Are you still running your online store on Magento 1?
It means you are almost out of time. With Magento 1 end of life just around the corner, you have not much time left to make a move.
The importance of the Magento upgrade should not be underestimated, as the consequences can be tremendous.
This article uncovers the main details you should know about Magento end of life (EOL). As you proceed with reading, you will find answers to the following questions:
- When will Magento 1 End of Life occur?
- What are the consequences of ignoring the Magento end of life date?
- What should you do after Magento 1 support is seized?
- How to get prepared for software sunsetting?
Magento 1 Support: Open Source & Commerce
When the first iteration of Magento 2 was released in November 2015, no one hoped that Magento 1 would be supported any longer. Yet, Magento managed to surprise everyone by providing security updates for 6 years after the initial release of Magento 1.9. As with everything good, the era of Magento 1 support, which was initially released in 2007, has come to an end.
Magento made the first end-of-service announcement in 2018. A year later, the company prolonged it to give customers enough time to move their eCommerce operations to the new Magento version. The support of the first version of Magento will be stopped after June 2020. With 250,000+ webshops still running on the first version of the Magento platform, there is a lot of work to be done in the near future.
Let’s take a closer look at what you should expect when the time comes closer to Magento end of life.
Magento 1 End of Life: Community Edition
Will Magento still be supported?
If your store is operating on Magento 1 Community Edition, it will receive only security updates. Magento plans to release them for versions starting from Magento 1.5 to Magento 1.9. While the company is ready to take care of security matters, Magento states that store owners should not expect any quality fixes. They are not going to invest in the platform that is going to be obsolete after the Magento 1 end of life.
Magento End of Life: Enterprise Edition
When it comes to the paid version of Magento 1, the situation is a little bit different. Magento 1 support will be made for versions 1.9-1.14. These were released during the four years between 2010-2014.
Magento plans to release both security patches and quality fixes for the latest versions – 1.13-1.14. All the other versions will only receive Magento security patches. They will ensure the safety of online stores operating on these platform versions.
Magento 1 End of Life: Consequences & Reasons to Upgrade
Do I need to upgrade to Magento 2?
With Magento 1 support coming to the endpoint, business owners start asking the question more frequently. If you are still hesitant about the upgrade to Magento 2, take a look at the list below. It highlights the main dangers of ignoring Magento 1 end of life and staying on Magento 1 beyond the date:
- Payment gateways
No online store can operate now without a few payment gateways. The vast majority of such systems conduct a PCI compliance scan of online stores that use them. Such scans usually occur every quarter. If a store fails to pass through a scan, it will not be allowed to accept credit card payments. With no security patches, you can lose access to all payment gateways within 90 days after Magento 1 support ends.
- Pricy security checks
You need to make regular security checks that will help prevent situations that interfere with your business operations. After each check of the store, you would need to apply the required patches yourself. The costs for constant security audits will be higher than a Magento upgrade to a new version. By replatforming, you will be able to eliminate security threats. What is more, you will save money on hiring Magento security specialists.
- All-sided obsolescence
Aside from security threats, if a business ignores Magento 1 end of life, it will have to worry about staying within the game. The majority of Magento stores rely at least on a few extensions and themes. They allow adding unique features and innovative feel to a website.
All companies will put forces to release Magento 2 extensions and themes. No one will continue developing modules for the first version. As a result, it will put the success of an entire business at risk of going obsolete.
As you can clearly see, by ignoring the Magento end of life, you risk losing a competitive advantage. You can even endanger your store and all who make purchases with it. That is why it is important to move to Magento 2 before the date of Magento 1 end of life.
If you are still wondering why it is worth to make an upgrade to Magento 2, here are a few reasons:
- faster performance
- improved interface of the Admin panel
- advanced customer experience
- mobile shopping compatibility
- more advanced and innovative features
- better software architecture
Interested in knowing why companies choose to migrate to Magento 2?
Check the video to discover the truth behind the decisions that our clients make.
Get Ready to Upgrade from Magento 1 to Magento 2
Magento 1 end of life is quickly approaching. And right now is the time to make the first steps to prepare for the stop of Magento support. If you have not yet upgraded to the latest Magento version, think about replatforming right now. Here is a quick guide on what you should do:
- Check the Magento version your store is running on
- Find a reliable Magento development company
- Update all your extensions or hire experts to do the work
- Get your website ready for Magento 1 end of life 2020
Do you need a full Magento 2 migration guide?
Check the article Magento 2 Migration: Business & Technical Sides. You will learn how to safely migrate Magento 1 to Magento 2, avoid costly mistakes, and how much it will cost you.
