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Are you running an online store on Magento but not fully satisfied or feeling like something is missing? Perhaps Sylius might be a better fit. This modern e-commerce platform, based on the Symfony framework, offers several advantages over Magento. Discover why migration might be worth considering and how this process works.
Magento - popular but not without drawback
Magento is undoubtedly one of the most popular e-commerce systems worldwide. Its extensive capabilities and seemingly flexible solutions attract many online store owners. However, as a business grows, certain obstacles may arise.
Maintaining and developing a store on Magento can generate significant costs. If not properly configured, performance issues often occur, especially with high traffic. The system is so complex that it makes management and implementing changes challenging.
Adding new functionality to a Magento store can involve high costs and long implementation times. Additionally, the high entry threshold for developers and the complex architecture don't make it any easier.
Magento is an excellent choice for large, advanced stores with substantial business and technical resources. However, for businesses that migrated to Magento as they grew but haven’t fully reached the scale to utilize its potential, further development becomes much more challenging and costly.
Sylius - lightweight and flexible
Sylius is a new-generation e-commerce platform built on the solid foundations of the Symfony framework, providing several important advantages over Magento.
First of all, Sylius is much lighter and more flexible. It's easier to customize for specific business needs, regardless of the scale of operations. It's a forward-thinking, often underrated platform that supports modern technologies and standards.
The Symfony framework, on which Sylius is based, significantly lowers the entry barrier for developers. This means there are more specialists on the market, and development costs are noticeably lower. Its simpler admin panel also caters to those managing the store daily.
Sylius is suitable for small, medium, and large businesses alike. Regardless of the scale, development and associated costs are predictable and significantly lower than with Magento.
Benefits of migration
By migrating from Magento to Sylius, you open up new opportunities for your business. What are they?
Flexibility and scalability
Sylius is designed to adapt to a store’s specific requirements. Whether you run a boutique selling handmade jewelry or sell car parts on a large scale, this platform provides the tools you need.
Moreover, Sylius easily scales with business growth. There's no need to worry that the platform won't keep up with increasing traffic or product volume. Its architecture is flexible enough to adapt to changing conditions effortlessly.
Modern architecture
Sylius is based on the Symfony framework, giving it a strong technological foundation. Symfony leads the way in PHP-based frameworks, setting the latest standards and best practices for designing robust systems. This approach makes store development and integration with ERP or CRM systems much simpler. This platform also supports modern coding standards and security, ensuring not only better performance but also enhanced security for your store.
Cost savings
Migrating to Sylius can lead to noticeable savings compared to Magento. Lower implementation and maintenance costs are due to its lightweight architecture and lower hardware requirements.
It's also much easier to find developers experienced with the Symfony framework, resulting in lower labor costs and shorter project times.
A rich library of plugins allows for store functionality extensions without requiring developer involvement, providing an additional source of savings.
Performance and speed
Store performance is crucial in e-commerce, and Sylius has an edge over Magento. Its lighter architecture and better resource management enable faster loading times, reducing customer wait time.
Of course, good performance requires proper configuration and optimization, regardless of the platform. However, Sylius provides a strong foundation for building fast and responsive stores. Achieving similar results in Magento requires a much more complex and time-consuming setup.
Community and support
An active and growing community of developers surrounds Sylius. They work not only on the platform’s development but also create helpful tools and share their knowledge.
By migrating to Sylius, you gain access to this talent pool. In case of questions or issues, you can always find someone to help. Extensive documentation and educational materials provide additional support at every stage of using the platform.
Magento also has a large user and developer community. However, due to the system's greater complexity, finding support can be more challenging - especially if you have a unique issue. Additionally, the number of senior specialists in Magento is significantly lower than the number of Symfony experts who can quickly adapt to Sylius.
Step by step - the migration process
We’ve outlined Magento’s drawbacks and the benefits of migrating to Sylius. So what’s next? The migration from Magento to Sylius might seem like a large endeavor. Proper preparation and a step-by-step approach will allow you to navigate this process smoothly and without unnecessary stress.
