Today, Magento 2 system requirements depend on more than just choosing the right PHP version or server. The requirements vary by Magento release and, importantly, by deployment model. Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce On-Premises share many of the same core infrastructure requirements, while Adobe Commerce on Cloud Infrastructure follows a different approach with its own platform dependencies.

In this guide, we break down the Magento 2 system requirements you need to know before installing, upgrading, or migrating a store. We cover PHP versions and extensions, databases, OpenSearch and Elasticsearch, Composer, RabbitMQ, Valkey, Varnish, nginx, operating systems, memory, SSL, and other essential dependencies. You’ll see how the requirements have evolved across recent Magento 2 releases and what distinguishes Magento Open Source, Adobe Commerce on-premises, and Adobe Commerce Cloud.

Magento 2 System Requirements: Adobe Commerce vs. Open Source

The core system requirements for Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source are identical. Both platforms share the exact same underlying PHP codebase, database architecture, and framework. However, Adobe Commerce on Cloud has unique deployment requirements, and its added enterprise features demand significantly more server resources.

The Shared Core Requirements of Adobe Commerce and Open Source

For a given version (e.g., version 2.4.x), both editions require the same foundational software stack:

• Operating System: Linux distributions (such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux, Ubuntu, or CentOS).
• Web Server: Apache or Nginx.
• Programming Language: Specific PHP versions and matching extension setups (e.g., bcmath, ctype, intl).
• Database: MySQL or MariaDB.
• Search Engine: OpenSearch or Elasticsearch (required for catalog search).
• Caching: Redis and Memcached for session and page caching.

Key Operational Differences Between Magento 2 Open Source and Adobe Commerce

What’s different between Magento 2 Open Source and Adobe Commerce when it comes to system requirements is how you manage and resource the systems. Below, you can find the main distinctions between the two:

• Database Scalability: Magento Open Source is strictly limited to a single database master. Adobe Commerce, on the other hand, can be configured to use split databases (up to three separate databases for checkout, orders, and product data) to handle massive traffic volumes.
• Hardware and Memory Allocations: Adobe Commerce includes resource-heavy enterprise features out-of-the-box (like B2B modules, content staging, visual merchandiser, and Adobe Sensei AI). Because of these extra modules, an Adobe Commerce instance usually requires higher PHP memory limits and more CPU/RAM allocations than a bare-bones Magento Open Source setup to perform efficiently.
• Adobe Commerce Cloud Infrastructure: If you choose the Adobe Commerce Cloud edition, you do not manage the hosting prerequisites yourself. It requires utilizing Adobe’s specific Git-based deployment pipeline, which integrates built-in Cloud infrastructure prerequisites like Fastly CDN, New Relic APM, and Blackfire.io profiling.

Sounds a bit confusing? Let’s look at the following image that illustrates why the system requirements of Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce On-Premise are similar and what differs them from the requirements associated with Adobe Commerce on Cloud:

As you can see, there is more to Magento 2 system requirements than the distinction between Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce. Adobe Commerce itself comes in different deployment models, most notably Adobe Commerce On-Premises and Adobe Commerce on Cloud. This distinction matters because the underlying Magento application may have similar software dependencies, while the infrastructure you need to provide and manage is fundamentally different.

Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce on-premises are the closest comparison. Both are installed and operated on infrastructure that you or your hosting provider control, so their core system requirements cover the same types of components: operating environment, PHP, database, web server, search engine, memory, storage, and other required services. Adobe publishes version-specific requirements for Adobe Commerce, while Magento Open Source has corresponding requirements for its releases.

Adobe Commerce on Cloud is different. Instead of building the entire server stack yourself, you deploy Commerce to Adobe’s managed cloud infrastructure, which introduces its own architecture, provisioning process, storage model, deployment tools, and resource considerations. Adobe’s cloud documentation, for example, covers project provisioning and cloud-specific resources rather than simply listing the same server prerequisites as an on-premises installation.

As a result, we treat Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce on-premises together when discussing traditional system requirements, while addressing Adobe Commerce on Cloud separately where its infrastructure and deployment requirements differ.

Latest Magento 2 Open Source and Adobe Commerce On-Premises System Requirements

Adobe Commerce On-Premises gives you more control over the underlying infrastructure, but that also means you are responsible for providing a compatible software stack. Here, the exact Magento 2 system requirements depend on the release and patch level, with major changes across PHP, database, search, caching, message queue, and web server technologies.

