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Adobe Commerce Headless Migration Step by Step
An Adobe Commerce headless migration is enterprise architecture work, not a theme update with extras. It is a separate project with phases, stakeholders, risks, and a clear transition plan. For enterprise buyers with B2B workflows, Adobe stack integration, and procurement processes, the phases are more important than for mid-market platforms.
This guide shows six phases, each with goals, typical duration, and the most common pitfalls.
Phase 0: preparation, before the project officially starts
Goal: Clarity on business goal, stakeholders, budget, Adobe stack strategy.
Typical duration: 2 to 4 weeks (longer than other platforms because of procurement).
In this phase you fix the "why": B2B workflow acceleration, multi-backend optionality, total cost of ownership reduction, marketing velocity, BFSG compliance. Plus the Adobe stack strategy: do you stay deep in the Adobe stack, or open vendor diversification?
Identify three key stakeholders: an Adobe Commerce architect, a B2B workflow owner (typically from sales or customer success), and a marketing owner. Plus the CFO or the procurement lead, because Adobe Commerce frontend decisions affect license and engineering budgets.
Common mistake: Starting the migration without clarifying the Adobe stack strategy context. If the strategy is "stay fully in the Adobe stack", PWA Studio is the right choice.
Phase 1: discovery and architecture
Goal: Technical inventory, architecture decision.
Typical duration: 4 to 6 weeks.
Inventory your existing Adobe Commerce stack: active extensions, B2B module configurations (company accounts, approval hierarchies, shared catalogs), Adobe Sensei integration, AEM connection, Analytics and Target setup, multi-store configuration, third-party systems.
Make the frontend decision: stay with the default theme, switch to Hyvä, go to PWA Studio, or to an FMP like Laioutr? This question is decided in detail in Adobe Commerce frontend alternative.
Common mistake: Adobe Sensei and AEM integrations are underestimated in the audit. If these are deeply anchored in the current stack, PWA Studio is usually more worthwhile than an FMP.
Phase 2: setup and integration
Goal: Set up frontend platform, establish Adobe Commerce API connection.
Typical duration: 3 to 5 weeks.
With Laioutr, you set up Studio, connect the Adobe Commerce GraphQL API, configure multi-store and B2B setups, dock third-party systems (Adobe Analytics, Marketo, ERP, PIM) via the App Store.
Common mistake: B2B API endpoints are tested too late. Adobe Commerce B2B GraphQL schemas are rich but complex. Early API tests with real company account and quote data are critical.
Phase 3: component and theme build
Goal: Build the actual storefront, including B2B workflows.
Typical duration: 6 to 12 weeks, depending on B2B complexity.
With Laioutr's B2B components, you do not start from zero. Company account frontends, quote negotiation UIs, approval flow components, and shared catalog renderings are available. Branding, project-specific workflows, and Adobe-specific logic you build on top.
Common mistake: Adobe-specific frontend logic (Sensei recommendations, AEM content) is developed in parallel to the storefront, instead of integrated upstream.
Phase 4: data migration and content transfer
Goal: Transfer existing content safely.
Typical duration: 3 to 4 weeks.
Adobe Commerce CMS pages, Magento Page Builder content, AEM content snippets, blog posts. For default theme or PWA Studio migration: content is rebuilt in Studio.
Common mistake: AEM-embedded content will not be 1:1 transferable, some components must be rebuilt.
Phase 5: SEO transition and redirects
Goal: Save existing rankings.
Typical duration: 2 weeks, parallel to Phase 4.
301 redirect map, hreflang and canonical tags (especially important with multi-store), reset Schema.org markup.
Common mistake: Adobe Commerce-specific URL settings (suffix .html, SEO URL parameters) are forgotten in the redirect map.
Phase 6: go-live, monitoring, iteration
Goal: Go live and ensure nothing tips over.
Typical duration: Go-live on a weekday, stabilization 3 to 4 weeks.
Do not go live on Fridays. Watch in the first 72 hours especially: conversion rate (B2C and B2B separately), B2B workflow completion rates, Core Web Vitals, Adobe Commerce API latencies, Search Console anomalies.
Common mistake: B2B workflow tests are pushed to the last sprint weekend. B2B buyers have less patience than B2C buyers, a broken quote flow costs six-figure deals.
Typical overall timeline
For an enterprise Adobe Commerce project with B2B workflows, Adobe stack integration, and multi-store: 14 to 24 weeks from kickoff to go-live. The longer timeline compared to other platforms reflects the procurement, stakeholder, and B2B complexity.
Which partners can support you
A migration on your own is possible, but rarely the fastest path. In Germany, particularly proven for Adobe Commerce frontend projects with Laioutr: FATCHIP for Adobe Commerce enterprise migrations and B2B projects. A complete list is in the Partners area.
Conclusion: migration is enterprise architecture work
A successful Adobe Commerce frontend migration rarely fails on technology, mostly on unclear Adobe stack strategy decisions, B2B workflow complexity underestimation, or an SEO phase considered too late.
If you are planning a concrete migration, we walk through an audit with you, honestly, with a concrete phase plan and realistic timeline.
Related resources: Composable Headless Frontend and Content Management.