Updates in OpenCart are specific to this platform, there is no official update system and no official documentation, so it’s all about best practices by Opencart Experts.
We follow some specific procedures and we want Clients to be aware of the process. So this article will help you understand the process and related costs.
We have been in this business since OpenCart 1.5.2 version was launched and have been working on almost every version after that.
Major Tasks In OpenCart Version Upgrade
- Theme Update
- Extensions / Modules Update
- Data Migration
For theme, you may want to have the same look and feel or you can go for a new one.
For extensions, you may need all of the features you currently have.
For Data you may want all of the data to be available in the updated version.
However, there are still many cases and choices you may want to be aware of so these are described below in detail.
Theme Upgrade
Case #1
Themes have updates also and luckily you may find that your theme has updates and compatible version for newer versions of Opencart so that might save your costs.
Case #2
In case your theme was based on custom PSD and you hired some team for that, you will not have the update to a newer version.
So we will have to copy the design and create the theme for the new version.
There are many extensions that are purchased along with the theme so those will need an update for the new theme and you may also want similar customization options in the admin panel so that can be part of an upgrade and will increase the cost.
Case #3
You can search Themeforest or OpenCart Market for newer themes and purchase a theme for the newer version you are going to upgrade to. This will save you a lot.
Extension / Module / Plugin Updates
Case #1
For extensions update, as these are written by third-party developers, some of them have developed an updated version for the newer version of OpenCart, you need to see if you can get a newer version from where you purchased the extension.
Case #2
For those extensions whose developers haven’t worked on newer versions, we will have to update those ourselves so the cost will increase in this case based on each extension or module.
Case #3
You may decide to leave old extensions and find new alternatives in the marketplace that support the version you are going to upgrade to.
Data Migration
Data Migration is also a crucial and complex task.
Case #1
You might have installed some extensions that create some more data with time. For example, you have a plugin that saves customer details or some more order-related details or adds a new field to product or product options.
So in this case there will be additional tables or columns in the database that will not be available in the newer standard version of OpenCart.
This case will need to be handled and a similar extension update will be required to install in the newer version first and then data should be migrated.
Case #2
There is no extension or change in database structure. In this case, data migration will be standard procedure based on target and source versions.
Case #3
You may not want some of the previous data to be migrated, so this can reduce some of the load and will be cost-effective.
At iExtend Labs we provide complete Upgrade Services, contact us at support@iextendlabs.com for a Quote or Advice.