The table below consolidates the latest patch release from each Adobe Commerce On-Premise 2.4.x line and lists the software dependencies currently supported for such deployments.

“—” means Adobe does not list the dependency for that release in the current on-premises system-requirements table. “Not supported” means Adobe explicitly identifies the technology as unsupported.

Important: The table represents the requirements for the latest patch available in each release line. Always check the requirements for the exact Adobe Commerce version you intend to install or upgrade to, because a patch release can introduce changes to supported dependency versions. For example, Adobe Commerce 2.4.7-p10 adds compatibility with MariaDB 11.8.

MySQL 8.0 and Elasticsearch 7.17 End-of-Support Changes

The database and search requirements deserve particular attention when maintaining older Adobe Commerce installations. MySQL 8.0 reached End of Support on April 30, 2026. Adobe Commerce 2.4.7, 2.4.6, 2.4.5, and 2.4.4 will not certify or support newer MySQL major versions after MySQL 8.0. Consequently, Adobe strongly recommends that on-premises merchants running these releases move their database infrastructure to a compatible MariaDB version. Adobe also identifies 2.4.8 and 2.4.9 as the final Commerce releases supporting MySQL, with MySQL 8.4 as the final supported MySQL version.

Elasticsearch 7.17 reached End of Support on January 15, 2026. For Adobe Commerce 2.4.6, 2.4.5, and 2.4.4, Adobe will not certify or support newer Elasticsearch major versions. Merchants on these releases should therefore plan to migrate their search infrastructure to a compatible OpenSearch version. This is particularly relevant for older installations because the current requirements already mark Elasticsearch as unsupported for the latest 2.4.6, 2.4.5, and 2.4.4 patch releases.

These changes illustrate why Magento 2 system requirements should always be checked against the exact version and deployment model rather than treated as a single, permanent specification. A server environment that was appropriate for an older Magento or Adobe Commerce installation may require database, search, caching, or PHP changes before an upgrade.

Latest Adobe Commerce on Cloud System Requirements

Magento 2 system requirements change as Adobe updates each release line and introduces newer versions of PHP, Composer, databases, search engines, message queues, and other services. The table below consolidates the latest patch release for each currently listed Adobe Commerce version line, making it easier to compare the requirements at a glance. These figures are based on Adobe’s current Commerce on Cloud requirements, where service versions can differ from those supported for on-premises installations. Adobe recommends using the exact dependency combination tested for your Commerce version rather than assuming that a newer software version is automatically supported.

“—” means that Adobe does not list the dependency for that release in the current Cloud system-requirements table. “Not supported” means the dependency is explicitly listed as unsupported.

Important: Adobe’s current documentation was updated on July 23, 2026, so these requirements may differ from older Magento 2 system-requirements tables found elsewhere online. Adobe also states that only the dependency combinations listed in its tables are supported and tested.

PHP Requirements for Magento 2

PHP is one of the most important components of the Magento 2 technology stack. However, there is no single PHP version that applies to every Magento 2 installation: supported PHP versions depend on the exact Magento Open Source or Adobe Commerce release. For example, the latest Adobe Commerce 2.4.9 release requires PHP 8.5, while 2.4.8 supports PHP 8.4 and 8.3, and older 2.4.x releases support earlier PHP versions. Always match PHP to the system requirements of your specific Magento version rather than simply installing the newest available release.

For reference, the current Adobe Commerce requirements covered in this guide are:

These versions apply to the Adobe Commerce releases listed in the current system requirements. Magento Open Source follows the same PHP version requirements for the corresponding releases in the current documentation, making the PHP compatibility matrix broadly applicable to both editions.

Required PHP Configuration

Installing a supported PHP version is only the first step. Magento 2 also requires specific PHP configuration settings and extensions. Adobe highlights memory_limit as particularly important because insufficient memory can cause installation, compilation, deployment, and other operational problems. Adobe’s current recommendations are 1 GB for code compilation or static asset deployment, 2 GB for debugging, and approximately 3–4 GB for testing. Adobe also recommends increasing PHP’s realpath_cache_size to 10M and realpath_cache_ttl to 7200 to reduce repeated filesystem lookups.

For a typical production environment, it is therefore important to configure PHP with sufficient memory rather than relying on the default value supplied by the operating system or hosting provider. Adobe’s troubleshooting documentation notes that the readiness checks require at least 1 GB of memory for PHP processes, while 2 GB or more is recommended when additional debugging or resource-intensive operations are involved.

