Upgrade Magento 2.4.3-p3 → Magento 2.4.8-p2 with PHP 8.4

Objective

Upgrade our current Magento 2.4.3-p3 multistore installation (~27,000 products) on Hypernode to Magento Open Source 2.4.8-p2 running on PHP 8.4, while maintaining existing functionality and ensuring a safe, zero-downtime deployment.

Current Environment
- Magento version: 2.4.3-p3
- Stores: Multistore (~27,000 products, multiple storefronts)
- Hosting: Hypernode (currently staging + production on the same node)
- PHP: Currently 7.4

Deployment: GitHub repository as single source of truth, Hypernode release directories with current symlink
Limitation: Hypernode supports only one PHP version per server

We will provide a new Hypernode instance with PHP 8.4 for staging
After successful acceptance on staging, rollout to production will follow

Scope of Work
- Core Upgrade
- Upgrade Magento from 2.4.3-p3 → 2.4.8-p2
- Upgrade PHP from 7.4/8.1 → 8.4
- Adjust system dependencies (MySQL 8.4 LTS or MariaDB 11.4 LTS, Redis/Valkey, Varnish, RabbitMQ 4.x quorum queues)
- Replace Elasticsearch (unsupported in 2.4.8) with OpenSearch 2.x (recommended 2.19)
- Run DB schema/data migrations and ensure indices and search are functional

Extensions & Theme
- We will provide updated versions of commercial extensions (Amasty, Mirasvit, Swissup, Fooman, MultiSafepay, etc.) where required
- Exception: BoostMyShop Embedded ERP and related modules (AdvancedStock, Supplier, DropShip, ERP, etc.) No vendor support is available
Developer must apply necessary fixes/patches for Magento 2.4.8 and PHP 8.4 compatibility

Modules to be removed (disable + uninstall, no upgrade effort):
-BoostMyShop_PointOfSales
- BelVG_ClearBolCom
- BelVG_OrderDataSerializer
- Aheadworks_SocialLogin
- OlegKoval_RegenerateUrlRewrites
-TIG_PostNL

Active modules to maintain (examples, not exhaustive):
- Theme / Swissup Argento: ArgentoChic, ThemeEditor, Navigationpro, ProLabels, etc.
- Mirasvit: Optimize (CSS/JS/HTML/Image), Search, SEO, CacheWarmer, Feed, Blog, Helpdesk, GTM, etc.
- Payment/Shipping: MultiSafepay Connect, DPD Connect, WebShopApps MatrixRate
- ERP: BoostMyShop ERP suite (must be patched where needed)
- Other: Amasty, Aheadworks Giftcard, Fooman, Wyomind, etc.

Deliverables
- Pre-upgrade assessment
- Extension compatibility matrix (current vs. target version, required action, risks)
- Server preflight (PHP/DB/Redis/Varnish versions, OPcache/memory settings)
- Rollback plan (DB + code)
- Upgrade on new staging node (PHP 8.4)
- Composer update to 2.4.8-p2
- Replace Elasticsearch with OpenSearch 2.x
- Upgrade/patch required modules
- Fix PHP 8.4 compatibility issues
- Run DI compile, static content deploy, cache warmup
-Full regression testing

Acceptance testing
- We perform functional checks on staging
- Developer addresses issues before production rollout

Production rollout
- Deploy via release directories + current symlink
- Zero-downtime switch
- Reindex, verify cronjobs/consumers, confirm cache warmers and feeds

Documentation
- Report with exact steps (composer.lock diff, module updates, config changes, patches applied)
- List of disabled/removed modules
- Short upgrade manual for future updates
- Support
- Post-upgrade support period (e.g. 14–30 days)

Testing Requirements
- Frontend: Homepage, category pages, layered navigation (Mirasvit), search (autosuggest, typo handling, facets), PDP media, add-to-cart, minicart
- Checkout: Guest + customer checkout, MultiSafepay methods, shipping options (DPD Connect, MatrixRate), order placement
- Admin: Product save, cache clean, PageBuilder (TinyMCE 7), promotions (catalog/cart rules), BMS ERP flows (stock, supplier, purchase)
- Jobs/Integrations: Cron, queue consumers, CacheWarmer, feed exports, SMTP emails
- Search: Reindexing, relevance tests, synonyms, stopwords
- Performance: Compare baseline vs. post-upgrade (LCP/TTFB), error log monitoring

Expectations from Developer
We are looking for an experienced Magento developer or team who will:
- Take the lead in this upgrade project
- Be proactive in asking technical and content questions
- Provide a clear upgrade plan before starting work
- Work with Git properly (branches, pull requests, commits)
- Communicate clearly (EN) and deliver documentation
- Provide weekly progress reports throughout the project

Planning & Timeline
- Project start (latest): October 1st
- Final delivery deadline: November 30th
- Production rollout only after staging acceptance

Pricing: fixed project price OR estimated hours with rate