Anthony McGrath

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Magento upgrades

Magento 2 upgrades, done safely

Running an old Magento version means missing security patches, slower pages and growing risk. You get a careful upgrade to the latest supported release: code, extensions, PHP, database and search all updated, tested properly and deployed without downtime.

Plan your upgradeWhat's included
  • 22 years in digital marketing
  • Hands-on: you work with me, not a junior
  • UK, US, Dubai and Australia

By Anthony McGrath · Updated

What does Magento 2 upgrade involve?

Magento 2 upgrade covers assessment, platform upgrade, extensions, custom code, testing and release. Upgrades get delayed because they look risky: custom code, old extensions and a store that cannot go down. Anthony McGrath does the work himself, with 22 years in digital marketing, for businesses in the UK, the US, Dubai and Australia.

Best for
Magento 2 and Adobe Commerce stores with large catalogues, B2B or complex integrations
What you get
Assessment, Platform upgrade, Extensions, Custom code, Testing, Release
First step
Audit: code, extensions, hosting, speed and security checked, with a plain-English report on the risks.
Where
The UK, the US, Dubai and Australia, working remotely across time zones
Who does the work
Anthony McGrath, hands-on, with 22 years in digital marketing

Why upgrades get put off, and why they should not

Upgrades get delayed because they look risky: custom code, old extensions and a store that cannot go down. Meanwhile security support ends, payment providers change their requirements and the store falls further behind.

A planned upgrade removes the risk. Everything is assessed first, upgraded in a separate environment, tested against real journeys and orders, then released with a rollback ready. Regular upgrades after that are quick and routine.

What's included

A complete upgrade, from assessment to release.

Assessment

  • Current version and patch level
  • Extension compatibility check
  • Custom code review
  • Hosting and PHP requirements

Platform upgrade

  • Latest supported Magento 2.4 release
  • PHP 8 and Composer updates
  • MySQL or MariaDB updates
  • OpenSearch migration

Extensions

  • Extensions updated or replaced
  • Abandoned extensions rewritten
  • Licences checked
  • Conflicts resolved

Custom code

  • Deprecated code fixed
  • Overrides replaced with plugins
  • Theme updates
  • Static tests passed

Testing

  • Checkout and payment tests
  • Integration and API tests
  • Admin and order workflows
  • Performance comparison

Release

  • Zero-downtime deployment
  • Rollback plan ready
  • Monitoring after release
  • Regular patch schedule

Before and after

An example of upgrading a store from Magento 2.3 to the latest 2.4 release.

  • Outstanding security patches: 17 before, 0 after
  • PHP version: 7.3 before, 8.3 after
  • Average page response time: 1.8s before, 0.6s after

An example of the kind of change this work aims for, based on typical starting points. It is not a promise or a specific client result: every business starts somewhere different.

How it works

  1. AuditCode, extensions, hosting, speed and security checked, with a plain-English report on the risks.
  2. Plan and priceA staged plan with priorities, timings and fixed costs, so nothing is open-ended.
  3. Build and testWork done in a proper development and staging setup, with orders, integrations and indexing tested.
  4. Deploy and supportZero-downtime deployment, monitoring, patches and a developer on hand each month.

Platforms and tools

  • Magento 2.4
  • Adobe Commerce
  • PHP 8
  • Composer
  • OpenSearch
  • MySQL
  • MariaDB
  • Redis
  • Varnish
  • Upgrade Compatibility Tool
  • Git
  • Deployer

Questions

How long does a Magento upgrade take?

Most upgrades take two to six weeks, depending on how far behind the store is and how much custom code and extensions it has.

Will my store go offline?

No. The upgrade is built and tested separately, then deployed with minimal or zero downtime.

What if an extension is not compatible?

I update it, replace it with a better option or rewrite the feature as a custom module.

How often should Magento be updated?

Security patches should be applied as they are released, with a full version upgrade at least once a year.

Anthony McGrath

About Anthony McGrath

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A UK-based freelance digital marketer with 22 years across Shopify, WordPress, WooCommerce, Magento, conversion rate optimisation, funnels, Google, Meta and TikTok ads, SEO and tracking. He works directly with businesses in the UK, the US, Dubai and Australia, so the person who plans the work is the person who does it. More about Anthony or connect with him on LinkedIn.

Is your Magento version out of date?

Send me your store and current version. You get an upgrade plan, a timeline and a fixed price.

Plan your upgrade