Magento Open Source is Adobe’s open-source e-commerce platform for building and operating an online store. It is a PHP application that you install and manage on compatible server infrastructure, using Composer and command-line tools. Its framework organizes functionality into modules, while themes shape how the storefront looks.
How Magento Open Source works
A Magento store is assembled from application code and its dependencies, then run alongside supporting server services. Store features and customizations are organized through the platform’s framework rather than being limited to the visual theme.
- Assemble the application. Adobe’s documented production installation uses Composer to create a project from the Magento Open Source metapackage. Composer manages PHP packages and their dependencies. The
composer.jsonfile declares packages;composer.lockrecords the specific versions selected for that installation. - Run it on compatible infrastructure. Magento depends on PHP, a database, search, and other server software. The supported versions depend on the Magento release being installed.
- Use modules and themes to provide the store. Modules group code around business features and can add functionality or extend another module. Themes affect storefront presentation. Adobe describes the underlying PHP-based Commerce framework as shared by Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source; that shared framework does not mean the two editions include identical features or services.
- Install and maintain it using command-line tools. Adobe documents command-line installation and upgrades. Its production integrator workflow is distinct from the Git-based workflow intended for contributors working on the Magento Open Source codebase.
Adobe’s System Requirements page, updated September 18, 2026, lists the following for Magento Open Source 2.4.9. These are release-specific requirements, not a general compatibility list for every Magento version.
| Component | 2.4.9 requirement listed by Adobe |
|---|---|
| PHP | 8.5 |
| Composer | 2.10 |
| Search | OpenSearch 3 |
| Database | MariaDB 12.3 recommended, or 11.8 |
| Message brokers | RabbitMQ 4.3 or ActiveMQ Artemis 2 |
| Cache | Valkey 9 |
| Web server | nginx 1.30 |
Adobe’s requirements page also lists required PHP extensions and Linux x86-64 operating-system requirements, and says Windows and macOS are not supported for the server environments listed there. Check the requirements for the exact release and patch you plan to install or upgrade to. Adobe’s Magento Open Source packages reference, updated August 20, 2026, documents the Composer dependency set for version 2.4.9.
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Is Magento Open Source free?
“Open Source” identifies the product edition; it does not mean Adobe provides a no-setup hosted store. Adobe’s documented installation requires access to an application server, Composer, command-line work, and infrastructure that meets the release’s requirements. The cited documentation establishes the installation and operating model, but does not provide a complete cost comparison or determine what a particular hosting, development, or maintenance setup will cost.
What do you need to run Magento Open Source?
- A server environment compatible with the precise Magento release, including its required operating system, PHP extensions, database, search service, and other supporting software.
- Composer and command-line access to obtain, install, configure, and update the application.
- A way to manage dependencies consistently. The lock file captures the package versions used by the installation.
- Technical capacity—your own or a service provider’s—to handle installation, upgrades, compatibility checks, and any custom modules or integrations the store needs.
The specific 2.4.9 software versions are listed above; do not assume they apply to another release. For setup steps, see Adobe’s Quick start on-premises installation and Get the Adobe Commerce software documentation.
Do you need a developer to use Magento Open Source?
The documented production setup is developer-oriented: it involves server access, Composer, command-line installation, and ongoing version compatibility work. A business does not necessarily have to employ an in-house developer, but someone with the relevant technical skills must take responsibility for installation and maintenance. How much additional development is needed depends on whether the available modules and themes fit the store and what custom features or integrations it requires.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Magento Open Source versus Adobe Commerce
Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce are distinct product editions, even though Adobe’s developer documentation describes a framework shared by both. Do not infer that a feature, service, or commercial-edition capability is included in Magento Open Source just because it uses the same framework. Check Adobe’s documentation for the exact edition and release when evaluating a specific capability.
For a practical comparison with another platform or edition, assess who will operate the infrastructure, what customization is needed, which edition-specific features and services are available, and who will maintain dependencies and upgrades. The cited documentation does not establish a current feature-by-feature comparison of the commercial edition, so individual inclusions and exclusions need to be verified separately.
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