How to Upgrade Your Magento 2 Store: A Step-by-Step Guide by Kiwi Commerce
Upgrading your Magento 2 store is essential for maintaining security, improving performance, and accessing the latest features. However, this process requires careful planning to avoid downtime or data loss. In this blog, Kiwi Commerce provides a detailed, step-by-step guide to safely upgrading your Magento 2 store.
Step 1: Back Up Your Store
Creating a comprehensive backup is the first and most critical step. This ensures you can restore your store if anything goes wrong during the upgrade. Key components to back up include:
- Database Backup: Export your database to secure customer, product, and sales data.
- File Backup: Save all store files, including themes, extensions, and configurations. Store them in a remote repository or locally. Don’t forget to back up media files to a Content Delivery Network (CDN) or another convenient location.
Backup composer.json: Use the command:
bash
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cp composer.json composer.json.bak
You can perform backups manually or use hosting tools provided by your hosting provider.
Step 2: Check System Requirements
Each Magento 2 version has specific system requirements for PHP, MySQL, and other dependencies. Review the Magento 2 System Requirements to ensure your server environment is compatible.
Step 3: Enable Maintenance Mode
Activating maintenance mode restricts user access during the upgrade, ensuring customers do not encounter errors. Use the following command:
bash
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php bin/magento maintenance:enable
Step 4: Upgrade Your Magento 2 Store
Follow these steps to upgrade your Magento 2 store using Composer:
Run the Composer require command:
bash
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composer require magento/<product> <version> –no-update
- Replace:
- <product> with either product-community-edition or product-enterprise-edition, depending on your installation.
- <version> with the target Magento version.
Update dependencies:
bash
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composer update
Run setup commands to upgrade the database schema, compile dependencies, and regenerate static content:
bash
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php bin/magento setup:upgrade
php bin/magento setup:di:compile
php bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy
Step 5: Test the Upgrade in a Staging Environment
Before making the upgraded store live, test it thoroughly in a staging environment.
- Core Features: Verify the checkout process, product pages, navigation, and the admin panel.
- Extensions: Ensure all third-party extensions are compatible with the new Magento version. Upgrade any incompatible extensions.
- Customisations: Test custom themes and code for compatibility.
Step 6: Resolve Issues
If you encounter issues during the upgrade:
- Magento Logs: Review logs in the var/log and var/report directories for detailed error messages.
- Composer Errors: Fix any dependency conflicts identified by Composer.
Step 7: Disable Maintenance Mode
Once the upgrade is successful and tested, disable maintenance mode using the command:
bash
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php bin/magento maintenance:disable
Step 8: Reindex and Clear Cache
Reindex and clear your cache to ensure optimal performance. Use the following commands:
bash
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php bin/magento indexer:reindex
php bin/magento cache:clean
Step 9: Monitor Your Store
After upgrading, closely monitor your store to identify and resolve potential issues:
- Performance: Check page load times and server response times.
- Functionality: Ensure both customer-facing and admin features are working correctly.
- Error Logs: Regularly review error logs to address any outstanding issues.
Conclusion
Upgrading your Magento 2 store is essential for maintaining a competitive edge in the e-commerce market. By following these steps, you can minimise risks and ensure a smooth transition. With proper preparation and testing, your store will be ready to take full advantage of the latest features and enhanced performance offered by Magento 2.
Stay ahead in e-commerce with Kiwi Commerce’s trusted expertise in Magento development and support.
