Shopware 6 is a completely new product, in this article we would like to explain the background of the migration and help you decide at which point you should switch to this new system. The new technical basis of all our future developments is the newly created Shopware Platform. In addition to the first project on this new platform - Shopware Playground, Shopware 6 is now also available for you. This new technology should enable you to be prepared for all future requirements in eCommerce.
Unlike previous version changes, no direct update is possible when switching from Shopware 5 to Shopware 6. With Shopware 6, we are focusing on new technologies in the frontend and core that differ significantly from the previous system. We want to offer a resilient, high-performance and adaptable foundation for various e-commerce scenarios over the next few years. Shopware 6 is therefore not an evolutionary successor to Shopware 5, but a completely new product. However, a migration allows you to integrate the most important data from your Shopware 5 shops into your Shopware 6 shop.
The history of Shopware already shows that a jump in the major version (here from 5 to 6) is always associated with major changes and innovations. In the past, for example, this was a new variant system or a completely new template basis. Given the number of changes, it is therefore logical to give the new version a new major version number so that the associated update effort can be better estimated.
The technical basis of Shopware 5 was already implemented as part of Shopware 4 Release 2012. A large number of new technologies and requirements are brought to us daily, these new technologies offer many advantages - above all, for example, the performance of the web shop, which affects all areas of eCommerce. In order to be able to meet all these new requirements of tomorrow, it was necessary to put the software on a completely new technical basis. This new code and technology base is not compatible with the previous one - therefore we offer a data transfer in the form of a migration to make the switch to this new technology as easy as possible for you. In order to make your decision easier, this migration guide will inform you about all relevant adjustments and clarify open questions.
You're probably right to ask yourself why you should migrate at all, if Shopware 5 is completely sufficient for you so far. Shopware 5 is a product that can meet all the current requirements of eCommerce and will certainly accompany us for some time to come. So it's completely legitimate if you want to continue using Shopware 5 first, and then start using the new technologies later. Shopware 6 is designed for the eCommerce of tomorrow - meets all the requirements of today and will potentially also meet the requirements of the future. So at some point, a switch will certainly be relevant for you.
Shopware 6 is completely based on the "API-First" approach, all areas of the shop can also be operated automatically via an API. This can be used by ERP vendors, fulfilment service providers, marketplaces and many other components of your system architecture to automate the processes within Shopware. Through a completely new shopping world concept it is possible to customize all parts of your shop. And also in the storefront a lot has changed with a new template based on Twig and Bootstrap. It's best to have a look at the new system - in the next steps we will help you to start with it.
The decision is certainly not easy for you - but you don't have to make it today. In this guide we will show you how you can first set up a fully-fledged Shopware 6 instance of your environment to extensively test the new version. A transparent roadmap of Shopware 6 and the ecosystem (e.g. plugins and interfaces) should support you in your decision. Shopware 5's extensive LTS runtime (until 2024) gives you enough time to find the right time to migrate.
Roadmap
Ecosystem Roadmap
But also the further steps of this guide lead you through the individual steps of the migration and take you further by the hand. In the next step, we first check whether your shop environment is already compatible with Shopware 6 and which settings need to be adjusted if necessary. It also shows you a first overview of the currently available extensions that you use in Shopware 5.
Surely you also have some extensions (themes & plugins) from the Community Store installed in your shop. In Shopware 6 these are now only called extensions. The subscription includes the plugin updates for a major version. If the major version changes, the plugin manufacturer does not have to provide a free update for this new version. To keep this process as transparent as possible, each manufacturer can define a "successor" for his plugin. In the Community Store, the Shopware backend and the Shopware account, you can see when the respective manufacturer is planning a successor for its extensionfor Shopware 6 and whether this is still necessary at all. Due to the new technological basis many functions have changed, some extensions are no longer necessary or have to be redesigned from scratch. If the manufacturer has not yet maintained whether there is a successor product for his extension, you can best contact him. As part of your migration, we grant you a free trial version of all extensions for the migration period with a successor for the period of your migration (maximum 1 year). So you can react flexibly to the roadmap of the individual manufacturers and check whether the extension still meets your requirements.
Since the extensions are purchased for the respective major version, the subscription will be partially refunded for a go-live and taken into account for the new extension. This information can also be viewed transparently in your account during the course of this guide.
Of course we also support you with your individual issues and requirements. With a valid maintenance contract you can best contact our support directly via your Shopware account and talk to them about the details of your migration. If you have questions about plans and the general process, you can contact our sales team. If you need professional support from a developer, you are in good hands with our partners.
Shopware Support
Shopware Distribution
Partner search
As part of the Community Edition, our forum also supports you during the migration process in addition to our partners. You can ask your questions in the responsible area: https://forum.shopware.com/
End User Documentation
Developer Documentation
Information about plans
