If you rely on Umbraco 7 to power your website or application, the news of its retirement can be daunting. You now have limited time before it reaches end of life (EOL), slated for September 30, 2023.
Due to significant changes to the .NET framework, upgrading from Umbraco 7 to later versions is not direct. Microsoft has evolved .NET to better support modern web technologies such as HTML5 and CSS3. While there are convoluted ways to recycle parts of your website and database, you will face an onslaught of migration and compatibility challenges. In most cases, preserving these elements is not worth the effort and likely just as costly as redevelopment.
You have two choices:
- ‘Lift & Shift’ your website (mostly as is) into a fresh CMS instance
- Or, redevelop it entirely to take advantage of new bells and whistles
Regardless of which option you choose, rebuilding your website's foundation is necessary and should be viewed as an investment.
So, what do you really need to know about Umbraco’s 7's End of life (EOL) plan
It's been in maintenance-only mode for two years
In July 2021, Umbraco 7 went into the "Security" support phase. This means Umbraco is only fixing and releasing security updates. No new features or enhancements are being added.
End of life is September 30, 2023!
This means Umbraco will no longer release bug fixes or security updates. Umbraco no longer recommends using it after the end-of-life (EOL) date.
Staying on Umbraco 7 can be risky business
Your website will not stop working after September, but it will become much more challenging to manage and support. Worse yet, performance will deteriorate, affecting usability and conversions.
This shift is ten years in the making
The latest major redesign of the system was nearly a decade ago. Over the years, its framework has been patchworked to keep up with modern design and UX expectations.
Top opportunities for future Umbraco development
For most businesses, this is an opportune moment to evolve digital experiences that no longer serve your needs and by taking advantage of new features in Umbraco 11, such as:
- Improved Editor Experience with its modular Block Grid Editor
- Easier Content Mapping and Migration
- Improved Architecture and Dependency Injection
- Modernized UI for Administration Pages
- Built On .NET Core Framework
- Cloud Setup Support
- Automated Publishing with Scheduled Tasks
Before you begin, consider these more strategic Umbraco web development questions:
- First, is this even the right CMS for your growing business?
- Are there ways to simplify content management for your team?
- Is this an opportunity to create a more unified design system?
- Should you consider evolving your site's UX or CTAs?
- Do you need to adjust any navigational or filtering elements?
- Should you invest in ADA best practices?
- Any reason to add in multi-languages features?
What’s next: Make room on your Q3 calendar!
Whether you choose to ‘Lift & Shift’ your website or if you are investing in a redevelopment project, you can expect to spend 6 to 18 weeks properly redeveloping your infrastructure.
Time is not on your side — find an Umbraco partner today:
- [Checklist] Navigating the fine line between a website refresh and a website redesign
- Cracking the code: How to pick the right CMS for your website
- What you need to know before you begin your next digital project
If you’re interested in expediting this process, give us a call for a free consultation. We help can your team decide which solution works best for your business.
