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Magento 1 vs. Magento 2: Key Reasons to Upgrade to Magento 2
As you may know, Magento 1 is a powerful ecommerce platform that was originally designed as a flexible solution for online stores. However, in June 2020, Magento officially ended support for the Magento 1 platform. Which means that there will be no more updates or security patches for the platform or its extensions. This lack of support puts a risk to your own website security and the security of your customers’ personal data.
So, how do you know when it’s time to upgrade, and what are the main reasons for migrating to Magento 2?
To help you make the best decision, this article will explore the key differences between Magento 1 and Magento 2, as well as what difficulties come with the migration process, and how to overcome them.
Dive right in to make sure your ecommerce business gets the most value from professional Magento migration services.
Why Migration to Magento 2 Is a Good Idea
The fact that Magento 2 supports modern development technologies that enhance the CMS experience for developers. Notice that it also has improvements in its architecture, resulting in better website performance.
Here are some basic insights to illustrate the key differences between Magento 1 and Magento 2.
Improved website speed.
Comparing Magento 1 and Magento 2 performance, there are more differences than similarities. The updates in Magento 2 significantly change how the platform interacts with servers and browsers, leading to an increased number of requests, which helps improve page speed significantly.
The performance of an ecommerce store is vital for its conversion rate. With Magento 2, your store will be able to process 40% more orders per hour. Besides, the process of adding products to the cart is now 70% faster. On top of that, the average Magento 2 store loads twice as fast as Magento 1 does.
In terms of scalability, Magento 2 is an ideal solution for small companies and large enterprises. Its scalable architecture allows for unlimited expansion of functionality as your growing online store requires it.
Moreover, Magento 2 comes with a built-in four-tier architecture that significantly enhances system capabilities. Despite the fact that each component can operate independently, they are designed to work seamlessly together, ensuring that your ecommerce store runs efficiently, meets its business needs, and can easily handle large databases.
Enhanced checkout process
The improved checkout process significantly enhances the conversion rate and reduces the bounce rate. Today, the Magento 2 checkout consists of two steps and offers several new features, including a fast checkout option for unregistered users and a reminder for registered customers to log in. Also, users can view their shopping list on the checkout page, which includes images of the products and a brief description. Once all necessary information is entered, the shipping cost is automatically calculated and added to the total bill.
Responsive design
It is worth mentioning that Magento 2 offers a 50% faster page loading speed, an advanced product search, a responsive layout, a mobile-friendly checkout, and support of the latest CSS and HTML versions.
Easier integration of new extensions
One thing is definite: integrating extensions in Magento 2 is undoubtedly faster, simpler, and more cost-effective compared to Magento 1.
First, all free extensions are available in a centralized repository, making installation straightforward — a developer only needs to run a command, and the extension is ready to use. Paid solutions follow a similar process and can be installed by downloading them after purchase. In Magento 1, extension code was scattered across different folders, which made management more complex.
Second, Magento 2 improves this by storing all extension elements within a single folder that contains several subfolders. After compilation, everything is automatically placed in the correct locations.
And finally, this structure not only simplifies installation but also speeds up the system’s response and reduces development effort. As a result, integrating or updating extensions in Magento 2 is much more efficient, affordable, and hassle-free.
Advanced reporting
Consider also that Magento 2 provides convenient access to over 20 advanced reports that provide insights into the profitability of your Magento store, all through the admin panel. These reports give you the most relevant real-time data on all orders, products, and customers. With its help, you can see comprehensive information in one place, including total online store sales, recent orders, most viewed products, top search queries, average order amount, and new customers.
New admin panel
It combines a modern, visually appealing design with the latest UI/UX best practices. It is well-structured and highly intuitive, making it easy for users to navigate the system and quickly access important data such as bestsellers, recent customers, top-searched items, average order values, and more. This improvement not only enhances developer productivity but also enables admins to manage customer, order, and product data more efficiently. Its key advantages include a fully updated interface, the ability for admins to modify the lists of columns in the database, their positions, and the list of filters, product images have been added to the product listings, enhanced product search capabilities, improved data import features, and new SEO and marketing tools.
Enhanced security
When deciding between Magento 1 and Magento 2, it's crucial to prioritize security. As you may know, Magento 2 offers a significantly higher level of security. With its advanced password hashing algorithms, Magento 2 offers more effective protection for your customers' personal information, so your online store can enjoy improved defense against external attacks.
How to Migrate a Magento Store Smoothly
To make this tedious task a bit easier, we will highlight the main factors to consider before beginning the migration. Careful preparation and implementation at every stage of the process are crucial for ensuring a seamless platform upgrade.
Choose the right time for migration.
The fact that every ecommerce store experiences high and low seasons makes the decision a bit easier. To find the best time, review your analytics report that summarizes monthly sales figures. Don't forget that it is essential to avoid scheduling any major migration stages during your peak customer activity periods.
Consider changing your hosting.
It may involve additional costs for purchasing new hosting and require a few extra hours of work from your developer, but the benefits can be significant. Improved productivity, enhanced performance, better security, and excellent support for your online store are advantages that often make this investment worthwhile.
Make sure your data is secure.
One of the most common issues faced during the migration process is the potential loss of data. To avoid these issues, it is essential to work with reliable Magento development services offered by experienced developers. They can identify the most suitable tools to facilitate a smooth data migration, use an existing tool, or create a custom solution that best meets the needs of your online store.
Final Thoughts
Nowadays the success of any Magento store relies on a reliable ecommerce platform that is scalable enough to grow with the business's needs. It's also essential to work with professional Magento developers who can effectively manage your online store, provide ongoing support, and implement updates. If you're still using Magento 1, you will need to migrate to Magento 2. To prepare for this migration, you need to understand the benefits and drawbacks of making the upgrade to Magento 2.