Magento 2, launched at the end of May 2015, has been a dramatic improvement over Magento 1 versions and has significant changes in terms of usability, performance, and functionality. But in the starting, there were many issues in core areas. But all of that has been improving since the release and now people have to make a decision on whether to stick with Magento or not. If yes, then how and when to migrate.

One thing to keep in mind is that Magento 2 is not an upgrade. It is like a completely new platform and it will require a full-scale re-platforming exercise in order to migrate and use the new version. Such a transition needs planning and efficient execution otherwise it can hamper the functionality of the site.

1. Take Stock of what you have

The first and foremost step towards the transition to a better version of the Magento is to assess your current installation. This should have the functional definition of all the operations and identify the areas where Magento can be improved to meet the business’s needs and add functionality to it.

You will also need to identify any new business requirements that will be influenced by the transition to Magento 2. It also is a good opportunity to restructure your product catalog setup. Remove the things you don’t need and add new attributes for merchandising and even use them to support more specific products.

2. Inspect every third-party extension installed

The next step should be identifying all third-party extensions or custom nodules that might be installed in your Existing Magento Store. If you do not have any internal records that are up to date, you can get an idea of the extensions you are using by going to system>config>admin>advanced>disable module in the administration.

Programming experts have written that in Magento 2’s core is there not much room for improvement in the core code. But the extensions that you use can slow down the site. In order to find the troubling extensions, you will need to perform a 3rd party extension audit. Turn every module on and off and check the changes in the site’s speed. This could help you in finding the defaulters.

Once you have removed the defaulters and know which ones you will keep, you will have to check their compatibility with Magento 2 as all extensions do now work in the newer version. You might have to bear extra licensing costs in order to make them work in the new interface.

3. Build a project team

In any transitional or development project, it is important to obtain a commitment from all major stakeholders, from the management who will be assigning and approving the budgets all the way to the operations staff who will have to work on the new interface and be able to use it in order for the change to work. Depending on the size and expertise needed for the project, you might even need an expert or a solutions architect on your side to manage the project. When a project team is created, the staff will feel more involved and will be committed to the venture to be a success.

4. Choose the fastest host possible

You can’t go cheap in hosting. You will need to have the fastest one possible. Your hosting plan will play a significant role in the website’s performance. Choose either Servebolt Magento 2 plan or if that is not possible buy as much as RAM, CPU, and SSD you can afford on other hosts.

5. Start using the system early

Magento 2’s technical architecture is very different from Magento 1 and it will take time for all relevant members to get a hold and completely understand the new Magento Framework. That is why it will be best to start working on the new processes early. This will help in reducing overhead costs once it’s launched.

6. Make sure production mode is on

Magento 2 has three modes of operation. 1) Default 2) Developer 3) Production. The fastest one among them is Production. Default and developer are basically used for debugging purposes and will not be able to work on a live site. You will need SSH access details from your host provider to find the mode you’re working in now.

7. Never use JS bundling

JS bundling is a special feature of M2 and its job is to cut down the number of HTTP requests to load a page. Its supposed to improve performance, but it does not. It creates a huge 5-10mb file with the JavaScript code that negatively impacts the loading time of the page.

Some more tips are to enable CSS/JS minification and to use built-in Cache instead of using Varnish. Also, it would be wise to conduct a test of extensions that have the probable risk of default.

Conclusion:

Having said all of the above, adoption and deployment of a new platform would require the help of experts and professionals. Building a proper process would help simplify the execution process.