How To Setup Adobe Commerce: Breaking Down the Process For eCommerce Store Owners

When learning how to set up Adobe Commerce, many businesses have questions concerning "On-premises installations." 

Many choose on-premises installation because it offers greater control and customization, ensuring that the eCommerce platform is tailored to their needs.

It's like having personal gym equipment at home rather than using a gym membership. You have all the tools and equipment right there with you, and you can customize and configure them to your specific needs.

In this context, the software is installed and operated on the business's servers or data centers rather than hosted on a third-party cloud platform.

It also means that they don't have to rely on a third-party provider for their hosting, which can provide greater security and reliability. You can customize it according to your needs and preferences and have complete control over its maintenance and performance.

Before setting up gym equipment, you must ensure that you have enough space, electricity supply, and the right tools to assemble and maintain them, right?

With Adobe Commerce or Magento Open Source on-premises setups, businesses must ensure they have the necessary infrastructure and resources to support the software. This includes having the appropriate hardware, such as servers and storage, and IT expertise to manage and maintain the platform. 

However, once the setup is complete, businesses can enjoy the benefits of a highly customizable, secure, and reliable eCommerce platform entirely under their control.

I recently sat down with the senior Magento team lead at Coderapper, who gave me a high-level overview of how to set up an adobe commerce store. His insights were invaluable, but as an eCommerce content marketer, it's my job to break down complex concepts into simpler processes. I will take you, step by step, to understand how to setup adobe commerce and why on-premises installations matter.

Get Your Adobe Commerce Website Up & Running: Setting Up Your Hosting Environment 

The first step in setting up Adobe Commerce or Magento Open Source on-premises is to set up a hosting environment that meets the software's requirements, like setting up your home gym's foundation. You need a sturdy base to support your equipment; the same goes for your eCommerce platform.

Your hosting environment needs to have specific components to build an Adobe Commerce store. 

First, you need a Linux Operating System like Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOs, or Debian, which acts as the framework for the platform. Then, you need a web server like Apache or Nginx to handle the web traffic and communicate with the client. Think of it as a coach that directs you on how to use your gym equipment. 

You also need PHP, a programming language, to execute the web server's requests and communicate with the database. And lastly, you need a search engine like ElasticSearch or OpenSearch to help your customers quickly find what they're looking for in your online store. It's like having a personal trainer who helps you find the right exercises for your goals.

It's important to ensure that your hosting environment meets these requirements for a smooth and reliable eCommerce platform.

The Installation Guide: Installing and Configuring Magento

Installing and configuring the necessary components for Adobe Commerce or Magento Open Source can be a bit technical, but I will give you an overview:

1. Install a Linux Operating System: The Linux OS is used because it's open-source, widely used, and stable, making it ideal for eCommerce platforms. You can choose from popular distributions like Ubuntu, RHEL, CentOs, or Debian. You'll need to set up a user account and configure network settings.

2. Install a Web Server: Apache or Nginx are the most popular choices. You'll need to configure the server to handle web traffic and communicate with PHP.

3. Install PHP: PHP is a programming language the web server uses to execute requests and communicate with the database. You'll need to install the appropriate version of PHP and configure the web server to use it.

4. Install MySQL: Businesses may opt for databases other than MySQL, but it's the preferred database management system for Adobe Commerce as it's widely used, stable, and has excellent support. MySQL is the database management system that stores your eCommerce platform's data. You must install and configure it to work with your web server and PHP.

5. Install a Search Engine: ElasticSearch or OpenSearch can help your customers quickly find what they're looking for in your online store. You must install and configure the search engine to work with your eCommerce platform.

These are the basic steps. However, each step can require a more in-depth understanding and knowledge of the technical aspects. For example, configuring PHP and MySQL to work together can require a developer's expertise. But, if you follow how to setup adobe commerce and the official configuration guides, you can get through the process with ease. 

Before You Begin: Checking Magento’s System Requirements

Now before you move to setting up an Adobe Commerce store or Magento Open Source, it's essential to check if your system meets the minimum requirements. 

To ensure that a Magento store runs smoothly, it's recommended to have a minimum hardware setup of 4GB RAM, 4 vCPUs, and 25GB of SSD storage. However, the specific hardware requirements may vary depending on the individual needs of each business and its system deployment.

It's crucial to ensure that your system meets the minimum requirements to avoid potential performance issues. Providing adequate resources can guarantee a better customer experience and increase your website's efficiency.

For more detailed information on Magento's system requirements, check out the official Magento documentation here.

Secure Your Site: Generating Authentication Keys 

To access the Magento software repository, you will have to generate a pair of 32-character authentication keys using your Commerce Marketplace account. These authentication keys serve as a secure connection between your system and the Magento repository.

Authentication keys are essential because they provide secure access to the Magento repository. When you run the Composer installation, your system will authenticate with the repository using the generated authentication keys, ensuring only authorized users can access the software.

To generate the authentication keys, follow these steps:

1. Log in to your Commerce Marketplace account.

2. Navigate to the Access Keys section under My Profile.

3. Click on the Create A New Access Key button.

4. Give your access key a name, select the appropriate role, and click the Generate New button.

5. Copy both the public and private keys and keep them in a safe place. You'll need to enter these keys when configuring your Composer installation later.

Behind the scenes, authentication keys work using a secure communication protocol called Transport Layer Security (TLS). TLS provides a secure channel between your system and the repository, encrypting the communication and preventing unauthorized access.

By generating and using authentication keys, you can ensure that your system is secure and that only authorized users can access the Magento repository.

