Becky Coombes

October 17, 2023
Magento

Upgrading is not a one-and-done thing – it is a constant process. The technology needs continuous upgrades to prevent performance glitches and security vulnerabilities. Magento and Adobe Commerce are no different. Magento 2, and specifically the latest version Magento 2.4.5 is the new and improved version of Adobe’s famous eCommerce platform – Magento.

What Is Magento 2?

Recently rebranded into Adobe Commerce, Magento is trusted by more than a million eCommerce websites around the world, including some big hitters like Coca-Cola, Ford Motor Company, Tommy Hilfiger, and AsusTek.

Magento 2 is an open-source CMS (Content Management System) by Adobe Commerce. It allows business owners to improve their business and expand into eCommerce.

The History Of Magento

Magento was first developed as a CMS in 2007 using the Zend framework. It was later released in 2008 by Varien. In the first few months of its release, the platform received multiple awards for its capabilities, and in 2018 Magento was acquired by Adobe.</p<

About Magento 2

Magento 2 is an always up-to-date platform with the latest performance enhancements, functionalities, and security features. In layman’s terms – a more responsive website, access to cutting-edge features, and peace of mind knowing that your customer data is safe.

Updates are released just like your smartphone. Every few months, Magento gives you a software update; and your Magento developers can apply this to your platform, ensuring that your website is up to date with the latest security improvements.

Why Should You Upgrade To Magento 2?

There are many reasons why upgrade to the latest software is a great idea. However, three main features are more prominent than others: performance, functionality, and security.

Performance: Magento 2 has been built with performance enhancements from the ground up. One of the main concerns voiced by website owners was that their platforms were too slow and unresponsive. To address this, Magento 2 has made significant improvements – full page caching (which didn’t exist in the previous version), PHP 8 compatibility (PHP 8 is faster than both 5.6 and HHVM), improved indexing speed, etc. All of these work together to make sure your pages load faster, improving the overall user experience on your website. Magento 2 allows you to manage multiple sites in multiple languages that can be developed alongside your main site.

Functionality: Magento 2 is flexible in its offering of custom functionalities and business features which is what sets it apart from other eCommerce platforms. Magento 2 comes with an array of new and improved features, such as – an enhanced checkout process that improves conversion rates, a less intrusive administration panel that optimises content creation, powerful tools for customer segmentation and engagement, a streamlined payment gateway integration system, etc. Everything that makes managing your eCommerce website easier and more efficient. Not only this, but Magento 2 can also integrate with Google Analytics to provide you with insights and reports from your store making it much easier to guide your business strategy with data.

Security: In today’s digital age, cyberattacks are becoming more and more common. This makes website security a top priority for anyone doing business online. With Magento 2, you get improved encryption methods, salt hashing algorithms for added password strength protection against brute force attacks, two-factor authentication for admin logins or any critical user action requiring additional confirmation beyond just a password check. In other words – better security for you means peace of mind for your customers, knowing that their information is safe when they shop with you online.

Enhanced checkout – improve your site’s conversion rate with an enhanced checkout

Magento 2: PCI Compliance

As with anything, you must read the rules and regulations before signing up. If you’re using Magento 2 for your eCommerce website, then you need to be aware of PCI compliance.

PCI compliance is a set of standards that all businesses must adhere to if they want to accept credit and debit card payments. The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a set of guidelines that businesses must follow to ensure the safety of credit and debit card information.

Several requirements make software such as Magento PCI-compliant:

There are several requirements that businesses must meet to be PCI-compliant:

Install and maintain a firewall configuration to protect data
Do not use vendor-supplied defaults for system passwords
Encrypt transmission of cardholder data across open, public networks
Routinely update anti-virus software
Develop and maintain secure systems and applications
Restrict access to data by business need-to-know
Assign a unique ID to each person with computer access
Restrict physical access to cardholder data
Track and monitor all access to network resources and cardholder data
Regularly test security systems and processes

As your eCommerce business grows, you may be required to file a compliance report annually. PCI reporting requirements increase in proportion to merchant level but are waived for companies that process fewer than 20,000 credit card transactions per year – this is something you need to keep an eye out for.

Magento makes PCI compliance easy by offering integrated payment gateways that allow you to securely transmit credit card data. PCI compliance requires businesses to safeguard their customer’s payment card information. Magento 2 is hosted by Adobe Commerce Cloud and is PCI certified as a Level 1 Solution Provider which makes the certification process much easier for businesses using the Magento 2 platform.

PCI Compliance – Magento 2 offers robust security and encription that meets modern PCI compliance standards.

Final Things You Need To Know About Magento 2

Overall, upgrading to Magento 2 is a no-brainer – with improved performance and functionality, plus enhanced security protections, it is worth the investment. Not to mention the fact that since it’s now part of Adobe’s Commerce Cloud solution, you get all the advantages that come with being part of a larger ecosystem, like support from Adobe experts 24/7. As well as this, you get access to best-in-class solutions like Adobe Target (personalisation), Adobe Sensei (machine learning), and more.

If you’re currently running a store on an older version of Magento, or are currently on another eCommerce platform altogether, now is the time to make the switch to Magento 2. You won’t be disappointed!

If you want to learn more about Magento 2, and the latest version of Magento 2.4.5, contact us today for more information.

Confused About Magento 2? Here's Everything You Need To Know.