It is one of those developments that have shaped the tech world and still evoke a touch of nostalgia several years later: in 2018, Adobe Commerce transformed the much-loved Magento into something more advanced. Originally created by developers Roy Rubin and Yoav Kutner, it now has a new lease of life under the wing of the Californian giant.
For those of you who think that Adobe Commerce marked the end of Magento, the following lines may change your mind. What follows is a conversation with the AI assistant from ChatGPT, using its new voice feature, which enables natural, interactive spoken dialogue. The conversation came about through the curiosity of a geek who cannot resist testing new products.
Adobe Commerce vs Magento: how we got here
“I’m thinking of writing an article about Adobe Commerce. I’d like to start with the history of Magento: what it is and how it evolved into Adobe Commerce. What do you think?”
You could begin by outlining the history of Magento 1, its strengths as an open-source platform for large-scale projects, as well as its limitations, such as its technical complexity and a user experience that was not always intuitive.”
The early days: Magento 1
This is where we will begin. The first Magento was launched in 2008, quickly establishing itself as a powerful tool for e-commerce. Its modular architecture made it possible to customise every aspect of the online store, supporting integrations and offering a wide range of extensions.
However, a high degree of flexibility requires advanced technical expertise. Magento 1 was not suitable for everyone: implementation and maintenance had to be entrusted to experienced developers.
The platform also had some limitations in terms of performance and user experience. The complexity of the system resulted in long loading times, and not all plugins were fully optimised, which had a negative impact on the user experience.
Before Adobe Commerce
“I’d now like to talk about the launch of Magento 2, when expectations were high… although the initial difficulties and bugs somewhat dampened the enthusiasm,” I continue.
“Great idea! From there, you can move on to the transition to Adobe Commerce, explaining how Adobe addressed these challenges, improved the user experience and introduced modern integrations.”
Magento 2
Magento 2, launched in 2015, was introduced with the promise of overcoming the limitations of Magento 1 and taking the platform to a new level. With support for new technologies such as PHP 8 and advanced caching systems, Magento 2 represented a significant step forward in terms of performance and loading speed. The user interface was also redesigned, becoming more intuitive and easier to use for both users and administrators.
However, as is often the case with major transitions, the early stages were not without setbacks. The initial version of Magento 2 came with a considerable number of bugs and stability issues, which required developers to release frequent updates and patches to resolve them. To complicate matters further, some Magento 1 features were not immediately available, creating difficulties for companies ready to make the transition.
Over time, however, the issues were resolved, making Magento 2 a more stable, reliable and high-performing platform.
Adobe Commerce: a new era for e-commerce
With the acquisition of Magento by Adobe in 2018, a new chapter began under the name Adobe Commerce, which soon became one of the leading solutions for building e-commerce platforms, establishing itself alongside major competitors such as SAP Commerce Cloud and Salesforce Commerce Cloud. The “adoptive parent” of Photoshop built on Magento’s legacy and enhanced its strengths, creating an even more scalable and versatile solution to complement its open source counterpart. While Magento 2 is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises seeking a flexible and customisable platform, Adobe Commerce is designed primarily for large enterprises, offering advanced features and targeted professional support. Adobe has also focused on security, performance and ease of use, making Adobe Commerce a robust platform at the forefront of the market, well suited to the challenges of modern digital commerce.
International projects with Adobe
“Let us now discuss Adobe Commerce’s capabilities for large-scale projects, such as multi-country and multi-language management and advanced integrations”
“Adobe Commerce is considerably more advanced than Magento, with a structure that allows companies to manage different content, pricing and catalogues for each market, creating personalised experiences for customers in each country. It provides the highest levels of control and scalability.”
Adobe Commerce is not a redesign of Magento: it is a platform designed to meet the needs of a global market. It is well suited to businesses looking to operate e-commerce at scale, with the ability to manage catalogues, prices and targeted strategies for each country.
Adobe Commerce and AI
“And what about AI? As interest in artificial intelligence grows, how can Adobe Commerce differentiate itself from its competitors?”
“Adobe Commerce integrates AI strategically to improve product search, providing personalised recommendations and an engaging shopping experience. Machine learning algorithms can analyse consumer behaviour to suggest items that match their preferences.”
The integration of artificial intelligence into online commerce goes beyond recommending the right products, making every interaction tailored to the individual. Adobe understands this, as well as how to engage modern consumers. AI does more than display items that “you might like”: it analyses every click, every search and every item left in an abandoned basket. It then provides targeted recommendations, creating a kind of “Netflix for e-commerce”, where the platform understands what you want. Through advanced technologies such as Adobe Sensei, artificial intelligence personalises offers, optimises campaigns and improves interactions with users, increasing their satisfaction and loyalty.
Integration with the Adobe ecosystem
“Adobe also appears to be placing considerable emphasis on integration with products such as Experience Manager, Marketo, Analytics and Campaign. Do you think this ecosystem strategy could make a difference?”
“Absolutely. With Experience Manager, companies manage content, Marketo automates marketing, and Adobe Analytics optimises strategies in real time. Adobe Commerce therefore becomes a comprehensive, fully integrated platform.”
Adobe Commerce vs Magento: Mage-OS and Magento’s open-source foundations
“Finally, what can you tell me about Mage-OS? I understand that Adobe has authorised the use of the Magento name for this open-source spin-off.”
“Mage-OS is interesting because it preserves Magento’s open-source essence, retaining the core of Magento 2 while taking a modern, independent approach. It is an alternative for those who want to remain part of the open-source world without entering a closed ecosystem such as Adobe Commerce.”
The Italian-led Mage-OS project aims to ensure the accessibility, longevity and success of the Magento platform. It offers a flexible version that supports innovation without the constraints of centralised management.
On the one hand, Mage-OS stands out for its community-led approach and rapid updates. On the other, Adobe Commerce provides a comprehensive solution, with ongoing support and a structured ecosystem, ideal for those seeking an integrated platform that is highly scalable.
The court has its say
While Magento 2 continues to evolve independently, with Mage-OS addressing some of its limitations, Adobe Commerce provides advanced features that are ideal for large companies. In summary, if you are looking for flexibility without high upfront costs, Magento and Mage-OS are the right choice, whereas if you need a robust platform with professional support that can handle large-scale operations, Adobe Commerce is worth considering.
Adobe Commerce has ultimately revealed itself for what it is: not a Magento “killer”, but rather an evolution focused on the future, with advanced tools for global businesses and AI capabilities that transform the shopping experience.