Get the Latest Version: Downloading Adobe Commerce/Magento

I will talk about two popular methods of downloading Magento: downloading the Composer Metapackage or cloning the GitHub repository. Both are applicable for both Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce.

To download the Composer Metapackage, follow these steps:

1. Install Composer on your system.

2. Use the following command in the terminal to download Magento:

composer create-project --repository-url=https://repo.magento.com/ magento/project-community-edition <installation-directory-name>

Note: You will need to enter your authentication keys generated from your Commerce Marketplace account in the terminal.

3. Once Composer finishes downloading Magento, navigate to your installation directory and run the installation script by entering the following command:

bin/magento setup:install

4. Follow the on-screen prompts to configure your installation.

And to download Magento by cloning the GitHub repository, these are your steps:

1. Install Git on your system.

2. Clone the Magento 2 repository from GitHub by entering the following command in the terminal:

git clone git://github.com/magento/magento2.git

3. Once the repository has been cloned, navigate to your installation directory and run the Composer installation by entering the following command:

composer install

Note: You will need to enter your authentication keys generated from your Commerce Marketplace account in the terminal.

4. Once Composer finishes installing Magento, navigate to your installation directory and run the installation script by entering the following command:

bin/magento setup:install

Follow the on-screen prompts to configure your installation.

Let’s Get Started: Installing Adobe Commerce/Magento

To install Magento using the mentioned techniques, the user must use the command line (downloading the Composer Metapackage or cloning the GitHub repository). Then, run commands in the terminal to configure the installation and set up the database during installation.

However, graphical interfaces are available that can be used to manage and configure Magento once it has been installed.

First, let me explain what the command line is. 

The command line is a text-based interface for interacting with your computer's operating system. 

It allows you to perform tasks and run programs by entering commands into a terminal window. This is not very simple for new users, but it's powerful and can be faster and more efficient than a graphical user interface (GUI).

You must follow a few basic steps to install Magento using the command line. Here's a simplified overview of the process:

1. Magento requires several software packages and extensions to function correctly. You'll need to install these dependencies before installing Magento itself.

2. You'll need to enter basic information about your website, such as the database credentials and URL.

3. Once you've configured the installation, you'll run a command to install Magento.

4. After installing Magento, you must configure it to work correctly with your website. This includes setting up your store, adding products, and configuring payment and shipping options.

Many resources available online can help you install Magento using the command line. Here are a few that you may find helpful:

• The official Magento documentation: This is a comprehensive guide to installing Magento, with detailed instructions for both installation methods.

• Magento DevDocs: This is a collection of technical documentation for developers, including guides for installing Magento and configuring it for different environments.

• Stack Overflow: This is a popular question-and-answer site for developers. You can search for Magento installation questions and find answers from other developers who have gone through the process.

Make Sure Everything’s Working: Verifying your Magento Installation

Congratulations, you’ve installed Magento! But before you start customizing your store, it’s important to verify things are running correctly. Without verifying the installation, you won't know if everything is working correctly, and you could run into issues. 

If you don't verify that the storefront and admin pages are working, you may miss important functionality affecting your website's performance or usability.

You'll need to open the storefront and admin pages to verify your Magento installation. The storefront is the public-facing part of your website that customers will see, while the admin pages are where you'll manage your store's settings and products. 

Here's a quick overview of how to access both pages:

• Storefront: To access the storefront, you'll need to enter the URL for your website in a web browser. For example, if your website is called "mywebsite.com", you would enter "mywebsite.com" in the browser's address bar. If everything is working correctly, you should see your website's homepage.

• Admin pages: To access the admin pages, you'll need to enter the URL for the admin panel in a web browser. The admin panel URL is typically "mywebsite.com/admin," but it may differ depending on your installation. You'll need to enter the admin username and password you set up during installation to access the admin pages. If everything is working correctly, you should see the Magento admin panel.

If you're having trouble accessing either page, there may be an issue with your installation that needs to be addressed. 

For example, if you can't access the storefront, there may be an issue with your web server configuration or DNS settings. Likewise, if you can't access the admin pages, there may be an issue with your database connection or admin user credentials.

Now that you’ve understood how to set up Adobe Commerce and checked up on post-install configurations, don’t leave the verification of your Magento installation. It is a crucial step in ensuring your website functions correctly. By verifying your installation, you can catch any issues early on and ensure that your website is performing at its best.

FAQs

Is Adobe Commerce good for SEO? 

Yes, you have ultimate control over your SEO strategy with Adobe Commerce. The platform is flexible and open, so you can fully customize what search engines crawl and index. You can design solutions that perfectly match your catalog and business goals and be in total control of how your SEO strategy plays out.

Which is the best SEO plugin for Adobe Commerce? 

Several SEO plugins are available for Adobe Commerce, including MageWorx SEO Suite Ultimate, Amasty SEO Toolkit Pro, and Aheadworks SEO Suite.

Do Adobe Commerce sites rank well?

Yes, if Adobe Commerce sites are properly optimized for SEO, they have the potential to rank well in search engines.

Which is an SEO-friendly eCommerce platform: Shopify or Adobe Commerce? 

Both Shopify and Adobe Commerce are SEO-friendly eCommerce platforms with great SEO features, tools, and extensions.

How do I choose the best Adobe Commerce business agency? 

Check their experience, expertise, portfolio, client reviews, and pricing to find the best Adobe Commerce business agency. Ensuring the agency understands your company's needs and objectives is also critical.

Can Adobe Commerce handle millions of products? 

Yes, Adobe Commerce can handle millions of products. With its robust infrastructure, the database structure is ideal for both large stores and rapid project scaling. Read the blog above to learn more about how to set up your adobe commerce and start using it.