Magento Release Schedule: Upcoming Magento 2 Releases
The Magento release schedule gives you insights on the newest releases for your Magento Open Source and Magento Commerce stores.
Magento is a popular eCommerce platform based on PHP. It presents many features to help Magento store owners enhance their online business. Magento persists in evolving and launching new updates. Companies need to keep pace with the latest releases. It ensures optimal performance, conformity, and security for Magento 2 stores.
We'll delve into the frequency of Magento 2 releases, the different types of releases, and their impact on extensions and your overall website.
Additionally, we'll share helpful recommendations on preparing for a release, including creating data backups and testing plugins for compatibility. You’ll see a Magento release schedule table showing dates on pre-release and General Availability dates for all the latest releases.
Magento's Release Frequency -Security Patches, High Priority Quality Fixes
Magento 2 provides businesses with the latest features, patches, and bug fixes by regularly releasing updates.
The frequency of these updates varies depending on their type, with significant releases occurring roughly once a year. Minor releases occur every quarter, and security patches are as needed.
Major releases offer significant changes, such as new features and functions. Minor releases focus on security patch, improving Magento performance and quality. Security patches are released to address vulnerabilities that could compromise Magento stores.
Staying Informed about Upcoming Releases
To stay up-to-date with the latest Magento releases, using the latest version of Magento 2, and following the release schedule is essential.
Here are some ways to stay informed:
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Subscribe to Magento's Release Notification List to receive email alerts about new releases.
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Check the Magento Official Release Notes page for Magento Commerce and Magento Open Source editions. It offers details about current and past releases, including release notes and patch notes.
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Join the Magento Community Forums to stay informed about the latest releases and connect with other users.
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Keep an eye out for Magento blog that cover the latest Magento news.
Impact of not Following the Magento Updates
What happens if you don’t upgrade your Magento 2 stores?
Not following the Magento latest releases can impact your Magento store's performance, security, and compliance. It may result in security vulnerabilities, speed issues, and potential legal regulation issues.
It can also impact the compatibility of extensions and custom changes, leading to functionality issues and conflicts.
By following Magento's release schedule and staying informed about future releases. Installing updates as they become available, you can ensure their Magento 2 stores are secure, compliant, and perform optimally.
If you are still using the Magento 1 version, it is time to migrate from Magento 1 to Magento 2. It secures your Magento store from bots and malicious attacks.
Latest Magento 2.4.6 Release
The current version of Adobe Commerce 2.4.6 and Magento Open Source 2.4.6 is released on March 14, 2023. It has over 300 quality fixes and enhancement. The release involves upgraded core composer dependencies and third-party libraries. It also comes with performance and scalability enhancements.
Some of the highlights og Magento 2.4.6 release include:
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Support for PHP 8.2 for high performance. The PHP 8.1 version will remain supported. The release will discontinue support for PHP 7.4.
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It also supports Composer 2.2.x, Redis 7.0.x, and OpenSearch 2.x.
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The Magento latest version is compatible with ElasticSearch 8.x and MariaDB 10.6.
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Payment methods improvements in Braintree
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GraphQL performance enhancements
Get complete details -> Magento 2.4.6 Release News! What to expect from the latest Magento versions.
Types of Magento Releases
Magento regularly releases updates that serve specific purposes. It impacts the Magento platform in various ways. The primary types of Magento releases include the following:
1. Major Releases
Major Magento releases often introduce new functionality, features, and updates to the platform. Magento's major releases typically have a version number that changes, such as 2.3 or Magento 2.4. They may also involve changes to the platform's system requirements, such as the required version of PHP.
2. Minor Releases
Minor releases are smaller updates between major releases. It often includes bug fixes, security patches, and performance improvements. They usually have a Magento version number that changes in the middle digit, such as Magento 2.4.3 to 2.4.4.
3. Security Patch Releases
Magento security releases are types of minor releases that focus solely on addressing security vulnerabilities to ensure the platform's security and stability.