1. Preparation
Before migrating anything, thoroughly analyze your current Magento store. Select the features and areas that require special attention during migration.
At this stage, define the goals you want to achieve by moving to Sylius. Are you aiming to improve performance, reduce costs, or add specific features unavailable on Magento? Clear priorities will simplify planning and project execution.
2. Planning
The next step is creating a detailed migration plan that includes both the timeline and necessary resources. Divide the project into smaller phases and assign relevant personnel to each.
The plan should be realistic and account for potential risks. Allow time for testing and adjustments to avoid unpleasant surprises after launching the new store.
3. Choosing tools and technology
Select tools to facilitate data migration from Magento to Sylius. Numerous solutions are available - both paid and free. One such tool is the Magento 1-Sylius Migration Tool, created by BitBag.
This tool is specifically designed to expedite the migration process, ensuring efficient and safe data import. With a mapper, you can easily connect products, categories, and other resources between platforms.
Also, review the available Sylius plugins. Many of them can replace functionalities you used on Magento without having to build them from scratch.
4. Data migration
Transferring products, categories, customers, and orders from Magento to Sylius is the most critical stage. It must be done without data loss, ensuring integrity.
After migration, carefully check the accuracy of the transferred information. Pay attention to all details - product descriptions, images, and related attributes. Any mistake at this stage can have severe consequences after the new store goes live. Maintaining a 1:1 content match with the production version, including linking and file paths, is crucial for your store's search engine optimization.
5. Sylius configuration and customization
With all data transferred, configure Sylius to meet your needs. Start with basic settings like currencies, payment methods, and shipping options. Then customize functionalities to fit your business. Sylius offers extensive customization options, so experiment and test different solutions freely.
6. Testing and optimization
Before launching the new store, conduct thorough functional and performance tests. Ensure everything works correctly and pages load quickly.
Afterward, optimize Sylius settings based on the test results. This may include adjusting server settings, enabling caching, or compressing resources. Even the smallest improvements enhance user experience.
7. Launch and monitoring
The moment of truth has arrived - launching your Sylius store. Plan this operation for a low-traffic time to minimize customer inconvenience.
After a successful transition, monitor the new store’s performance, address any issues, and gather user feedback. The first few weeks post-migration are also an excellent time to implement additional enhancements.
Examples of successful migrations
Many companies have migrated from Magento to Sylius and achieved impressive results. One example is EasyMonneret, the largest motorcycle school in France.
Before migration, the staff faced numerous security issues on the old Magento platform, putting the site at risk and requiring constant monitoring. After moving to Sylius, these issues disappeared, and security updates now take hours – not days, as on Magento.
Similarly, Brille24, a large German online eyewear retailer, opted for Sylius Plus migration. They unified seven international stores into a single system, reducing maintenance costs and effort. The transition to omnichannel also enabled more coordinated marketing efforts. Thanks to unified and stabilized systems within the Symfony framework, Brille24 saw a 35% faster page load time.
EasyMonneret’s case shows how transitioning to Sylius resolves security issues and eases the IT team’s workload. Meanwhile, Brille24’s story demonstrates that Sylius is excellent for managing multiple stores across different markets, lowering costs, and simplifying marketing.
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Your path to success in e-commerce
Migrating from Magento to Sylius is a strategic decision that can bring numerous benefits to your business. You gain access to a faster, cheaper, and more flexible e-commerce platform, ready to meet today’s market challenges.
Want to move your store to Sylius and start reaping the benefits of this modern platform? This process requires careful planning and execution.
Remember, choosing the right platform is an individual decision. Sylius can be an excellent solution for many companies, but it may not be ideal for everyone. So, make sure to determine if it's the right fit before making a decision.
If you have any questions or need support with migration, reach out to our WebMakers experts. We’ll help you transition to Sylius and grow your e-commerce business.
Whether you choose Sylius or another path, changing platforms is always an opportunity to optimize and develop your online store. Take the first step today and contact us to discuss your migration strategy.
