Magento is our bread & butter here at Develo, it’s one of the most powerful eCommerce platforms and is trusted by businesses worldwide. You’d be forgiven for thinking there’s not much difference between Magento 1 vs Magento 2, however, with our 12 years of Magento experience, we can tell you they are vastly different and if you’re on Magento 1, you might want to upgrade… pronto!
While revolutionary when it first launched, Magento 1 is now outdated, the dinosaur of the eCommerce world if you will, and no longer receives official support. In contrast, Magento 2 brings enhanced security, modern features, and a smoother user experience for admins and customers.
In this post, I’ll outline the key features of Magento 2 and why you should be upgrading if you’re currently on Magento 1! I’ll also delve into how using Hyvä can further improve the Magento 2 experience, so if you’re considering upgrading your platform, read on!
What is Magento 2?
Magento 2 is the latest major version of the Magento open-source eCommerce platform, introduced in 2015. It provides a more streamlined and scalable framework for mid to enterprise-level businesses. It offers a variety of benefits including:
- Fully customisable - code is free to access and customise to suit your business
- Scalable - advanced stock management and seamless global site setup
- Community support - Magento benefits from a vibrant community of developers who contribute to its ongoing development
- Integration capabilities - Magento can integrate with a number of third-party extensions and services such as marketing platforms & analytics
Key Differences Between Magento 1 and Magento 2
It’s essential to understand how much the platform has evolved since Magento 1. Here are the key differences:
1. Performance and Speed
Magento 2 offers significant performance upgrades over Magento 1, but there’s an additional tool that can accelerate it even further—Hyvä. Hyvä is a lightweight front-end Magento theme designed specifically for Magento 2, improving speed and efficiency:
Faster Loading Times: Magento 2 sites load 20% faster than Magento 1, but when coupled with Hyvä, loading speeds improve further. This is because Hyvä uses minimal JavaScript and efficient CSS libraries like Tailwind, cutting down on heavy resources that can make websites clunky and unpleasant to use!
Full-Page Caching and Optimised Code: Magento 2 has full-page caching built-in and Hyvä enhances this by reducing the dependency on JavaScript libraries. This results in overall better performance which will help you achieve high scores on Google PageSpeed insights & Core Web Vitals - a big win for SEO.
2. Security
We all know how important security is when it comes to eCommerce. Magento 2 has significantly improved security features that Magento 1 can’t match:
Regular Security Patches: Magento 2 is actively supported by Adobe, with regular updates and security patches to keep the platform secure. Although these frequent updates can seem a little annoying, they are pivotal for addressing known bugs and protect your customers and their data from potential threats. Magento 1 no longer receives official patches, leaving it outdated and highly vulnerable to attacks.
Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Magento 2 supports and recommends implementing two-factor authentication, adding an extra layer of protection for admin logins.
Stronger Data Encryption: Magento 2 uses stronger hashing algorithms and a more secure password management system to safeguard customer data.
3. User ExperienceWe’ve come a long way since Magento 1 and one of the biggest changes lies in the user experience. As well as the design & flexibility of the front end, the usability for admins has also been greatly improved. Coupled with the introduction of Hyvä, Magento 2’s front end is extremely user-friendly.
Admin Panel: Although admittedly there is still a lot of room for improvement, Magento 2 has a more intuitive, streamlined admin panel compared to Magento 1. This makes it easier for teams to manage products, track orders, analyse data and run reports.
Mobile-First Design: Like Develo, Magento 2 embraces a responsive, mobile-first design philosophy, which is enhanced with Hyvä. As you’d expect in 2024, the Hyvä front end is fully responsive and prioritises mobile performance!
Enhanced Checkout Process: Out of the box, Magento 2 features a simplified checkout process, giving users a smoother checkout experience that reduces cart abandonment and improves conversion rates. There are also plenty of third-party modules that improve the checkout even further.
4. Extensions and Customisation
Magento 2 has a flexible architecture, which means that developers can create their own extensions.
More Reliable Extensions: Extensions in Magento 2 are generally more compatible with one another, reducing the chance of conflicts and additional development.
Modular Codebase: Magento 2’s modular codebase, combined with Hyvä’s simplified front end, makes it easier to add or remove features without affecting the rest of the site. This makes it ideal for businesses looking for a custom solution.
5. SEO and Marketing
Due to the ever-evolving nature of eCommerce, SEO is increasingly important for exposure. Magento 2 provides built-in SEO & marketing tools to give your online business a head start.
Enhanced SEO Features: Out of the box, Magento 2 includes features like optimised URLs, sitemaps, and metadata.
Improved Core Web Vitals: Magento 2 already boosts website performance vs Magento 1, but Hyvä’s simplified front end allows for quicker load times and smoother interactions - benefiting SEO & UX.
Magento 2: Benefits of Upgrading
As you’ve probably gathered by now, switching to Magento 2 is a no-brainer. Especially with the increased benefits from Hyvä. Here’s why:
Long-Term Support: With Adobe ending support for Magento 1, any businesses still using it risk security vulnerabilities and compatibility issues. Magento 2 is kept up-to-date and secure with frequent patches. Protecting your customers and their data from vulnerabilities.
Future-Proof Technology: Magento 2’s compatibility with modern technology stacks is further improved by Hyvä. This makes Magento 2 + Hyvä a match made in heaven for future-proof and developer-friendly eCommerce.
Enhanced UX: UX design is a big part of our offering at Develo, that’s why we think it’s super important to use a platform that prioritises usability for both customers and admins.
Magento 2 and Hyvä – a Winner for eCommerce
When comparing Magento 1 vs Magento 2, it’s clear that if you’re on Magento 1 it’s time to move on for the sake of your customers and your team! By adding a little bit of Hyvä magic to the mix you have yourself the recipe for faster performance, improved SEO results, and a smoother user experience.
If you’re looking to make the move to Magento 2 but have no idea where to even begin, drop us a message to find out how we can help.
Speak to our expert Magento Specialists to learn more
Rebecca Ebdon-Taylor
eCommerce & Project Management Specialist
Rebecca is a Project Manager and Marketing Specialist who has been working in eCommerce since 2012 and has been with Develo since 2022. She became certified in Digital Marketing in 2015. Rebecca enjoys the diversity of digital marketing, no two days are the same and the evolving nature of marketing means she is always learning something new! Outside of work she can be found walking her cocker spaniel or playing netball!
Develo is a leading Magento agency and eCommerce web development company based in Birmingham, in the UK, serving clients globally since 2010. Our Blog covers topics around the array of services our certified Magento Developers offer, including Hyvä themes development, Adobe Commerce, Magento Punchout catalogues, ERP integrations and much more. To speak to a friendly member of the team about your next project, contact us here.
