You are moving your site from DLE to 1С-Bitrix, and users complain about broken URLs, missing comments, or a non-working login. DLE is a popular engine for news portals, but its architecture is outdated: MD5 password hashes, a flat database structure, and no built-in support for trade catalogs. The DLE migration to Bitrix is complex, but it opens access to the flexibility of infoblocks, REST API, and integration with 1С via CommerceML. Our team has specialized in 1С-Bitrix development for over 10 years, using ORM and event-driven architecture, with 50+ successful migrations. We handle full 1С-Bitrix migration with guaranteed data integrity. We will assess your project within two business days, no upfront payment.
What problems we solve
Passwords
DLE uses MD5 or SHA256 — Bitrix does not recognize these hashes. A simple replacement will lock out users. We implement a shim module: check the old hash on login, update through CUser::CheckPassword() to the standard format. The user doesn't notice the transition.
SEO URLs
DLE generates URLs like /category/article.html. In Bitrix, the structure is /catalog/article/. Without 301 redirects, you lose up to 70% of traffic. We map old alt_name to new CODE and configure redirects via mod_rewrite or the bitrix:main.urlrewrite component. Meta tags from dle_post_extras are transferred to infoblock SEO properties.
Data volume
With 50,000+ publications, standard SQL queries hang. We use batch insertion via CIBlockElement::Add with disabled events and caching. For high-traffic sites, we implement CDN integration and Redis caching. The ix_sort index and tagged caching (CACHE_TYPE = A) speed up catalog loading by 10 times.
How we do it
Transfer publications to the "News" infoblock. Field mapping:
DLE (dle_post) |
Bitrix (infoblock) |
|---|---|
title |
NAME |
short_story |
PREVIEW_TEXT (html) |
full_story |
DETAIL_TEXT (html) |
date |
ACTIVE_FROM |
alt_name |
CODE |
approve, category |
ACTIVE, IBLOCK_SECTION_ID |
Categories are created first via CIBlockSection::Add(), preserving hierarchy (parentid → IBLOCK_SECTION_ID).
Additional fields (xfields) are parsed from the string format field1|value1||field2|value2 and saved to infoblock properties:
// Парсинг extra_fields из DLE $extraFields = []; foreach (explode('||', $row['xfields']) as $pair) { [$key, $val] = explode('|', $pair, 2); $extraFields[$key] = $val; } In a real project with 20,000 publications, we transferred 150,000 images, rebuilt galleries, and restored category links. Post-migration audit showed only 3% discrepancy — all errors were fixed within a day.
How to handle user migration without data loss?
The DLE user base (dle_users) can contain up to 100,000 records. CUser::Add() in a loop is slow — we optimize by using CLanguage::GetList() and CGroup::GetList() for group caching. Passwords are kept in the PASSWORD field as a temporary hash, and upon login, we check using the old dle_hash() function. After the first password change, the user switches to the standard system. This ensures seamless user migration.
What to do with SEO links after migration?
All old URLs must redirect to new ones. We collect the list from dle_post.alt_name and dle_category.alt_name, generate 301 redirects in .htaccess or configure them in Bitrix via the bitrix:main.urlrewriter.add component. Meta tags are transferred to infoblock properties UF_SEO_TITLE and UF_SEO_DESCRIPTION. Our SEO migration process preserves up to 90% of search engine rankings. For a typical 20,000 post migration, our solution costs $3,500–$4,500, saving 30% over alternative vendors.
Process
- Analysis — audit of DLE migration data, identification of incompatibilities, volume estimation. We create a field map.
- Design — create infoblocks, properties, sections. Set up tagged caching and 1С integration via CommerceML.
-
Implementation — export/import scripts in PHP 8.1+. Batch loading via
CIBlockElement::Addwith disabled events. We use Bitrix D7 ORM, event handlers, and cache engine with Memcached for performance. - Testing — verify element counts, authorization, redirects, images.
- Deploy — transfer to production, log monitoring, one week of support.
Speed comparison: Bitrix with configured caching renders a catalog page 7.5 times faster than DLE — 0.2 s vs 1.5 s. A performance comparison was conducted on a typical 8 GB RAM server. On one project, migration reduced page generation time from 3 seconds to 0.3 seconds, directly impacting conversion and behavioral factors.
Estimated timelines
| Volume | Timeline |
|---|---|
| Up to 5,000 posts, no xfields | 2–4 weeks |
| 5,000–50,000 posts, with users | 5–8 weeks |
| 50,000+, with galleries and comments | 2–4 months |
Prices start at $1,500 for sites with up to 5,000 posts.
Typical migration mistakes from DLE
- No 301 redirects — traffic drop of up to 70%.
- Ignoring xfields — loss of additional data.
- Direct insertion of password hashes — login blocked.
Deliverables
- Full database and file dump (safeguard against data loss).
- Documentation of migration process and access credentials.
- Creation of infoblocks, properties, sections.
- Transfer of posts, users, comments, images.
- Setup of 301 redirects and SEO metadata.
- Administrator training on Bitrix.
- 7 days of technical support after launch.
Example .htaccess redirect rule:
RewriteRule ^category/(.*)\.html$ /catalog/$1/ [R=301,L] Get a consultation — we will estimate your project within two business days. We guarantee data integrity and transparent reporting at every stage. Our team has over 10 years of experience with Bitrix CMS and DLE, 50+ successful migrations. Order your migration today to avoid losing traffic and users. If you are planning a migration, contact us — we will assess the scope and timeline.