10 things you need to know about Magento 2.0

The Beta version of Magento 2.0 launched in December, and though it runs until March this year and is subject to change, key features will likely remain the same. YOMA has been contributing to the community, with the current codebase (1.5 million lines) available on GitHub. Here are ten things we think you should expect from Magento 2.0 before it goes to general availability, planned for Q4 of 2015:

New Structure

Everything will now be placed under the app structure, with each module featuring its own view for enhanced usability. This is a big win for module developers.

Added Community Focus

With full access to the codebase, active participation from developers and a team responding to all pull requests on GitHub, the role of the Magento Community will grow even more. Expect a series of webinars and special events from Magento to increasingly engage the community.

No Upgrades From 1.x

Magento 2.0 has a brand new codebase, which means no upgrades from any Magento 1.X platform.

Next Level Compatibility

Magento 2.0 is designed to work in the modern tech landscape. It will use HTML5 and CSS3; require JS, Apache 2.2 or later, PHP 5.5, MySQL 5.6, PSR Compliance; and install components via Composer, Magento UI Library, CSS pre-processor, Full Page Caching and the Magento performance Toolkit.

New B2B Options

There will be a general push towards catering for eCommerce companies of all sizes. That means more B2B feature options that can also benefit B2C retailers.

More Testing Options

Magento 2.0 will be test friendly; a new Visual Merchandiser tool for Magento Enterprise will allow for previews and edits before making product pages live. An initial framework is also in place that will make integration and JavaScript tests possible, amongst others.

No Automatic Extensions Upgrades

Talk of a migrating tool for extensions is unsubstantiated. After using Magento 2.0 in Developer Beta, you may want to reassess what extensions you require. We recommend waiting for the Merchant Beta and taking it from there.

Reduced Upgrade Costs

Upgrading the core Magento 2.0 codebase and extensions will be a quicker and smoother process, with lower upgrade costs and development time.

Next Level Security

Magento 2.0 will have added security. Upgrades to the PHP 5.5 programming language that Magento was originally built on will address issues with server validation.

Manage Tax Zones

"Manage Tax Zones" will be a brand new feature in Magento 2.0, introducing new integration options.