PrestaShop Upgrade: Core, Modules, AutoUpgrade

A store on PrestaShop 1.7.8. After updating to 8.x — white screen, payment module not working, theme broken. This situation is familiar to many store owners. Directly copying core files without AutoUpgrade breaks the database. We guarantee data integrity and stability after migration — we have over 50 successful PrestaShop upgrades. According to statistics, 70% of stores encounter errors when upgrading on their own. Our process eliminates risks: audit, backup, tests on staging. We also check compatibility of all modules and themes before starting work. Moving to PrestaShop 8.x requires PHP 8.1 and higher — we set up the environment for your server. We bring the site up to current security and performance standards, improving Core Web Vitals. Savings on supporting an old version can reach 30% annually. Over 5 years of experience allows us to anticipate common problems.

Why is it important to upgrade PrestaShop?

Each new release closes security vulnerabilities, improves performance (Core Web Vitals, LCP), and adds support for current PHP versions. For example, PrestaShop 8.x requires PHP 8.1+ and is 20% faster than previous versions due to new caching. Delaying updates leads to technical debt: modules stop updating, themes become outdated, and the site can become a target for attacks.

How we upgrade PrestaShop: step-by-step process

1. Audit and backup Before any actions, we make a full backup of files and database:

   # Database mysqldump -u root -p prestashop_db | gzip > /backups/ps_db_$(date +%Y%m%d).sql.gz # Files (including override and custom themes) tar --exclude='./var/cache' --exclude='./var/logs' \ -czf /backups/ps_files_$(date +%Y%m%d).tar.gz -C /var/www/shop.com . 

   We also check the PHP version and module compatibility via their manifests (composer.json or manifest.xml).

   Test upgrade on a staging copy We deploy a copy of the store on a separate server or subdomain. On it, we perform the upgrade via AutoUpgrade — this is the only supported tool for major transitions (1.6→1.7, 1.7→8.x).

   # Install autoupgrade module cd /var/www/shop.com wget https://github.com/PrestaShop/autoupgrade/releases/latest/download/autoupgrade.zip unzip autoupgrade.zip -d modules/autoupgrade # Install via Admin: Modules → Upload a module → autoupgrade.zip # or via CLI php bin/console prestashop:module install autoupgrade 

   In Admin: Modules → Module Manager → 1-Click Upgrade. Before starting:

   • Disable custom modules that may conflict
   • Put the store into maintenance mode
   • Ensure backup is complete

   Upgrade on production After successful testing, apply the same steps on the live server. Enable maintenance mode, run AutoUpgrade (or CLI if version 1.7.8+):

   php modules/autoupgrade/bin/autoupgrade check \ --admin-dir=admin_secret php modules/autoupgrade/bin/autoupgrade update \ --admin-dir=admin_secret \ --channel=stable 

   Upgrade modules and theme After the core upgrade, update all compatible modules:

   # Via Admin: Modules → Module Manager → Update all # CLI via PrestaShop API php bin/console prestashop:module upgrade module-name 

   Modules from the official Marketplace are updated via Addons → My modules. Third-party ones via FTP/Composer. If a module does not update, we look for a replacement or adapt the code.

   Clear cache and final checks Run php bin/console cache:clear and php bin/console prestashop:generate:htaccess. Check all critical pages: catalog, cart, checkout, customer account. Check logs for errors.

   Comparison: major vs minor upgrade

   Parameter	Minor (1.7.8→1.7.9)	Major (1.7→8.x)
   Time	2–6 hours	1–3 days
   Incompatibility risk	Low	Medium–High
   Testing requirement	Surface	Full regression
   Theme upgrade	Usually not needed	Almost always needed
   Module upgrade	Only compatible	All modules for new version

   PHP requirements for different PrestaShop versions

   PrestaShop Version	Minimum PHP	Recommended PHP
   1.6.x	5.6	7.1
   1.7.x	7.1	7.4
   8.x	8.1	8.2

   Which PHP extensions are required for PrestaShop 8.x?

   Required: PDO, MySQLi, OpenSSL, GD, cURL, iconv, mbstring, JSON, XML, Zip. Check via phpinfo().

   What is included in the work (deliverables)

   • Full audit of current configuration (versions, modules, theme, custom modifications)
   • Creation of backup (files + DB)
   • Deployment of staging copy and test upgrade
   • Resolution of module and theme conflicts
   • Upgrade on production during low-traffic window
   • Functional verification and issue logging
   • Training staff on the new version (if admin interface changed)
   • 14-day stability guarantee after upgrade

   How to check module compatibility before upgrading?

   Before upgrading, run the command: php -r "define('_PS_ROOT_DIR_', '/var/www/shop.com'); require _PS_ROOT_DIR_.'/config/config.inc.php'; echo _PS_VERSION_;". Check modules' documentation for version requirements. If a module states support for a PrestaShop version, it should work. However, undocumented dependencies are common — they are only identified on staging.

   Estimated timelines

   Upgrade within the same major version: a few hours. Transition between major versions with full compatibility testing: 1 to 3 days.

   Our experience and guarantees

   We have been working with PrestaShop for over 5 years and are certified as official integrators. Over 50 upgrades without data loss — each client receives an individual migration plan. Request a free audit of your current PrestaShop configuration. Contact us for a project evaluation: we will analyze the configuration and provide exact timelines.