Magento Upgrade 2.0

Programmers who care.
Magento Upgrades that won’t break your site.

What is Magento 2.0?

The Magento commerce shopping cart system was developed by Roy Rubin and his team as a response to OS Commerce. OS Commerce was an early, open-source eCommerce system.

At the time, Rubin was running a Web design company, and was frustrated with how difficult it was to implement design, and not be able to upgrade easily. OS Commerce didn’t have a framework for extensions and plugins (like WordPress and now Magento do), so Magento was born.

Magento now has over 110,000 eCommerce store fronts that use the Magento Community or Enterprise platform. It’s feature rich, and contains nearly everything a marketer needs. It’s very stable, and set up properly, can run very fast.

More than five years later, Magento 2.0 is an overhaul of the Magento code base, and includes a visual editor, new “containers” for handling visual elements on a site, better overall performance and more.

The Magento 2.0 codebase is now publicly available at GitHub, and if you’re a developer, you can download the code, test it out, and create a branch.

Upgrading to Magento 2.0

If you’re considering upgrading to Magento 2.0 when it is released (probably in 2013), we highly recommend doing a Magento code audit on your Website, to determine what functionality might not work if you migrate to Magento 2.0.

Although Magento 2.0 has not yet been released, we’re beginning the process of testing the upgrade platform.

Between now and when Magento 2.0 is released might be a good time to make sure your site is upgraded to the most recent version (i.e. upgrade to Magento 1.7), and is free from security vulnerabilities and core code changes.

Magento 2 Overview:

In April 2012, the Magento team showed a demo of Magento 2.0 at the Magento Imagine conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. On October 31, 2012, the Magento team had a conference call for developers, where even more specific information about Magento 2 was discussed.

Key features of Magento 2:

Magento 2 will include new features like the Visual Layout Editor, that makes it much easier to drag-and-drop blocks of text or images on pages. This will be a welcome change to the somewhat difficult process of working within layers of template files.

If you are planning on upgrading your Magento site from versions 1.5, 1.6, or 1.7, there are some important considerations to take into account, because Magento 2.0 will not be completely backwards compatible.

For example, Magento 2:

• Removes some payment methods
• Slims down by 20% the config.xml file
• Adds the “container” to the layout options, in addition to Magento’s “blocks”:
• Containers can contain blocks.
• Containers can contain other containers.
• Containers are part of the visual design editor, that allow you to move blocks around.
• Magento 2 eliminates skins, and instead uses themes. This removes the packages from the entire Magento file system.
• Magento 2 allows you to manage design themes and packages via the database (vs. uploading files).
• How cookies are handled, as well as session information.
• Magento 2 migrates to jQuery, which wasn’t robust enough when Magento first started, but now is an industry standard.
• Magento 2 relies on REST API and SOAP with WSI compliance.
• Magento 2.0 will use the Zend Framework 2 for performance issues including a cache engine, translations and the database access layer.

 

Magento 2.0 User Experience:

From a user experience, Magento 2 updates these areas:

• Menu system and navigation
• Access control (how users are able to log into the system)
• Adding a new product to the system should be faster / quicker / easier. In the past this can be too time consuming for many Magento storefront owners.
• How taxes are handled through the system

 

Magento 2.0 Allows For Other Databases:

Magneto 2.0 will support the use of Microsoft SQL server databases, Oracle, and some other databases as well (as well as mySQL).

Magento 2.0 Automated Testing:

Magento 2.0 is expected allow Magento store owners the ability to set up automated tests for Unit Testing, Integration, Functional and Performance testing. This is something that previously required a separate testing system or a staff of dedicated testing people to accomplish.

Magento 2.0 Migration Tools:

Magento will be releasing migration tools to help with the data and code conversion from Magento versions 1.x to Magento 2.0, but as has been the case in the past, this might not work for everyone.

Magento 2.0 should also increase the performance and scalability of the previous versions of Magento. While Magento is a feature-rich system, if it isn’t configured properly, it can be slow to run without the right hardware and caching management systems in place.

Magento 2.0 promises:

 

• Better optimized database access for the system.
• A new re-indexing operation, that allows you to decrease the reliance on database lookups
• Code improvements that will streamline performance

Want to Upgrade to Magento 2.0?

Essentially, a Magento upgrade is a three step process:

1. First, we update your database and file structure system to point to the new version of Magento.

2. Second, we move over the themes and custom extensions that make your site unique.

3. Third, we set our Testing Team on the ugraded development site to ensure everything functions properly.

Once the site has been approved by our Testing Team and the client we go ahead and put the upgraded site live.

We have a stellar track record for successful upgrades on Magento eCommerce sites.

Unlike our competitors, we don’t simply execute the command and then dump the incomplete project back in your lap.

Customer Paradigm has used Magento eCommerce, PHP programming and mySQL databases to help small 1-person companies as well as many of the Fortune 500 create websites that get results.

Try us out! Get your first hour of Magento programming for Free (when you commit to a five hour or longer project). To have Customer Paradigm contact you about a Magento upgrade for your site, please fill out the contact form here or call us toll free at 888.772.0777 or 303.473.4400.

 

	Certified Magento Developers: From 1 hour to 1,000+ We’re here to help. And to make it easy. (And to make sure the code works)
	But don’t take our word for it. Our developers know Magento’s 150,000 lines of code inside and out, and have been tested directly by Magento and certified to work on Magento Websites.

