Why Should You Update Magento to the Latest Version?

• Why Should You Update Magento to the Latest Version?

• Simple Plan To Follow When Upgrading Magento on Your Website

• BONUS TIPS:

• Conclusion

Why Should You Update Magento to the Latest Version?

1. Security

Magento aims to improve your security through updates. Latest updates have security patches to fix the loopholes in your system.

Security patch helps in fixing major bugs. Security patches have solutions to security issues in your system.

A new Magento version includes all security patches from previous updates.

For instance, Magento 2.4.7 has 40 security enhancements. This update helps close remote code execution (RCE) and cross-site scripting (XSS) errors.

Failing to update the latest version of Magento makes your online store vulnerable. Frequently updating your Magento helps prevent cyber attacks.

2. Performance

By improving the platform code, Magento 2 version is more likely to deliver a high performance.

Performance enhancement brings significant benefits to users:

• Optimized website speeds

• Modified page format

• Faster page load time on:

  • Sections
  • Categories
  • Inbound pages

This reduces server load times for site operations. It makes sub operations more efficient.

All of this helps improve the website’s performance. Better performance leads to a higher sales and conversion rate.

3. Code Enhancements

The Magento team works hard to optimize the platform code.

Through each version, they show improvement in their features.

The Magento latest release 2.4.7 includes over 10 functional fixes to core code. Magento updates have simplified generated codes.

A less complex code increases execution speed. This results in faster page loading.

4. New Features

Magento has always found a balance between offering modern features and still being easy to use.

Updating Magento to the latest version benefits you with new features and functionalities.

New features help to scale and grow your store.

You can also familiarize yourself with new features before they are released. Users can follow the schedule for announcing new updates and signing up as a test user.

This stream of feature updates with every upgrade can boost the growth of your store. New features allow Magento users to expand their retail store.

It empowers your teams to offer new and exciting product launches and promotions.

5. Infrastructure Upgrade

Magento updates have changes in the core function. Core changes include improvements to the framework’s core quality.

Upgrade process makes the store infrastructure faster.

It makes the website more resistant to high loads.

Magento latest version 2.4.3 includes improvements aimed at the following functional areas:

• Customer account
• Frameworks and Database
• Sales
• Tax
• Video (The Vimeo Simple API has been replaced with Vimeo oEmbed API).

Enhancements in core infrastructure will improve the quality of the framework.

It will improve your website’s health. It also helps bring efficiency in on-site development.

Simple Plan To Follow When Upgrading Magento on Your Website

1. Make sure Magento core files are not overwritten.

2. Remove redundant extensions. Keep only relevant extensions to your online store.

3. Ensure 3rd party extensions and themes are compatible with the Magento version.

4. Upgrade Magento on the development environment. Make sure that the development environment is the exact copy of the live website.

5. Test the website.

6. Recheck the result of the development environment. Check its performance and its response to user requests.

7. Release the Magento latest version to your live website. Upgrade your Magento version in maintenance mode.

8. Test the performance of your live website.

BONUS TIPS:

1. Always create a backup of your live website before you make any changes.

2. Turn on maintenance mode.

3. Use the command line to install or upgrade core Magento and extensions.

4. Develop custom functions that are compatible with the latest Magento version.

5. Install the composer update plugin before the update. The composer plugin resolves dependency issues.

6. Perform the following list of testing for a seamless user experience.

• Functional Testing
• Web Usability Testing
• Interface Testing
• Performance Testing

7. Use the Magento performance toolkit to execute performance testing.

8. Regularly monitor your website.

Conclusion

Magento version updates are necessary to enhance security and improve performance. Your online store will be more dynamic with improved code functions and features.

Upgrading to the latest Magento version will benefit your business and enhance the user experience.

Install Magento updates as soon as they are available.

Magento notifies users about new releases by displaying information in the admin panel. You can also find it on the official Magento website.

The latest Magento version, Magento 2.4.3 was released on 10th August 2021.

It comes with support for PHP 7.3 and important security updates.

To learn more about Magento hosting, check out the MGT Commerce blog.