Magento 2.0 was released at the end of 2015 after years of waiting, speculation and development. In total, it has been five since Magento 2.0 was first announced and developers and business owners alike are happy to finally be able to get their hands on what has been cited by some as the new era of eCommerce. With the dust just settling from the release, we’re following on from the previous article Magento 2 – Should You Upgrade? article and looking at what’s next for Magento.
Magento 2.0.1 & 2.0.2 Security Updates
It’s only been a few months since release but we already have our first Magento 2.0 update, now officially Magento 2.0.2. While there are no major issues with Magento’s core application, the first update, 2.0.1, provides some minor security updates to those that are having trouble with the migration process. The new patches bring with it compatibility with PHP 7.0.2, which results in performance improvements, reduction in memory consumption and support for new PHP language features. It also comes complete with several security features and fixes, listed below:
- SQL injection
- The ability to save XSS code directly into the database
- Persistent XSS vulnerability for order comments made from the Admin
- There is now a reflected XSS in cookie HTTP header
- CSRF vulnerability on cart checkout now fixed
- There is now the ability for users to bypass filters by editing the inline transitions, as will as the ability to access core system information and save XSS code through custom options
- Ability for any unauthenticated users to delete product reviews from the storefront, as well as stopping attackers from accessing order information in the store
- Strengthening of password quality enforcement when changing admin passwords
Magento’s full technical bulletin for the 2.0.1 security update can be seen here: http://devdocs.magento.com/guides/v2.0/release-notes/tech_bull_201-upgrade.html?_ga=1.207444950.413430912.1455076991
There has since also been the release of Magento 2.0.2, again to fix over some minor bug issues, which are:
- Exception or fatal error that is encountered when upgrading from Magento 2.0 to 2.0.1
- No more errors when upgrading from 2.0 to 2.0.1 using the composer update, as well as no more update application errors for the server during the upgrade process
- Successful use of Packagist to upgrade from 2.0 to 2.0.1
According to Mr. David Bryan, the founder of Birmingham-based eCommerce Agency, the above updates happening within only a few months of the of Magento 2 release are a clear sign that they are committed to keeping version 2 as up-to-date as possible.
Magento Forums Reach 100,000 Members
Just less than a year ago the revamped Magento forums were relaunched, and they have just passed the 100,000 member milestone, with over 1,000 solutions to community questions ranging from everything to installation to customization.
The relaunched forum came with excellent updates that allowed non-Magento employees to connect with and help others, while all comments are moderated by Magento, meaning the forum has become a place where people can easily get the answers they need. These improvements make Magento more appealing as an eCommerce brand, and this is clear to see in how rapidly their forum is growing.
Magento forum reaches 100,000 members – https://magento.com/blog/magento-news/magento-forums-reach-100000-members.
Magento Masters Program
Magento, recognising the valuable contribution that their forum members provide to growing the Magento brand and community, have recently launched the Magento Masters Program. This has been done specifically to empower non-Magento employees and reward them for all their efforts in the community. The Masters come with three stages:
- Makers – frequent contributors valued by Magento
- Mentors – top contributors to the Magento Community
- Movers – top advocates and ecosystem thought leaders
- Invitation to special events.
- Involvement in community feedbacks opportunities.
- Events and certifications discounts.
- Quarterly Magento team calls.
- Online recognition, as well as recognition at Magento-branded events.
What’s Next?
Magento had another fantastic year in 2015. They powered more Internet Retailer Top 1000 merchants than any other eCommerce platform; in fact, more than double the amount of any other system, for the third year in a row. They were named the top eCommerce platform on the Internet Retailer B2B eCommerce 300 guide and the top eCommerce platform on the Internet Retailer Hot 100. With the release of Magento 2.0, it looks like Magento will simply go from strength to strength over the coming months.
It’s hard to know exactly what’s next for Magento beyond updates 2.0.1 and 2.0.2, however, in the immediate future, we can expect to see more and more extensions & plugins become available as 2.0 becomes more established. What we do know so far is that Magento is planning quarterly updates at the very least, as shown below:
This information was taken from a slideshow presented pre-General Availability, and can be seen here: (http://www.slideshare.net/Amasty/meet-magento-belarus-elena-leonova).
Magento 2 Help and Support
If you’re interested in discussing future Magneto updates, or you need advice on what is the right eCommerce platform or set up for you, don’t hesitate to get in contact with one of our Magento experienced developers at ecommercedesign.agency. You can also check these Magento resources.
Web developer and SEO specialist with 20+ years of experience in open-source web development, digital marketing, and search engine optimization. He is also the moderator of this blog "RS Web Solutions (RSWEBSOLS)".
