Magento is an open-source platform used for creating online stores that offer customers omni-channel experiences. Since its initial release in 2008, it has consistently expanded and become the leading eCommerce platform. Magento Commerce platform supports over 250,000 merchants globally, representing roughly 30% of the total market share.

Despite the vastness of the Magento ecosystem, navigating it can be overwhelming for beginners. To guide you, we’ll provide a summary of the various approaches and versions of Magento available for online store development, along with relevant resources.

Magento Website Development Approaches

Two primary approaches exist for developing a Magento website:

• Creating a new Magento website from scratch.
• Migrating an existing online store from a different eCommerce platform to Magento.

Brand New Website

Magento offers a flexible theme, modular structure, and all the essential functionalities needed to launch an online store swiftly. These features include product and customer management, sales management, reporting, payment processing, and caching and indexing capabilities, among many others.

While all these functionalities can be effortlessly extended or tailored to your needs, some development effort will be required based on the complexity of your requirements.

Magento boasts a massive community, including Magento agencies and third-party extension providers. This translates to thousands of extensions available for complete store personalization or integration with third-party systems such as payment gateways and ERPs. These extensions come at varying costs based on your needs, with many offered for free. Additionally, a vast pool of Magento agencies and freelance Magento developers globally offer Magento customization services.

Migrating from a Different eCommerce Platform

For those with existing online stores on other platforms, various data migration tools can facilitate the seamless transfer of most of your data to Magento. Examples include Cart2Cart for porting from WooCommerce, the Shopify to Magento migration tool, and the Magento Mass Importer (MAGMI) for a more generalized approach.

While these tools can import your product and sales data, website theme customization and platform extension are necessary to meet your specific business requirements. This includes installing and setting up third-party extensions. Hiring a dedicated Magento web developer is crucial for transforming your data correctly and ensuring a smooth transition to your new Magento store within a short timeframe.

Magento Versions

Magento currently supports both Magento 1 and 2 simultaneously.

Magento 1

As the most stable version of Magento, it remains popular despite its age (around a decade old). Magento 2 is facing challenges in matching its widespread adoption.

While using this version might seem risky due to its nearing end-of-life, it still offers the most straightforward way to begin with Magento. Its simple installation process and well-designed architecture contribute to its continued support by the community, likely extending well beyond the official support termination at the end of 2018.

Moreover, numerous tools facilitate code and data migration from Magento 1 to Magento 2 when you’re ready to upgrade your store. This ensures a smooth transition when the time comes to adopt Magento 2.

Magento 2

Released in 2015, this version of Magento has gained traction rapidly, especially with recent updates, though it’s not as mature as its predecessor. It boasts advanced features that simplify web development and offer more structured customization compared to Magento 1.

However, Magento 2’s larger size comes with increased complexity. Installation demands more effort, and comprehending the new development pipeline requires greater technical expertise, potentially intimidating newcomers.

Finding extensions that meet your requirements is relatively easy, with a few hundred already available for Magento 2. However, note that these extensions are generally pricier than their Magento 1 counterparts due to the increased technical skills needed to develop them.

Unlike Magento 1, Magento 2 natively supports numerous cutting-edge technologies like PHP 7, resulting in significant performance improvements. Image compression, enhanced browser caching, and the ability to utilize Varnish caching without external extensions contribute to a modern online experience for your customers from the get-go.

Magento Editions

Magento offers Community and Enterprise editions for both versions 1 and 2, catering to different merchant segments.

Magento Open Source/Community Edition

Magento Community Edition, a free option, provides a foundational eCommerce platform. However, achieving complete store customization according to your needs will necessitate development work. It’s ideal for small merchants or those starting in eCommerce.

Recently, this edition was renamed to Magento Open Source in Magento 2, emphasizing its open-source nature and aiming to attract more developers from the open-source community.

Enterprise

Magento Enterprise Edition provides official Magento support and incorporates the latest features. Compared to the Community Edition, it’s better equipped for handling large product catalogs and boasts superior performance enhancements. However, note that Enterprise Edition support is limited, often requiring you to hire your own dedicated development team.

Highly recommended for large businesses, this edition powers hundreds of online stores. While expensive, it’s a worthwhile investment for providing the best customer experience.

Magento 2 introduces an additional option previously known as Enterprise Cloud Edition, which Magento Inc. directly hosts and manages. This contrasts with the traditional Enterprise Edition, hosted either on the client’s premises or by a third party. Both the on-premises and cloud enterprise editions are now collectively referred to as Magento Commerce on the Magento, Inc. website, reflecting a rebranding effort to prioritize the cloud edition over the on-premises version, now simply known as Commerce.

Resources

While developers and agencies worldwide offer Magento development services and consulting, finding the right fit can be challenging. To assist with this, Magento maintains a directory of officially certified Magento Developers and Magento Solution Partners.

Officially certified Magento Developers possess in-depth platform knowledge and can adapt your Magento site to your specific needs. This certification is crucial when hiring a freelance Magento development team or individual. Freelancers are optimal if you prefer direct communication and developer management.

Alternatively, consider hiring a Magento development company or agency. While more expensive than freelancers for custom Magento development, Magento recommends this option for large businesses requiring dedicated development and support teams or projects with tight deadlines. Some companies hold Magento Solution Partner status, signifying certification by Magento, Inc. for their extensive experience in implementing and customizing Magento websites.

Magento Is Here to Stay

Magento, in all its forms, stands as a robust eCommerce platform. Armed with this knowledge of building your store with Magento, take the leap and join the thriving Magento community! You won’t regret it!