PrestaShop 1.6 to 8.x/9.x Migration Strategy in 2026: A Community Perspective

Migrating from PrestaShop 1.6 to 8.x or 9.x: A Strategic Decision for 2026

A PrestaShop forum thread discusses the optimal migration path from a legacy PrestaShop 1.6.0.6 store to a more modern version in 2026. The original poster, Franque, is running a store on PHP 5.4 and seeks advice on whether to migrate directly to PrestaShop 9.0.2 or opt for the more established 8.x branch.

Franque's primary motivation for migrating is to modernize the store's theme, functionality, performance, and user experience. They plan to set up a pre-production environment on a subdomain, likely using PrestaShop 9.0.2, to facilitate a clean and thorough migration process. They acknowledge the need to adapt or rewrite a significant portion of their internally developed modules, leveraging tools like ChatGPT or Gemini to accelerate the development process.

The core question revolves around the trade-offs between adopting the latest PrestaShop 9.0.2 for a future-proof and scalable foundation versus sticking with the more mature PrestaShop 8.x, which might be perceived as nearing obsolescence. The poster seeks community feedback and experiences to inform their decision.

Community Insights and Recommendations

The replies to the thread offer valuable insights into the stability and risks associated with PrestaShop 9.x:

• PrestaShop 9.x Stability Concerns: PrestaHeroes.com highlights the problematic release of PrestaShop 9.0.0, cautioning that it was prematurely presented as a production-ready version. They emphasize the risks of relying on the community to test major releases on live stores and advise against using PrestaShop 9.x in production until a truly stable version is available, especially for non-technical users.
• Alternative Solutions: Eolia suggests exploring alternative solutions for store modernization.
• Consensus on Version 8.x: Franque summarizes the feedback received, noting a near-unanimous recommendation to develop on PrestaShop 8.2.3. The strategy involves potentially migrating to a more mature version of 9.x in the future or waiting for version 10.

Key Takeaways

The discussion underscores the importance of carefully evaluating the stability and maturity of PrestaShop versions before undertaking a migration. While the allure of the latest features in PrestaShop 9.x is strong, the community consensus leans towards prioritizing stability and opting for PrestaShop 8.x as a more reliable foundation for the immediate future. The thread also highlights the need for a well-defined migration strategy, particularly when dealing with custom modules and a desire to modernize the entire e-commerce platform.

Merchants should consider the following:

• Assess the stability of the target PrestaShop version.
• Evaluate module compatibility and the effort required for adaptation or rewriting.
• Plan for a pre-production environment to thoroughly test the migration process.
• Stay informed about the PrestaShop roadmap and future release plans.