 

Some of Customer Paradigm’s Work:

	3M Sustainability Site Website for 3M’s Sustainability Department, aligned with 3M’s corporate Web standards. View Larger Image >>
	Energy Classroom by Xcel Energy Microsite for Xcel Energy, the 4th largest power company in the United States, teaching energy conservation for teachers, students and other constituencies. View Larger Image >>
	Travelocity Accessories Shop by Mizco Travelocity is a leader in online travel and for the last sixteen years has guided travelers to affordable and convenient flights, hotels, vacation packages cruises and car rentals.. Their partner, Mizco International, Inc. (“we”, “us”) came to Customer Paradigm wanting to create a eCommerce travel accessory shop with full functionality from search features to payment methods. The site, which is owned and operated by Mizco under license from Travelocity, LLC (“Travelocity”) continues to provide thousands of savings to travelers all over the world. View Larger Image >>
	AAMCO Colorado Search Engine Optimization, Cost Per Click Marketing, Website Development for all Colorado-based AAMCO dealers to drive targeted leads for auto repair. View Larger Image >>
	Up With People Website development for Up With People, a global education organization that aims to bring the world together through service and music. View Larger Image >>
	Citrix Mobile Website development, Trade Show Marketing for leading company in GoToMeeting – Web Conferencing space. View Larger Image >>
	San Francisco Soup Company Website Development, Mobile Application System, Daily Soup Email Marketing System for San Francisco-based fast casual restaurant. View Larger Image >>
	Fresh Produce Clothing Magento Enterprise eCommerce Development, Custom Application Development for clothing retailer, using the Magento Commerce platform. View Larger Image >>
	San Francisco Main Freight Custom Application Development for world-wide logistics company. Customer Paradigm has built a system that tracks more than $100 million of products, including where items are located in each warehouse and when items are shipped, returned or damaged.
	Warner Music Group Magento Enterprise Commerce development for custom extension for Warner Music Group Websites. View Larger Image >>
	Adventure Rabbi Website Development, Photography, Online Marketing for outdoor religious organization. SEO efforts led to coverage by CNN, NY Times, Wall Street Journal, CBS News and more. View Larger Image >>
	Red Apple Lipstick Magento Website development and programming for leading retailer of gluten-free lipstick and cosmetic products, using Magento Community edition. View Larger Image >>

 

Other Magento Services:

• Magento Developers
  Improve your rankings in Google, Yahoo, Bing, and other search engines and drive more traffic to your WordPress website. . . .  learn more
• Magento Upgrades
  New features, security updates and peace of mind are all excellent reasons to upgrade your current Magento installation. . . .  learn more
• User-Friendly Magento Design
  We provide a wide range of design services from making banner advertisements to completely redesigning entire websites. . . . 
  learn more
• Immediate Magento Support
  We offer a variety of services and solutions for Magento stores big and small to ensure that your site stays up and running. . . .  learn more

h2>More On Internet Marketing with Customer Paradigm

What are some of the things we do to help you get better rankings, more traffic, and more sales?

• Cost per click/cost per impression advertising
• Email marketing
• Website development and copywriting for SEO
• Inbound marketing
• Social media marketing
• Conversion rate optimization
• RDFa microtagging
• Local search optimization

We would love to talk to you about your online marketing goals. Please give us a call at 303-473-4400 or contact us to speak with a real person now.

 

About Customer Paradigm

 

 

Customer Paradigm is a full-service interactive
media firm, helping businesses acquire, retain and
interact with our customers.

We specialize in Magento Developers. Our team of Magento Developers know Magento inside and out. Customer Paradigm has clients throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Asia. Our customer-centric approach allows us to internalize our client’s vision for their organization and design websites and print marketing that gets results.

Our Magento Developers also work closely with our team members who focus on search engine optimization (SEO), search engine advertising (CPC) and Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO). Our open-office, team-approach makes sure that we take an integrated approach to your project. Nobody is programming in the dark… we’re always looking out for other factors including how the customization will affect SEO, social media and CPC campaigns.

Our work includes Website development for 3M, microsites for Xcel Energy and marketing campaigns for the Four Seasons, BP, Shell Global Solutions and Genetech.

From continuing medical education courses and e-newsletters for Johns’ Hopkins University, to trade show marketing / mini-CRM systems for Genetech, to secure remote imaging software and website development for the Greeley Medical center, we understand the specific challenges and opportunities faced by a wide variety of industries.

We’ve done privacy consulting work for Merck, McGraw Hill, Lillian Vernon, and Starwood Hotels. We understand the challenges a regulated industry faces when it comes to the collection, use, storage and access to sensitive, personally-identifiable information on their websites across the U.S. and abroad.

We’ve built eCommerce systems for Travelocity, helped AAMCO Colorado achieve top search engine optimization results, and created microsites for Go To Meeting’s Citrix. Clothing retailer Fresh Produce relies on Customer Paradigm for custom Magento eCommerce programming. The San Francisco Soup Company leverages Customer Paradigm’s cross platform expertise in an integrated mobile optimized system and daily email marketing campaigns.

Our Search Engine Optimization (SEO) efforts helped news organizations find local religious leader, Rabbi Jamie Korngold and cover her program in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, AP, Ski Magazine, CBS News and more. This intense media interest sparked a book offer from Doubleday Religion, who published Rabbi Korngold’s first best-selling book, God in the Wilderness (www.GodintheWilderness.com).

In the sustainability realm, Pfizer, 3M and Intel are the first users of a manufacturer-based sustainable development software planning tool we’ve developed for the Global Environmental Management Initiative (GEMI) organization. We’ve also recently redesigned the sustainability section of the 3M Website site for 3M.

Customer Paradigm was named the 2009 Supplier of the Year Rocky Mountain Direct Marketing Association. Customer Paradigm’s founder, Jeff Finkelstein, has been called a “Web Guru” by New York Times Magazine.