Structured migration from Shopware 5 to Shopware 6 with a focus on data transfer, performance, and SEO continuity.
Shopware Migration
Migrating from Shopware 5 to Shopware 6 is not just a technical export/import task. Existing data, URLs, redirects, plugins, theme behavior, custom logic and SEO signals all need to be understood before the new system goes live.
I support Shopware migration with a controlled technical process: assess the current system, run test migrations, identify risks early and prepare the new setup so the go-live does not become a blind jump.
What Usually Needs Attention
- product, customer, order and media data
- URL structure, redirects and canonical signals
- existing Shopware 5 plugins and their Shopware 6 alternatives
- custom business logic that cannot simply be migrated
- theme and storefront changes
- payment, shipping, tax and sales-channel configuration
- performance and SEO checks before launch
Migration Process
- Initial assessment: current Shopware version, plugins, data structure, theme and custom code.
- Migration plan: technical dependencies, risks, SEO-sensitive URLs and required implementation steps.
- Test migration: controlled migration run with data checks and issue list.
- Adjustments: theme, plugins, integrations, configuration and missing business logic.
- Go-live preparation: redirects, crawl checks, performance basics and handover.
SEO Continuity Matters
A migration can damage organic visibility if URLs, redirects, canonical logic, metadata or indexation rules are handled too late. I keep technical SEO in the migration plan from the beginning, especially for important category and product pages.
If the migration already happened and problems appeared afterwards, technical Shopware SEO or Shopware optimization may be the right next step.
How I work
Three principles that apply in every project
Understand before building
First the short technical assessment: what is the actual problem, where is the lever, what makes economic sense? Then the implementation.
Build instead of forwarding
You talk to the developer who does the work – no handover chain, no black box, clear status updates and early warning about risks.
Hand over instead of holding on
Code in your repository, tests, documentation and a deployment process your team understands. No vendor lock-in – your system does not depend on me afterwards.
Background
Experience at a glance
- Today
- Senior freelancer in ongoing Shopware projects of several agencies and merchants – at home in foreign repos, processes and deadlines.
- Since 2021
- Self-employed as Stefan Pilz Ltd. – remote for merchants and agencies: Shopware 5 and 6, Symfony, migrations, maintenance.
- 2015 – 2021
- E-commerce backends: inventory, PIM and Amazon/eBay integrations for around 3.5 million products, then the Drillisch mobile-carrier web stores.
- Since 2012
- Full-time web developer – first at an agency: websites and stores with Joomla, xt-Commerce and Shopware.
- 2002
- Completed vocational training as a software developer (C/C++). First own PHP websites from 2004.
See current and completed projects Career and stack in the CV
Good fit
Works well when...
- you have an existing Shopware system with a concrete technical issue.
- you need direct PHP/Symfony support without agency overhead.
- you expect clear analysis, clean implementation and traceable handover.