Magento 1 End of Life: A Guide for Merchants

In 2020, Adobe announced that they would no longer update or support Magento 1 after June 30. This was big news for many online shops.

If you run an online store using Magento 1, you might be wondering what to do next. We’re here to help make things clearer and easier for you.

We’ll talk about why Magento 1 is coming to an end, what it means for your online store, and what your options are. Whether you’re thinking about moving to Magento 2 or looking at other platforms, we’ve got the information you need.

Let’s get started and make sure your online store stays strong and successful.

Magento 1 End of Life Official Announcement

Adobe, the company behind Magento, announced that Magento 1 would no longer be supported after June 30, 2020. This decision marks a big change for many online stores.

Why Did This Happen?

Here are the main reasons Adobe decided to stop supporting Magento 1:

Problems with Magento 1

Since its start in 2007, Magento 1 faced several issues. It was slow, hard for shop owners to manage, and the design of online stores wasn’t very appealing.

To fix all these problems, Magento would have to start from scratch. That’s what they did with Magento 2.

Magento 2 is Better

Magento 1 and 2 both have free and paid versions, but Magento 2 is much better. It’s faster, easier to use, and looks better.

Because of this, most people would choose Magento 2 over Magento 1. Keeping Magento 1 didn’t make much sense financially for Adobe.

What Does This Mean?

The end of Magento 1 is a big deal. It’s been around since 2007, helping lots of online businesses.

But from June 30, 2020, Adobe stopped all support for Magento 1. This means no more updates or security fixes.

If you’re using Magento 1, it’s time to think about moving to a newer platform like Magento 2.

Why Merchants Should Not Stay on Magento 1

After Adobe announced the end of life for Magento 1, it became clear that staying on this platform could lead to several significant problems for online stores.

Here’s why moving to a newer platform like Magento 2 or another e-commerce solution is essential:

Security Risks

Sticking with Magento 1 is like leaving your front door wide open. Since Adobe stopped providing security patches, your site is a sitting duck for hackers.

Without these updates, you’re vulnerable to data breaches and malware. As cyber threats evolve, Magento 1 becomes less capable of defending against them, putting your business and customer data at serious risk.

Upgrading is the best way to keep your site secure and your peace of mind intact.

Outdated Technology

As technology advances, Magento 1 may struggle to keep up with newer web browsers and operating systems, causing annoying website glitches. Plus, without updates, you won’t see any improvements in performance or shiny new features.

This means your site could end up looking and feeling outdated compared to competitors. Upgrading ensures your site stays modern, efficient, and ready for anything.

Compliance Challenges

Continuing with Magento 1 could mean your store no longer meets the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. This is a big deal because it’s required for processing payment cards like Visa and MasterCard.

Without necessary security updates, you might not meet the security standards required by payment processors, leading to potential issues with accepting payments.

Lack of Support

With developers shifting their focus to Magento 2, finding qualified support for Magento 1 is becoming a challenge. As time goes on, fewer experts will be available to help with any issues or updates you might need.

This lack of support can leave you stranded with problems that are hard to fix, making it even more critical to upgrade to a platform with active development and a robust support community.

What Should Magento 1 Store Owners Do?

With the end of life for Magento 1, store owners face a crucial decision. The best course of action is to migrate to a more current platform.

Here’s a guide to help you through this transition:

Option 1: Migrate to Magento 2

Migrating to Magento 2 is a primary option for Magento 1 store owners. This upgrade offers numerous benefits.

For starters, Magento 2 delivers significantly better speed and performance thanks to enhanced caching, image compression tools, and PHP 7 support. Security is another strong point, as Magento 2 comes with robust security features and regular updates to safeguard your store against vulnerabilities.

The admin interface in Magento 2 is much more user-friendly and intuitive, making it easier for store owners to manage products and orders. It also boasts advanced SEO capabilities, including XML/HTML sitemaps, canonical tags, and SEO-friendly URLs, which can improve your store’s search engine visibility.

Additionally, the platform is optimized for mobile devices, providing a seamless shopping experience for users on the go. Furthermore, Magento 2 is built to handle high traffic volumes, ensuring that your business can scale as it grows.

Migration Process

The migration process involves several steps. It starts with planning, where you assess your current extensions, decide which ones are necessary, and find their Magento 2 counterparts.

Setting up Magento 2 on a new server and configuring the Data Migration Tool comes next. Then, using this tool, you transfer settings, websites, and database content from Magento 1 to Magento 2.

Developing or adapting a new theme and migrating any custom code follows. After that, you need to install and configure the Magento 2 versions of your required extensions.

Thorough testing of the new Magento 2 store is essential to ensure everything works correctly before going live.

Considerations

Several considerations must be kept in mind. The migration can be costly, factoring in development expenses and possible new licensing fees.

It can also be time-consuming, particularly for larger or more complex stores. There might be a learning curve as store owners and staff adjust to the new interface and features of Magento 2.

Ensuring all important data is accurately migrated and validated in the new system is crucial for maintaining data integrity.

Despite these challenges, the benefits of migrating to Magento 2, including improved security, performance, and scalability, make it a valuable investment. Partnering with experienced Magento developers can help ensure a smooth and successful transition.

Option 2: Switch to Another Platform

If migrating to Magento 2 doesn’t seem like the right fit, switching to a different platform is a viable alternative. There are several popular options to consider, each catering to different needs and business sizes.

Popular Alternative Platforms

Hosted/SaaS options like Shopify, BigCommerce, Wix eCommerce, and Squarespace Commerce offer user-friendly interfaces and ease of maintenance.

For those preferring open-source solutions, WooCommerce, PrestaShop, OpenCart, and Drupal Commerce are strong candidates. For larger enterprises, Salesforce Commerce Cloud provides robust capabilities.

Key Factors to Consider

When choosing a new platform, consider ease of use and maintenance requirements. Evaluate the costs, including hosting, development, security, and updates.

Performance and scalability are crucial, especially as your business grows. Look at the customization options and flexibility, available integrations and extensions, SEO capabilities, and security features.

Potential Challenges

Be prepared for potential challenges, such as data structure differences between platforms that may require manual adjustments.

Custom functionality in Magento 1 might need to be rebuilt on the new platform. There will be a learning curve for managing the new system, and careful handling is required to avoid SEO impacts.

FAQ

Is Magento 1 still supported?

Magento 1 is no longer officially supported by Adobe, the platform’s owner. Support for Magento 1 ended on June 30, 2020, marking its “end of life.” This means Adobe no longer provides security patches, feature updates, or technical support for Magento 1. However, some third-party companies offer extended support services for businesses still using Magento 1.

Why Magento 2 is better than Magento 1?

Magento 2 is superior to Magento 1 due to its enhanced performance, security, and user experience. Magento 2 offers faster page load times, better scalability, and improved indexing and caching mechanisms. It also features a more intuitive admin interface, enhanced SEO capabilities, and robust security measures.

Is Magento going away?

Magento is not going away; however, Magento 1 reached its end of life on June 30, 2020, and is no longer supported. Magento 2 continues to be actively developed and supported by Adobe, offering enhanced features, security, and performance for e-commerce businesses.