Website Migration
If your existing Joomla! website, shop or a catalog is showing it's age, you may be looking to bring it to todays' standards. We offer migration service between different Joomla! versions, when and if it still makes sense to do so. Please note, we do not offer migration services for WordPress.
What's the difference between a migration and an update?
Usual updates which come out on regular basis are just that, updates from say 3.9.2 to 3.9.3, to 3.10.x and so on. Migration is a move to a completely new series. From 1.5 to 2.5, 2.5 to 3.x, or from 3.x to 4.x.
When migration is possible and/or viable, it may be a more affordable options than having a new site built. Keep in mind, a redesign is very likely required.
How do I know if I need to migrate?
If your site is over 4-5 years old, it's a safe bet you should seriously consider it. Technological change in every aspect of how the web sites are built, moves at a rapid pace. From programming languages (or their versions) used, to the way visuals are designed, server requirements, what standards need to be adhered to for security, accessibility, and many other major considerations. If your site is within this period, and has been updated regularly, then a migration may be viable.
Joomla! sites tend to be stable for many years, and the oldest site I built before a rebuild was required was 8 years old and running stable while adhering to standards. It was however constantly updated throughout the time, and a rebuild rather than migration was necessary due to a custom appllication within it, rather than Joomla! itself.
In August last year (2021), a new Joomla! series was released, series 4.x. It brings many improvements to an already great previous lineup. New admin UI, more features, runs faster, it's all you expect, and get from Joomla!. Tech aside, series 3.x will continue to be supported until August 2023. So while there's no rush to jump from existing 3.x series, next year it will be necessary to migrate to series 4.x in order to continue receiving updates.
All web sites we build today are on series 4.x so you'll be safe for years to come. In case some necessary building blocks of your site are still in production for the latest series 4, we will build it on latest 3.10.x series (supported until August 2023) and migrate to series 4 once the compatible extension is available, majority has been compatible for a while.
What if my site is too far gone?
Thankfully, Joomla! database is quite accessible to work with, so switching your existing content to a new build is usually not a problem (but still depends on a few considerations). Some reasons why a migration may not be an option are:
- the version may simply be way too old and everything about the ecosystem has changed (versions below 3.0 are too old, and below 3.6 'iffy')
- there may be customisations which aren't translatable in the same way
- some add-ons you may rely on may no longer exist, or have changed in a way that a new solution is preferred
- visual design and their principles will very likely be obsolete (may be solved with just a redesign)
- there may be too much clutter, this is usually the case if maintenance wasn't up to scratch
