Magento is Dead, Love Live Magento!

Ok, I got your attention. Magento isn't dead. It is alive and well, living in a suburb of Poughkeepsie.

Full disclaimer: I don't have any connection with Magento anymore. I have no monetary motivation to write this. I have no skin in the game. I get nothing from Magento. No one pays me; I don't get any commercial benefit. I make zero money from Magento.         

*WARNING: STRONG OPINIONS CONTAINED BELOW

Let's face it: I have an opinion about Magento. I've watched with a mix of excitement and depression as the Magento landscape has evolved over the last couple of years.

I am bullish about Magento and what Mage-OS can accomplish independently of Adobe.

The acquisition of Magento by Adobe has left many in the community wondering: what's next for this beloved open-source platform? While some may have initially feared the worst, I've come to the realization that the Magento Association and the Mage-OS present an opportunity to take the platform to new heights. (And new life)

The Magento Association's Call to Arms

The formation of the Magento Association, an initiative dedicated to preserving and advancing the Magento platform, caught my attention. I won't rehash history, but it was run by a giant non-profit conglomerate (My words) and only led to more distrust.

Then

Mathias Schreiber bold declaration:

Magento will never die!

This resonated with me, and I was inspired by their unwavering determination to keep the Magento flame alive.

The Rise of Mage-OS

Concurrent with the Magento Association's efforts, the Mage-OS movement has gained significant momentum. This community-driven initiative has created a forked version of Magento that remains true to the platform's open-source roots and unencumbered by Adobe's ownership constraints. The idea of a Magento Redux, untethered from the corporate overlords, has captured the hearts and imaginations of developers and, hopefully, merchants alike.

The Magento Metamorphosis: Embracing the Open Source Evolution

I have been writing about this subject for years, putting my opinions out there and causing division. Hey, we don't all agree, but we can talk about it, right?

I've realized this is not a time for despair but rather a moment of opportunity.

The commercial brand of Magento is dead. (Sorry, Mathias.) However, the name lives on through the community. As much as Adobe shows up at conferences and says it cares about the community, no action is ever taken. (Please name one!!)

Magento is poised to undergo its own metamorphosis. At the heart of this transformation lies the unwavering commitment of the Magento Association and the Mage-OS movement.

The Power of Community

The key strength of Magento has always been its vibrant community. From the passionate developers who contribute to the platform's codebase to the merchants who have built thriving businesses on its foundation (And have stuck with it for years). Magento has long been a testament to the power of collaboration and collective innovation. Now, as the platform faces a crossroads, this very community will be the driving force behind its continued evolution. (Geez, it seems like I have said this 4000 times)

The Mage-OS Manifesto: Reclaiming the Magento Dream

At the heart of the Mage-OS movement lies a simple yet powerful idea: Magento's true strength lies in its ability to empower merchants, developers, and the broader ecommerce ecosystem. By forking the platform and creating a community-driven alternative, the Mage-OS team is effectively reclaiming the Magento dream – a dream of a flexible, scalable, and endlessly customizable ecommerce solution that is beholden to no one but the people who use it.

The Magento Association's Guiding Light

As the Magento Association continues to rally the community and advocate for the platform's open-source future, I can't help but be inspired by their unwavering commitment. They understand that Magento's true value lies not in the corporate ownership or the bottom line but in the collective ingenuity and passion of the people who have built their businesses and careers upon it.

As I reflect on Magento's path ahead, I feel both trepidation and exhilaration. The road may be uncertain, but the potential for future growth is undeniable.

I issue a call to action to the Magento community – to the developers, the merchants, the visionaries, and the dreamers – to embrace this moment of transformation and forge a new era of ecommerce excellence.

Let's unite in our passion for Magento and work to shape its future.

Whether through the Magento Association's advocacy, the Mage-OS movement's bold vision, or the groundbreaking work of the Magento mavericks, let's collectively create a symphony of innovation that will echo through the annals of ecommerce history. (Wow, sounds very formal - It's not)

Don't Should on Me

This is what I think should and could happen:

1. Mage-OS needs to decouple Luma and the Blank Theme and create an open-source package that includes a scaled-down, open source version of Hyva.
2. Hyva should then offer a Mage-OS package that includes everything in its license plus a fully ready-installed version of its commercial frontend.

(I saw don't should on me because I am saying what "Should" happen)

A Coda of Confidence

So, what's next for Magento? The answer lies in (y)our hands. By embracing challenges, harnessing the power of community, and daring to dream of a future unconstrained by corporate interests, we can ensure that the Magento legacy lives on stronger and more resilient than ever before. And who knows, we'll even sneak in a dad joke or two along the way.