Magento is an open-source, cloud-based eCommerce platform for rapid development and enterprise scaling. Built on PHP and MySQL, Magento features a rich app ecosystem with over 2000+ extensions from leading vendors and partners. With continuous innovation in digital commerce emerging almost daily, Magento continues to lead the market with forward-thinking innovations such as their new release of Magento 2.

This article will teach you how to migrate your store from Magento 1 to Magento 2.

What is Magento migrate?

Magento Migrate is an in-store migration tool from Magento 1 to Magento 2. The device was developed in response to the market demand for an easy way to migrate data from one version of Magento to another version without re-writing all the data. As a result, the migration is done in a fraction of the time.

With Magento Migration, there is no need to copy and paste files, upload each file one by one to the new version of Magento, and make sure that all the information in the old version is still in sync. Since changes are applied to the data center instead of files, you will have a working store immediately after migration.

What you should keep in your mind while doing Magento migration

In the process of migration, you should always keep in your mind the following points:

1. The difficulty of Magento 2 Migration

The Magento 2 migration is not a simple task, and it requires time and attention. The developers at Magento have done a great job of making the data migration as easy as possible. Magento 1 to 2 data migration is usually completed within a few hours, and it keeps updating its product database frequently to ensure that the data is kept up-to-date with the new product database structure.

2. Importing media files requires more effort

If you have any photos or videos in your old store, you need to take some extra steps to migrate all the media files. For this purpose, you will require a particular module called media Attachments for Magento 2, which helps you migrate all the media files from Magento 1 to Magento 2. But, before installing this module, make sure that the media type has not been changed from your old store. You may also use any other method to migrate them.

3. You can’t migrate extensions and themes

Migrating Magento extensions and themes is a tricky job. If you migrate them directly to your new store, it can create some problems in its functionality which can also cause serious issues. It is also possible that your extension or theme may not be compatible with the new store. If it happens, you may need to remove your extension or theme if they are not compatible with the latest version of the store.

4. Manual migration of remaining data

Even though it is possible to migrate everything with the help of third-party tools, it can be time-consuming. To have the entire process completed correctly, you will need manual help from a team of experts. You will also require ample time to do this manually, and it may take more time than expected.

5. Considers the performance when it’s done

Never forget to test your site thoroughly to ensure that the system is working efficiently after the migration. You will have to consider all these points before starting your migration process.

How much time does it take to migrate from Magento 1 to 2?

The actual time it will take to migrate from Magento 1 to Magento 2 depends on the size of your site, the amount of data that needs to be relocated, and your ability to make changes to it. With large storage and a lot of data, you can expect to migrate in less than a week using third-party migration tools. However, if you choose to migrate manually, it could take more time than expected.

A Magento migration process will typically take 1-3 months to complete.

Magento 1 To Magento 2: The Process

The process of migration from Magento 1 to Magento 2 includes four easy steps

1. Theme Migration

The theme migration tool will help you convert your Magento 1 theme to Magento 2. Since Magento 2 has upgraded the base system structure, can easily install Magento 2 if your theme is compatible, but if it isn’t you will need to create a custom theme or purchase a new theme for Magento 2.

Before migrating your theme from Magento 1 to Magento 2, make sure that you have a backup of your original article in case something goes wrong.

2. Magento 2 Extension Migration

The extensions will not migrate automatically; this task needs to be done manually. To begin with, log in to your Magento 2 Admin Panel and then select the ‘Manage Extension’ option, and it will show you a list of all the installed extensions.

Navigate to the ‘Installed Extensions’ page, and click on the ‘Check Now’ button near the top-right corner of the page. The extension will be added to the beginning of the list, and then you need to click on the Next button again once it is shown up. On the next screen, click on the ‘Check Now’ button again and let it check all your profile data details.

3. Customization using the code migration tool

Customizations are the most crucial step of the migration process as you will be making a lot of changes during this step. Magento’s customization has been done using your code, and it will be complicated to migrate those customizations to another store. So, if you have created any kind of customizations and dashboard elements, you need to install the customization migration module in your Magento 2 store. It will help you migrate all the customizations from Magento 1 to Magento 2 without re-writing code.

4. Magento 2 data migration using the data migration tool

Finally, you need to migrate data from your old store to a new one. This will help you migrate all the products, customers, and other data from Magento 1 to Magento 2 so that nothing is missing when your store is live. The tool will help you export your data and import them directly into your new Magento store.

The data migration tool will easily export products, orders, customers, and categories information from a source store into a target store either on the same server or on a different server. The process of migration is quite simple as it uses standard PHP functions.

Conclusion

Magento 1 to Magento 2 migration is not an easy task. There are hundreds of steps involved, and while doing those, it could cause a lot of difficulties which can eventually lead to loss or damage of data or website. The whole process is expected to be completed within one month. If your Magento 1 store is small, then you can consider it an easy task that can be completed in a short time.

However, if you have a large Magento 1 website with data complexity, it will take much time to complete this process. We hope now that this article will help you clearly decide on what type of migration process is best for your business.