Magento 1 End of Life – What Are The Alternatives?

Magento 1 End of Life Date Changes

On the 6th of September 2018, Adobe announced that the end of official support for Magento 1 is coming after more than ten years. It was scheduled for June 2020. However, it wasn’t the first date for the Magento 1 end of life. Previously, the end of support was planned for November 2018. It turned out that the Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration process wasn't a piece of cake but a time and cost-consuming process. Thus, the end of life day was rescheduled for 18 months to give the store owners more time and space to switch for the newer Magento version.

There was no room for additional maneuvers. 30th of June 2020 was the last day of official Magento 1 support. The decision was closely connected with the increasing development of Magento 1 successor – Magento 2, which has been successfully functioning since 2015. That is why the v1 EOL wasn't an enormous surprise for the community. What is more, Magento 1 hasn't received any important updates for more than five years. The creators decided to put the most considerable strain on Magento 2 development, which is better adjusted to businesses' needs and expectations.

Magento 1 End of Support – Consequences

The end of support means that Magento 1 will no longer receive official updates – those regarding functionalities, bugs, or security. What does it stand for in practice? Simply speaking, leading Magento 1 based e-commerce won't be 100% safe. Regular updates are the core to provide top security for the CMS. Since the 1st of July 2020, it is practically impossible. Such a situation makes perfect conditions for hackers to find your platform's weaknesses and execute the attack. Besides this, problems with additional extensions may occur with the passing time. The publishers might end the support for particular modules, which negatively influences their safety and functionality.

So, what the Magento 1 shop owners can do in this situation? There are two options.

1. Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration

The shop owners have been encouraged to this solution for a long time. It is the best possible option thanks to the enhancements made in the Magento 2 version in terms of:

• admin panel,
• purchasing process,
• mobile optimization,
• increased efficiency,
• integrations with crucial payment methods,
• and many more.

Unfortunately, the Magento migration is a complex process. It can’t be compared to the regular platform update. It rather resembles building the new shopping platform than making a simple update. For instance, there is no possibility to migrate the theme from Magento 1 to Magento 2. The same concerns the extensions - if they weren’t prepared for the migration process, they wouldn’t be compatible with Magento 2. The migration process covers such stages as theme, extensions, dedicated modules, and database migration. You can read more about the process here.

Even though the Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration is a time-consuming process, you can choose the best option. Thanks to this, your e-commerce will be fastened, more efficient, user-friendly, and above all – secure.

2. Magento 1 extended support

If you’re 100% sure that you want to stay on Magento 1 for a longer time, then you have to provide the best possible care for your platform. Many well-known Magento software houses ensure complex Magento 1 support and maintenance services even after the official end of support. Such an investment is a necessity to protect your e-commerce from potential hacker attacks and any other breaches. Moreover, you have to take care of dedicated modules – they have to be supported regularly by the software house.

Magento 1 End of Life – Summary

The data presented by platforms such as BuiltItWhit or SimilarTech indicate an increasing trend in upgrading Magento 1.x to Magento 1.9 – the most stable software version. Of course, it has nothing in common with the accurate Magento migration. However, it shows the rising consciousness regarding the Magento 1 end of support and its possible consequences. If you are still working on Magento 1, stop putting off your plans. Choose either the first or second option, and provide the appropriate care for your Magento-based e-commerce.