Migrating an OpenCart Store to a New Server

Migrating OpenCart requires special attention to two things: config files with paths and URLs, and database tables with orders and customers. An incorrect migration can break the store and lose orders.

OpenCart file structure

Step 1: Preparation — clear out junk

># Clean up temporary files before creating the backup
rm -rf /var/www/opencart/system/storage/cache/*
rm -rf /var/www/opencart/system/storage/logs/*.log
rm -rf /var/www/opencart/system/storage/session/*

Step 2: Back up files and the database

# File archive
tar -czf opencart-files.tar.gz /var/www/opencart/

# Database dump (with all data: products, orders, customers)
mysqldump -u ocuser -p ocdb   --single-transaction   --routines   --triggers > opencart-db.sql

Step 3: Transfer and restore

># Transfer to the new server
rsync -avz /var/www/opencart/ root@new-server:/var/www/opencart/

# Restore the database
mysql -u newocuser -p newocdb < opencart-db.sql

Step 4: Update config.php (both files!)

># /var/www/opencart/config.php
define('HTTP_SERVER', 'https://www.new-domain.com/');
define('HTTPS_SERVER', 'https://www.new-domain.com/');
define('DIR_OPENCART', '/var/www/opencart/');
define('DIR_APPLICATION', '/var/www/opencart/catalog/');

define('DB_HOSTNAME', 'localhost');
define('DB_USERNAME', 'newocuser');
define('DB_PASSWORD', 'NewPass123');
define('DB_DATABASE', 'newocdb');

# /var/www/opencart/admin/config.php
define('HTTP_SERVER', 'https://www.new-domain.com/admin/');
define('HTTPS_SERVER', 'https://www.new-domain.com/admin/');
define('HTTP_CATALOG', 'https://www.new-domain.com/');
define('DIR_OPENCART', '/var/www/opencart/');
define('DIR_CATALOG', '/var/www/opencart/catalog/');

Step 5: Update the URL in the database

># When changing the domain, update the store settings
mysql -u newocuser -p newocdb <<'SQL'
UPDATE oc_setting
SET value = 'https://www.new-domain.com/'
WHERE `key` = 'config_url';

UPDATE oc_setting
SET value = 'https://www.new-domain.com/'
WHERE `key` = 'config_ssl';
SQL

>location / {
    try_files $uri $uri/ @opencart;
}
location @opencart {
    rewrite ^/(.+)$ /index.php?_route_=$1 last;
}

Post-migration checklist

• The homepage and categories open correctly
• The product page displays with images
• Add a product to the cart and place a test order
• Log into /admin — make sure every section works
• Check the order history — everything should be there
• Check order email notifications
• Make sure payment modules are configured for the new domain