PrestaShop 1.6 to 1.7 Upgrade: What to Remember

Given the constant pace of technological progress, updating an online store has become not just recommended practice, but a genuine necessity for security, performance and modern functionality. Migrating from PrestaShop 1.6 to 1.7 is a significant step forward for many online store owners.

This article walks you through the key aspects of the process, from initial preparation, through the technical details, to finalising the migration. As you read on, you will discover how to carry out the upgrade smoothly and effectively, minimising risk and maximising the benefits of updating your PrestaShop version.

How do you upgrade PrestaShop from version 1.6 to 1.7?

1. Preparing for the upgrade: Before starting the upgrade itself, thorough preparation is essential. We recommend making a backup of the entire site and the database. This will protect your data in case anything goes wrong during the upgrade process.

2. Checking module and template compatibility: Make sure all the modules and templates you use are compatible with PrestaShop 1.7. If they are not, you may need to find alternative solutions or update the modules.

3. Choosing an upgrade method: You have several upgrade methods to choose from, including a manual upgrade, the "1-Click Upgrade" module, or an agency such as JustIdea offering upgrade services.

4. Manual upgrade: A manual upgrade requires downloading the latest PrestaShop version and manually updating the files on the server. This is time-consuming, but gives you full control over the process.

5. Testing after the upgrade: Once the upgrade is complete, it is important to test the store's functionality. Check that all modules work correctly and that the site behaves as expected.

6. Troubleshooting: If problems occur, it is worth getting support from specialists.

7. Deploying the upgrade to production: Once you have successfully tested the store and resolved any issues, you can go ahead and deploy the upgrade to the production environment.

How does the PrestaShop 1.6 to 1.7 migration work?

The process of migrating to PrestaShop version 1.7 is one that can genuinely take a lot of time. First, you need to get the existing store running in version 1.7, and also make sure you have a suitably adapted template. It has to be a new version of the existing one, and if one does not exist, it is worth getting help from experienced developers who will update the template so it is fully compatible with version 1.7.

You also need to remember to set up all the elements of the online store correctly, and then check that they really do work as intended. From version 1.6, you also need to copy the full database, the customer database, the existing order history and all the products over to version 1.7. This can admittedly be somewhat time-consuming, but it will allow the whole site to work correctly.

Why is it worth upgrading PrestaShop to version 1.7?

1. Security: Updating PrestaShop to the latest version is crucial for keeping your online store secure. New versions often contain security fixes that protect against new threats and software vulnerabilities.

2. New features: PrestaShop 1.7 offers new features and improvements that are not available in the older 1.6 version. These extra features can significantly improve both the user experience and the store's performance.

3. Better performance: A new PrestaShop version often offers better performance and faster page loading, which is crucial for keeping customers interested and improving your search engine rankings.

4. Compatibility with new technologies: By updating your store to version 1.7, you ensure compatibility with the latest e-commerce technologies and trends, which can be decisive in staying competitive on the market.

5. Better SEO: PrestaShop 1.7 includes SEO-related improvements, which can help you achieve better search result visibility and increase traffic to your site.

6. Symfony framework: PrestaShop 1.7 uses the Symfony framework, which provides greater flexibility, better code organisation and increased performance.

7. Improvements in product management: The new version offers more advanced product management options, including better organisation of categories, tags and product attributes.

8. Better order management: Streamlined order management, including better order tracking and more efficient customer service.

PrestaShop 1.6 to 1.7 upgrade: pros and cons

Advantages of upgrading PrestaShop to 1.7

• Modern features and technologies: Upgrading to version 1.7 gives you access to newer features that can improve the store's performance, security and usability.
• Better performance and optimisation: PrestaShop 1.7 is optimised for speed and performance, which translates into a better user experience and potentially higher conversion.
• Improved user interface: The new version brings UI/UX improvements, making the store easier to manage and improving the overall experience of using the admin panel.
• Better SEO: The SEO improvements in version 1.7 can help increase the store's visibility in search engines, which is crucial for generating traffic and sales.

Disadvantages of upgrading PrestaShop to 1.7

• Module and template compatibility: Possible compatibility issues with existing modules and templates, which may require extra time and cost to update or replace them.
• Migration costs: The upgrade process may involve additional costs, especially if you need help from an expert or developer.
• Need for testing: It is important to thoroughly test the store after the upgrade, which can be time-consuming.

Creating a PrestaShop backup

• A backup is a key part of preparing for the PrestaShop 1.7 upgrade. It keeps your data safe in case of problems, errors or data loss during the upgrade.
• The backup should cover both the site files and the database. It is important to secure all elements of the store, including templates, modules, product images, and customer and order information.
• A backup of the store files can be made via FTP. You need to download all the files from the server and store them in a safe place.
• The database can be copied using tools such as phpMyAdmin. You need to export the full database to a file, which you can then store separately from the file backup.
• We recommend making regular backups, not only before an upgrade, but also as part of routine store management.
• Keep your backups in a safe place, ideally in several locations (e.g. an external drive and the cloud), to protect yourself in case one storage medium fails.

PrestaShop 1.6 to 1.7 upgrade: what difficulties might you encounter?

Migrating PrestaShop versions, although necessary, comes with a significant number of problems that can effectively hamper the whole upgrade process, whether from version 1.6 to 1.7 or from 1.7 to 8.0. Let's start with the fact that versions 1.6 and 1.7 are not compatible in any way, which in turn means that most data has to be filled in manually, by yourself.

Versions 1.6 and 1.7 differ from each other to a large extent, which often means we are forced to build a website template from scratch or buy a new, suitable version. In that situation, it is worth drawing on a specialist's experience rather than spending several hours on it yourself, with no guarantee that your efforts will result in a smoothly functioning site.

PrestaShop upgrade cost: find out more!

Want to know how much a PrestaShop upgrade costs? First of all, we should point out that the cost can vary significantly. A lot depends on how extensive your store is and what template it is built on.

• The time needed to update a store built on an off-the-shelf template is significantly shorter than for a store based on a dedicated template. The first option, upgrading a store on an off-the-shelf template, usually takes around 10 hours including testing.
• Updating an individual, dedicated template, on the other hand, can take more than 60 hours. Whether that figure grows further depends on many factors, including how complex the store is, module compatibility, custom solutions and various other variables.
• It is worth remembering, though, that every client needs an individual approach, which means the time spent on updating a store may differ significantly from the number of hours given above for upgrading the PrestaShop engine.

Deploying changes during the upgrade: the whole process

Experienced developers usually use automated systems for rolling out changes to an online store or a staging environment. So if you want to be sure your sales site will work perfectly, it is worth drawing on the knowledge of a real specialist, who will not only do the work faster and run the necessary tests, but will also give you confidence that the platform is secure and functional.

Updating PrestaShop: why you shouldn't rush

Even though a new version has already been released, its modules may not yet be updated. Their authors often take their time modifying them for the latest version, so that they are compatible with the new PrestaShop store update. So it is not worth rushing: it is actually better to roll out changes with a slight delay, and as a result be confident that everything will work correctly.

PrestaShop migration? Now you know it all!

The information above should have given you a clearer picture of the PrestaShop upgrade process to the latest version. Remember, though, that theory alone is not enough, which is why we recommend entrusting this kind of work to experienced specialists, who will make the changes to your store quickly and efficiently, improving its performance and rolling out the necessary fixes. They will also devote the right amount of time to the extremely important testing of the changes made, to ensure your site performs as well as possible.

If you are interested in a PrestaShop migration, get in touch with us!