PHP OPcache

PHP OPcache should be enabled for Magento 2 because it improves PHP performance by caching compiled bytecode. Adobe explicitly recommends verifying that OPcache is enabled. It is included in many PHP distributions, and Adobe Commerce on Cloud Infrastructure installs the opcache extension by default. For on-premises installations, administrators should verify that the extension is installed and configure it according to Adobe’s performance recommendations.

Adobe also requires opcache.save_comments to remain enabled for Adobe Commerce 2.1 and later because Magento uses PHP code comments during code generation. Disabling this setting can therefore cause problems even if OPcache itself is working correctly.

PHP Process Control and PHPUnit

Magento 2 also relies on additional PHP tooling for development and performance-related tasks. Process Control (pcntl) must be enabled if you want to run Magento indexers in parallel mode. This is particularly relevant for larger catalogs, where parallel indexing can significantly improve processing efficiency.

The supported PHPUnit version also changes with the Magento release. Adobe currently tests Magento/Adobe Commerce 2.4.9 with PHPUnit 12, 2.4.8-p5 with PHPUnit 10, and 2.4.7-p10 through 2.4.4-p18 with PHPUnit 9. If PHPUnit is required for your development or testing workflow, use the major version corresponding to the Magento release you are running rather than automatically installing the newest PHPUnit version.

PHP Extensions

Magento 2 requires a specific set of PHP extensions in addition to a supported PHP version. The exact setup depends on the deployment model. Adobe Commerce on Cloud Infrastructure divides PHP extensions into three groups: extensions installed by default, extensions that are installed by the platform and cannot be removed, and extensions that can be installed or removed as needed. For Adobe Commerce on-premises and Magento Open Source, the required extensions are defined as part of the PHP installation requirements.

The Cloud categories describe how the platform manages extensions rather than three separate lists of extensions that every merchant must install manually. In particular, extensions in the default and installed/cannot be uninstalled groups are already provided by the Cloud environment. The third group contains optional extensions that can be added or removed according to the requirements of the application.

For Adobe Commerce on-premises and Magento Open Source, administrators must make sure that the required PHP extensions are available in the server’s PHP environment before installation. The lists are effectively identical in the current Magento 2 system requirements, which further illustrates how closely the PHP stack for Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce on-premises is aligned.

Adobe also notes that the PHP extensions required for a particular release can depend on the PHP version and deployment environment. Therefore, before installing or upgrading Magento 2, check the requirements for the exact Commerce or Open Source release you are running.

Other Magento 2 System Requirements

PHP, the database, search engine, and web server are only part of the Magento 2 technology stack. A production-ready installation also depends on a supported operating system, sufficient memory, a mail service, HTTPS/TLS, system utilities, and compatible development tools. The Magento 2 system requirements below apply to the latest Adobe Commerce 2.4.x patch releases, with additional considerations for Adobe Commerce on Cloud Infrastructure where applicable. We insist on checking the requirements for the exact release you plan to install or upgrade because supported software versions can change between patch releases.

Supported Browsers

Magento 2 does not require a particular desktop browser to run the storefront, but Adobe defines supported browsers for both the Admin and storefront. For desktop environments, Adobe supports the latest and previous major versions of Microsoft Edge, Firefox, Chrome, and Safari. Safari support applies to macOS, while mobile browser support covers the storefront.

The practical takeaway is simple: Magento merchants should keep both their browsers and operating systems reasonably current. Adobe’s compatibility policy is based on the current and immediately preceding major browser versions rather than an unlimited range of older releases.

Mail Server and Email Delivery

Magento 2 requires access to a Mail Transfer Agent (MTA) or SMTP server for sending transactional and other application emails. This infrastructure is responsible for delivering messages such as order confirmations, password-reset emails, shipment notifications, and other customer communications.

The implementation differs by deployment model. With Adobe Commerce on Cloud Infrastructure, Adobe provides integration with the SendGrid email service, while Magento 2 system requirements for on-premises installations generally require the merchant or hosting provider to configure an appropriate mail-transfer or SMTP service.

A working mail service is therefore an important part of a production Magento environment, even though it is not the same type of hard software dependency as PHP or MySQL.

