Magento Integration Solutions: Migrate from V1 to V2 (Part 1)

Rather, it is a continuation of the Magento integration solutions’ legacy to keep it above the e-commerce platform ladder.

The developers of Magento 1 were at a crossroads before making the decision that a simple update will not be sufficient. They have to break it down and build a new one entirely. This is the product of their commitment to keeping Magento the top e-commerce platform available. They had to change Magento’s internal architecture into something revolutionary. This includes how the core of the system is being implemented while expanding the parameters that the users can achieve.

Overall, the first version of the Magento integration solutions was not too bad. However, there are two glaring problems that needed correcting, which are:

• A very corruptible platform
• Highly reliant on the developers and implementers

In order to address this, Magento chooses to either follow the instructions to the letter, stop doing what they are already constructing, or invent new ways to implement their system. They end up deciding to leave the system as it is because it might end up in a huge mess, otherwise.

“Three concepts that we use to simplify the migration and make it a success includes current store review, make a migration plan, and use Magento’s data migration tool."

Jeff Dorsey (NetAesthetics Magento Developer)

To create its state-of-the-art FullStack system, Magento had to evolve from within. Integration of the best parts of the platform, including redesigning its architecture, its methodology, and the sophisticated forms of implementation had to be done. That is why, even today, the system that Magento has is never losing to anyone because it has everything you will need.

eCommerce development: Migrating Magento

Preparing the migration recipe

To start, it is important that we highlight three concepts that will make the migration from Magento 1 to its second version easier, and these are:

• Review of the current store
• Craft a migration plan
• Use the platform’s DAA migration tool

Current Store Review

This stage in e-commerce development involves reviewing the current store. At this point, this store is still running under the parameters set by Magento 1. How it is currently running under these will determine the migration time and the complexity when you transfer the data to the current generation.

Code Audit

Normally, a software architect is the one who carries out the audit especially when transitioning between two Magento integration solutions. These are the developers who specialize in both the old version and the current version of the e-commerce platform. What they do is assess what the current state of the shop is before the transfer happens. At the end of it, they will know which aspects are transferrable, and which ones need work. If they do, then they will work on these functions before they migrate them to the new version. The goal of this process is to ensure that a stable store migrates to Magento 2.

For this step to be a success, a review of the following functions need to happen:

• Optimally functioning CORE
• Clean template
• Third-party extensions
• Custom extensions
• Unused extensions
• Custom JavaScript
• TEMA that was installed

Reviewing the Optimal Condition of Magento CORE

One vital point that software architects look at with the CORE is that it should be free from any tinkering. It’s an iron-clad rule. However, there are others who can’t help but touch it especially during the development phase of the e-commerce store. Sometimes, they do it when they encounter problems as a result of bad developmental practices. If the CORE has been tinkered with, what architects do is wipe the CORE clean. This is possible by moving all the code to custom modules.

Despite this, there is no guarantee that the CORE will be stable as it migrates to Magento 2. Architects will do what they can, but they can’t make any promises. You might need to get a new CORE for this to become possible.

Template Must be Free of Business Logic

\The main concern here is to locate codes that have business layers in them. Under normal circumstances, these layers provide blocks that ultimately deals with the correspondence between the clients and the actions that they require. For a smoother transition into the new Magento integration solutions, these codes need to disappear. What needs to remain is the views with its corresponding code.

Review of Magento Third-Party Extensions

Extensions are normally plugins that add functions to an e-commerce platform. Magento already has its own. However, some users reach out to third-party providers and install theirs. If you know that extensions are present in the interface’s design during the development of the e-commerce store, you have to ensure that it is transferrable. If you utilized the ones from Magento, transitioning into Magento 2 should be smooth. The problems lie with the third-party extensions. As a software architect, you need to ask the creator of the extension if the plugins have versions made for Magento 2. Otherwise, the developers need to tweak the code to make transferrable to the current version.

Review of Custom Extensions

Unlike the point about third-party extensions, owners request for these ones specifically. Therefore, these were not built to fit in the system the new version of Magento integration solutions unless a request is put through to make it adaptable. That is why whoever is assessing the interface of the platform is required to list down every extension that is custom-made. Once a list is ready, they need to approach a developer with adequate knowledge regarding the rules and parameters set for the extensions. This is to ensure that tweaks can be done to helps its smooth transition into the current version of Magento.

If in the off chance that tweaking the code is not possible, you may ask developers at Magento to create something similar. However, this will take longer. That is why you should only consider this as a last resort option.

Review of Unused Extensions

Picking out the extensions that are not in use is somewhat tricky. This is because there are functions that are just working in the background. It is because it associates itself with an essential function. Once you take it away, the e-commerce platform will not work the same way. That is why whoever is doing the assessment must be very careful not to take away anything essential. In essence, this step requires trial and error because it is more than just listing them down. They have to take one away and see if the shop functions the same. If it does, then they can just proceed with the transition. They can come up with a replacement for the extension later.

Customized JavaScript Review

Customized JavaScript has the same fate as extensions that are custom-made during the development of the e-commerce store – these cannot transition over to Magento 2. As a result, software architects have to take the blocks off as codes and save them somewhere else. They can identify this by comparing an original interface to the one that the shop is operating on. When the transition to the new version is about to happen, all that code will be moving using RequireJS technology.

Identifying them, however, is difficult, but once you do, moving them into separate folders will be easy. By doing so, its integration into the interface will be far more superior than with Magento 1. In addition, its performance will be second to none.

Reviewing the Installed Theme

If an installed theme was bought using the Magento store or any other store, this process will be easy since the new Magento integration solutions already identify with it. If this is truly the case, then it is likely that the theme you are using already has a version ready for Magento 2. Even if it is a free theme. If it was bought, then you have to buy it again. This is regardless if it was Magento or not.

However, it will take longer if the theme you have is custom-made. That means the developers at Magento need to create a code that will transfer this over smoothly. Luckily, the developers thought ahead. They created the Blank Theme in Magento 2 to create themes from scratch. This will make it easier to transfer over the code that your shop is using rather than tweaking the code to accommodate your design.

Transitioning from one version to another is daunting. The task, monumental. With such an extensive procedure, we have to split this topic into two articles. The second part will come along shortly, and that will be where all the action is.

Read Part 2 ->