reset Magento 2 platform, optimizing all settings to bring your site back to work in the best possible condition. Basic configurations are CDN (Content Delivery Network), Minify JavaScript, or datasheet reindex, which is useful to keep your Magento 2 site stable and provide the best experience for customers.
Test and Fix Errors
After all the above steps have been completed, this following step is one of the most time-consuming processes when you need to control your team tightly. Teamwork and division of work are required to detect errors in the fastest way and avoid shortcomings when moving into the operation phase.
Go Live Magento 2 Website
Now, your new store is ready to run and produce profit as usual. However, as you are beginners with Magento 2 platforms, you need to spend more time to break down into its wonderful features. Feel free to start your research here at >>> Secret Ingredient for eCommerce Success: All about Magento 2
