Magento
Magento is very popular and certainly one of the most developed platforms for running an online shopping cart.
The script is a first choice for those who want to create a large e-store with many functionalities able to manage large number of products. Unfortunately it puts high demands on the server parameters. The script can be viewed and downloaded at www.MagentoCommerce.com
Advantages
Wide range of functionalities
Magento is famous for the number of functionalities it offers. Everyone knows about its extensive analysis, report and product management systems, mobile version or the payments system. It's interesting how the script allows for running several stores at one time from one administration panel. Another example of Magneto's extraordinary capabilities is the ability to set a template for a given product that will make this product to present to a client differently than other products at the same time period.
Community
You can't have a good support without a large community of users who, among others, contrubute to discussion boards. Suffice to say, Magento's technical support is very good.
Architecture
There are scritps that can lead a programmer developing it to a dead end. Limited capabilities of the script won't allow for creating advanced websites. This is not the case with Magento. Although the PHP code is extensive, carefully thought out architecture allows for practically unlimited expansion capabilities.
Additional functionalities
The script features many built-in functionalities, but still there are plenty additional ones that can be installed in Magento. Many of those are professionally written, but they are also chargable. It's worth noticing that there is a more developed paid version of Magento (that grants access to a high priority tech support), but still the free version is loaded with lots of functionalities to begin with.
SEO
The script code has a big SEO potential. Very few of the free online shopping cart scritps are written with such consideration for those optimizing the code this way.
Disadvantages
Server requirements and resources
Modularity and expandability unfortunately often mean high demands on server parameters. This is the case. Not many servers can manage this platform. The list of hosting companies that can accommodate for the script's needs will be a lot shorter than in case of the other online stores.
Administration
Even simple administration tasks like adding a new product may not be as straightforward as in other scripts, e.g. Quick.Cart. Learning its functionalities takes a lot of time and sometimes even takes tutoring from a system's expert.
Installation and modification
The script is not very user friendly and requires an experienced programmer to modify it. Quick.Cart and PrestaShop are much simpler in use and making changes, but they don't offer as great abundance of functionalities as Magento.
Conclusions
Magento is a very ample script. Its architecture and capabilites is unmatched by many other free scripts. It is unfotunately also marked by low efficiency and high server demands. Choosing to start a business with this platform you have to consider that not just any programmer will be able to manage it and not just any server will be able to accommodate it, what could mean bigger expenses. We strongly advise to seriously consider using other applications if you're planning on having a small shop with not very big needs.
Didakos
2014-05-12 23:46
By far the worst framework I've ever worked with. Extremely sluggish, overly complicated and full of boilerplate code "just because", in the name of a flexibility that 99% of User will never need. Developing even the simplest module for it requires hours, if not days of work, and most configuration errors result in a whole module being ignored, without messages or hints of sort. Magento is the perfect example of speculative generalisation, great in theory, but absolutely rubbish in the real world. I strongly recommend to look elsewhere if you need a product that "just works" like: Prestashop, VirtueMart or Quick.CART.
Yan
2014-07-18 13:26
It's comprehensive and robust, but very heavy handed and over the top. Performance issues you hear about are true, really requires a dedicated server
Kanishka
2014-10-30 12:53
Magento is very popular and certainly one of the most developed
platforms for running an online shopping cart.
The script is for create a large e-store with many functionalists able to manage large number of products.
There are some Disadvantages of menento:
It requires a more robust server,
Large disk space & memory which may affect on seo ranking,
Architecture is like an enterprise Java application, but its code base is written in PHP,
High hiring & hosting charges,
Difficult to use,
Buggy,
Full of errors,
Doesn't offer in depth Official support for the free & paid edition also.
Programm3r
2015-02-04 09:22
As a programmer I don't recommend it. Terribly extensive engine, where 95% of modules and options are unnecessary for most shops. Incredible implementation costs, server technical requirements are simply exaggerated for most shops and their needs. Yes, some day some of the options may be useful, but somehow it doesn't convince me.
charle
2016-03-11 14:50
it is the worse platform i ever seen in my life...
Mortuarie
2016-09-16 18:12
Disadvantages: Impossible for me to update. Very Steep learning curve. Takes forever and a day to make minor modifications. Sluggish.
Advantages: Very Flexible
Susan
2017-05-02 07:39
For me as a beginner i would go to Opencart, cause it suits my needs and easy to use when it terms to features, i don’t have much knowledge of programming, but can manage to set up my own online store. Magento is to hard for me.