If so, your site’s performance may not be optimal, and you could be vulnerable to online security issues. As Umbraco 7 is approaching its End-of-Life (EOL) date, which is scheduled for September 2023, now is the perfect time to plan for the digital future of your business, by migrating your website to the latest Version of Umbraco. Read on to learn how Umbraco plans to develop its Product Roadmap, and how your business can benefit from an upgraded CMS with the latest features and functionality.
Since July 2021, Umbraco 7 has been in the ‘security-only’ phase. This means that Umbraco HQ are currently only fixing security issues and releasing security updates for this Version of the CMS. However, Umbraco 7 will reach its End-of-Life date in September 2023, when this Version will no longer be supported by Umbraco’s development team.
After the Umbraco 7 End-of-Life date in September 2023, there won’t be any minor or patch releases for this Version. Effectively, this means that Umbraco 7 features will no longer be developed or maintained; and any bugs, regressions, or security issues in this Version will not be fixed by Umbraco. Essentially, the End-of-Life phase is the last stage in the lifecycle of Umbraco 7.
Technically, you can continue to use Umbraco 7 after its End-of-Life, as the software will continue to work. However, we would not recommend doing this, largely due to the heightened risk of security issues which could pose a major threat to your website.
In addition to this, by staying on Umbraco 7, you will be unable to use the newest, most up-to-date features which come with the latest major Versions of Umbraco. If you want to be able to use the fastest, friendliest, and most reliable Version of Umbraco, then upgrading your CMS is the best way to go.
Currently (February 2023), the latest full Version of Umbraco is Umbraco 10, although Umbraco 11 is currently in development. These newer Versions of Umbraco include the latest, most up-to-date features and the most reliable protection from security issues. Umbraco are continuously developing and maintaining features for Umbraco 10 and updates for bug fixes and security issues are released regularly. Ultimately, this makes Umbraco 10 a solid option if you want your website to be fast, reliable, and user-friendly.
If your website currently still uses Umbraco 7, it might be time for a rethink and to consider your digital strategy moving forward. This is just as applicable if your website is currently on any Version of Umbraco which precedes Version 7, as these Versions have already reached their End-of-Life dates.
It’s important to note that a direct upgrade from Umbraco 7 to Umbraco 10 or 11 isn’t possible. However, the same result could be achieved by migrating your existing website, with the same look and feel, to Umbraco 10.
Regardless of which option you decide to pursue, our recommendation is to build on or migrate to Umbraco 10, which will allow a direct upgrade to Umbraco 11 once this Version is fully developed and compatible.
With this in mind, Northern Wolf can help you to find the right solution for your business. This will involve considering your business plans and objectives holistically – so we can provide a bespoke solution which serves the needs of your target audience.
Northern Wolf is one of the leading providers of Umbraco Content Management System powered websites in Merseyside. Our team has been developing websites on Umbraco since Version 4 back in 2010. We have worked with organisations big and small, across a vast range of industries and sectors, leading to a cumulative knowledge of the platform.
We have helped several clients in successfully migrating their website from Umbraco 7 to Umbraco 10 or 11, ensuring that their website remains content-rich for visibility in search engines. Alongside this, we perform an in-depth audit and review of the website’s performance metrics, prior to the migration. This helps to inform any potential improvements or amends which need to be made to the site, allowing your website to continuously evolve so your company can achieve its digital objectives.
On Umbraco 10 and 11, there have been changes to the code base and infrastructure which means that a direct upgrade path between Versions 7 and 10 or 11 is not feasible. However, it is still possible to migrate your existing website seamlessly to Version 10 or 11. Once on Version 10, a direct upgrade to Version 11 will be possible once this Version is fully developed.
The Umbraco 8 End-of-Life date is scheduled for 24th February 2025. We therefore recommend planning your migration to Version 10 or 11 sooner rather than later, to avoid any major disruption to your site and help plan for contingencies.
Whilst migrating your website to Umbraco 8 or 9 is possible, we recommend migrating straight to Version 10 or 11, to avoid the need for a subsequent website migration when Umbraco 8 reaches its End-of-Life on 24th February 2025.
We will look to reuse your existing website content wherever possible, to minimise disruption and ensure your website remains optimised for search engine visibility. Where necessary, we may recommend content or feature changes to your website, if we believe this aligns with your digital strategy and will help your business in achieving its objectives.
