Magento is the most popular open source platform. Releasing from 2008, Magento 1 provides many versions that serve different objects. In order to improve features of the leading eCommerce platform, Magento team continues to develop Magento 2. On November 2015, Magento 2 is released to the Magento community. Magento 2 is the next generation open source platform that is faster, easier and more secure than Magento 1. It is available for download both versions at http://magento.com/

Let me table some pivotal points in this regards:

New File Structure

With Magento 2, everything is placed directly under the “app” structure, except for config.xml. It is easy for you to access all templates, layouts and js, css file. Magento 2 gives developers more opportunities for customization without changing site functionality.

New Built-in Technologies Under The Hood.

Magento 1.x                                                               Magento 2.0

Sass/Compass                                                       HTML5

Prototype JavaScript library in core                 CSS3

Jquery in rwd package                                         RequireJS

Additional JavaScript libraries                           Apache 2.2 or later

HTML5/ CSS3                                                      PHP 5.5.x

PSR Compliance

Install needed components via Composer

Magento UI library

CSS Pre-processor

Full page caching

Magento performance toolkit

Dependency Injection

Reduce upgrade costs and efforts

Magento 2 allows you to install and upgrade core software and extensions quickly and simply with lower upgrade costs and efforts. Magento 2 includes information on versioning policies, so developers can upgrade to new version easier. However, you need the support of new standalone installer to set up Magento 2 faster.

Improved Performance and Scalability

The new default indexers in Magento 2 allows you to improve speed of query performance with more efficient updates. Magento performance toolkit is the key to optimize system performance. Developer can create test environments and set up automated test easily. Moreover, Magento 2 integrated with Varnish Cache to reduce server load and speed up the page load.

jQuery Library

Prototype is the main JavaScript Library in Magento CE 1.7 – 1.9 and EE 1.11 – 1.14, which targets to ease development of dynamic web applications. The demand from Magento Community rises, jQuery becomes the new default JavaScript library.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS FOR MIGRATING TO MAGENTO 2 NOW?

Weak Community

Magento 2 inherited large community from Magento 1. However, many developers and experts are continuing to research and learn about Magento 2 after a month of releasing. The previous communities are huge but they need time to become strong communities for Magento 2.

Command line

Magento 1 focuses on graphical user interface (GUI) with easy customization. GUI do not require complicated commands, so it is available for a beginner. GUI allow users to navigate through a system. You should get the benefits of WYSIWYG. It makes Magento be user-friendly. On the other hand, Magento 2 uses mainly Command Line. The command line has a big number of commands. It has a steep learning curve to cause many difficulties for new users without any experience to experienced users.

Extensions

The number of extension for Magento 2 is still limited in comparison with Magento 1. Most companies have to pay third party to install Magento extensions properly from essential extensions to advanced extensions.

The final question: Is it worth it?
It will be. And the main reason is the change itself – for Magento there is no going back. Yes, they will be supporting the older versions for several years – and this is why you are in no need to jump the gun if you’re doing ok right now and you don’t have any plans to be a market leader or pioneer of sorts in your niche.

But you should also be aware that the majority of the investments and explorations of newest concepts around not just e- but any type of commerce out there will be done on Magento 2, starting yesterday.

So if you are making active plans not to get left behind, even if you are staying put with Magento 1.x for the time being, consider these action items:

• start thinking about what you’d like to improve on
• make a list of extensions you are not actively using (or have no idea what they do)
• open up the conversation with your solution partner about your (and their) plans for Magento 2

Waiting to meet you guys on the next level.