Magento rebuild or retrofit?

Magento rebuild vs retrofit: why we almost never choose a rebuild

We are often asked what the difference is between a Magento rebuild and a retrofit, and why we almost always prefer a retrofit. Both approaches have their own advantages and disadvantages, but the choice between a rebuild or retrofit can have a significant impact on the cost and timeline of a project.

What is a Magento rebuild?

A Magento rebuild means that we completely rebuild your webshop from scratch. This means redeveloping all existing functionalities, design, and extensions, often with a new design and improved codebase. The idea is to make a fresh start without the limitations of the current setup.

Advantages of a rebuild:

Modernization: You get an entirely new, up-to-date webshop with the latest technologies and best practices.
Optimization: The opportunity to remove inefficiencies in the old code and create a leaner, faster site.
Flexibility: More room to implement new features and designs without having to consider legacy code or processes.

What is a Magento retrofit?

A Magento retrofit means that we improve and optimize the existing webshop without completely rebuilding it. This may involve adding new features, improving performance, increasing security, and resolving existing issues, all within the existing framework of your current webshop.

Advantages of a retrofit:

Cost savings: Retrofitting is generally much cheaper than a full rebuild because it requires less development time and resources.
Faster implementation: Because we build on the existing structure, a retrofit can be completed much faster than a full rebuild.

Why we almost never choose a rebuild

We have found that a rebuild is often not the best choice for our clients, for the following reasons:

Uncertainty if problems will be solved: We often see that a rebuild is chosen when the causes of existing problems are unknown. The hope is that when the rebuild is completed, the problems will also be gone. But if the source of the problem is unknown, there is a very real chance that the same problem will be reintroduced in the rebuild. With a retrofit, we address the problems at their source without gambling on a magical solution.
Cost and timeline: A rebuild is more expensive and time-consuming. For many companies, the investment in time and money is not justified, especially if a retrofit can deliver the same or better results with fewer resources.
Risks: A full rebuild carries more risks, such as data migration problems, SEO loss, and potential downtime. These risks can have significant negative effects on your business.

In short, while a Magento rebuild can be useful in certain situations, we almost always prefer a retrofit. This approach offers a better balance between costs, time, and risks, while still enabling significant improvements and modernizations to your webshop.