4. Beta version patch releases
Beta version releases are non-General Availability code updates. It may include security, compliance, performance, and high-priority quality fixes. It offers extra time to review code and affected components.
5. Feature releases
New features and updates are delivered separate from the patch releases. It includes Product Recommendations and Live Search, PWA Studio and Inventory Management (MSI) updates.
6. Quality Patch releases
Magento Patch release include security, compliance, performance, and high-priority quality fixes. It si added to the core Adobe Commerce application.
Preparing for a Magento 2 Release
To ensure a smooth update process and prevent potential issues, it's crucial to prepare sufficiently for a Magento release.
Why Should Magento Store Owners Prepare for Magento 2 Release?
Effective preparation is critical to ensure that the Magento 2 release process goes without a hitch. Failure to do so can result in a stressful update process. It might create performance and security issues for the store.
Advance preparation by Magento users and developers can help ensure that the update process is seamless. The Magento store can continue to operate without interruption.
Steps to Take Before a Magento 2 Release:
Before upgrading to a new Magento 2 release, carefully reviewing the release notes is essential.
1. Review Magento 2 Release Notes
These notes outline the modifications made in the new release. The changes may include new features, bug fixes, and security patches. By analyzing the release notes, users and developers can gain a better understanding of the update's impact on their store.
2. Testing Magento Changes
Testing Magento extensions and changes is essential before upgrading to a new release. New releases can sometimes cause compatibility issues with extensions and customizations, resulting in errors and performance problems.
By conducting tests, users and developers can ensure that extensions and customizations are compatible with the new Magento release. You can resolve any issues before upgrading the store.
3. Data Backup before Magento 2 Upgrade
Backing up data is critical when preparing for a Magento release. You restore their store to its previous state if any issues arise during the update process.
It's best to create a full backup of the store's database, files, and media before upgrading to a new Magento release.
Magento 2 Release Schedule Table for 2023
| Release | Versions | Pre-release | General Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2023 Feature release | -- | -- | January 17, 2023 |
| March 2023 Feature + patch release + security patch release | 2.4.6, 2.4.5-p2 2.4.4-p3 | February 28, 2023 | March 14, 2023 |
| April 2023 Feature release | -- | -- | April 25, 2023 |
| June 2023 Feature + beta patch release + security patch release | 2.4.7-beta1 2.4.6-p1 2.4.5-p3 2.4.4-p4 | May 30, 2023 | June 13, 2023 |
| August 2023 Feature + security patch release | 2.4.6-p2 2.4.5-p4 2.4.4-p5 | July 25, 2023 | August 8, 2023 |
| October 2023 Feature + beta patch release + security patch release | 2.4.7-beta2 2.4.6-p3 2.4.5-p5 2.4.4-p6 | September 26, 2023 | October 10, 2023 |
Impact of Magento Releases on Extensions and Customizations
The impact of new Magento releases on extensions and customizations can be significant. It can affect the functionality and performance of an online store.
It is important to understand the potential impact and take steps to ensure compatibility. Here are some tips to follow:
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Review release notes carefully to understand changes and potential impacts.
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Test extensions and customizations in a staging environment before updating. You can use a Magento Test server for testing all the changing without damaging the live site.
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Check for updates from extension developers specific to the new release.
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Consider hiring a developer if you need assistance ensuring compatibility.
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If compatibility issues arise, seek help from the Magento community. It includes extension developers, or consider hiring a developer with Magento experience.
Summary
To ensure the security and performance of your online store, it is essential to stay up-to-date on Magento releases. The article highlights the importance of following the Magento 2 release dates, the types and frequency of releases. We covered how to prepare for updates, the release schedule for 2023, and the impact of releases on extensions and customizations.
By following best practices such as reviewing release notes, testing extensions, and backing up data, you can keep your store up-to-date and secure. Seek help from the Magento community and developers. Consider hiring a Magento expert if any issues arise.
Keep track of the latest updates on our Magento news page. It helps to prepare for changes so your store remains stable, secure, and high-performing.