Memory and RAM Requirements

Magento 2 can be memory-intensive, particularly during installation, compilation, upgrades, and the deployment of extensions. Adobe recommends having at least 2 GB of RAM available when upgrading applications and extensions obtained from the Commerce Marketplace and other sources. If the system has less than 2 GB of RAM, Adobe recommends creating a swap file to reduce the risk of an out-of-memory failure during the upgrade process.

Magento 2 system requirements for RAM should not be confused with the PHP memory_limit setting discussed earlier. The server’s physical or virtual RAM and PHP’s per-process memory limit are separate resources, and both need to be configured appropriately for the workload.

For larger Magento stores, additional memory may be required because catalog size, number of store views, indexing operations, compilation, imports, and third-party extensions can substantially increase resource consumption.

Operating System

Magento 2 is designed to run on Linux x86-64 environments. Adobe lists Linux distributions such as Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), CentOS, Ubuntu, Debian, and similar Linux distributions among the supported operating-system environments.

Microsoft Windows and macOS are not supported as production operating systems for Adobe Commerce. This Magento 2 system requirement is particularly important when setting up an on-premises server: Magento should run on a supported Linux environment rather than directly on a Windows or macOS server.

Adobe Commerce also relies on several standard Linux command-line utilities for installation, maintenance, deployment, and other operations:

bash, gzip, lsof, mysql, mysqldump, nice, php, sed, and tar.

These utilities may already be available in a standard Linux server installation, but they should be verified before attempting to install or upgrade Magento 2.

SSL, HTTPS, and TLS

A production Magento 2 store should use HTTPS with a valid SSL/TLS certificate. Adobe requires a valid security certificate for HTTPS and does not support self-signed SSL certificates for the supported Commerce environment.

TLS compatibility is also important for external services. Adobe specifies TLS 1.2 or later for services such as PayPal and repo.magento.com. Using an outdated TLS configuration can therefore prevent Magento from communicating correctly with payment services or Adobe’s package repository.

For Adobe Commerce on Cloud Infrastructure, HTTPS and content-delivery configuration also involve Adobe’s supported Fastly setup. Cloud merchants should follow Adobe’s Fastly configuration system requirements for Magento 2 rather than attempting to reproduce a conventional self-managed CDN configuration.

Xdebug

Xdebug is optional and should generally be treated as a development tool rather than a production Magento requirement. Adobe supports Xdebug for development environments because it can be useful for debugging PHP code, tracing execution, and troubleshooting complex issues. However, enabling Xdebug can have a noticeable performance impact, so it should not normally remain enabled on a production store.

Adobe’s documentation currently recommends php_xdebug 2.5.x or later for Adobe Commerce development environments. Cloud deployments have their own procedure for enabling Xdebug during development and debugging.

There is also a known Xdebug-related issue that can affect Adobe Commerce installation or access to the Admin and storefront. Adobe’s current troubleshooting guidance recommends disabling Xdebug or increasing xdebug.max_nesting_level to 200 or higher when this issue occurs.

You can find the official documentation in the official Adobe Commerce Installation Guide.

Final Words: Magento 2 System Requirements

Understanding Magento 2 system requirements is essential before installing, upgrading, or migrating an ecommerce store. Magento Open Source and Adobe Commerce share many of the same core technical requirements, but the exact software versions depend on the Magento release and, in the case of Adobe Commerce, the deployment model.

The most important distinction is between Adobe Commerce on Cloud Infrastructure and Adobe Commerce on-premises. Cloud deployments rely on Adobe’s managed infrastructure and have their own platform dependencies, while on-premises installations require you or your hosting provider to configure and maintain the underlying Linux environment, PHP, database, search engine, caching, message queue, web server, and other services. Magento Open Source follows a similar self-managed infrastructure model, which is why its core requirements are closely aligned with Adobe Commerce on-premises.

For merchants planning a Magento 2 upgrade, the system-requirements check should be one of the first steps in the process. Verify your PHP version and extensions, database and search engine, available memory, web server, caching and queue services, SSL/TLS configuration, and required system utilities before changing the Magento version. This approach helps prevent compatibility problems and unexpected downtime during the upgrade.

And if you need to move products, customers, orders, reviews, or other data between Magento environments and external systems, Firebear Improved Import & Export can automate these workflows without relying on manual data entry or custom scripts, no matter whether you use Magento 2 Open Source or Adobe Commerce. Contact us now for more information.

FAQ: Magento 2 System Requirements for Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source