Adobe Commerce product evolution

What began with Magento 1 as a classic, on-premise monolithic platform steadily evolved over the years to embrace the flexibility of the cloud, headless architecture, and now, composable. Each iteration—from the launch of Magento Cloud to the separation of front and backends with headless APIs—has reflected the shifting needs of online stores.

Today, Adobe Commerce’s focus is on modularity with composable commerce, empowering companies to build agile, scalable ecosystems with tools like Edge Delivery Services and App Builder. This evolution isn’t just about keeping up with trends; it’s about future-proofing commerce for whatever is around the corner.

Scroll

2008 - 2015 Magento 1: Monolithic

  • Monolithic architecture
  • Sold as on-premise application
  • Hosted/Managed by 3rd party hosting firms

2016 - 2018 Magento 2.0: Cloud

  • Monolithic architecture
  • Launched “Magento Cloud” on AWS
  • Magento collaborates with Google on PWA

2018 - 2019 Magento 2.2 / 2.3: Cloud

  • Separation of frontend/backend architecture
  • Development of GraphQL headless APIs
  • Launch of PWA Studio

2020 (Magento 2.4: Headless

  • Fully decoupled frontend/backend architecture
  • Completion of GraphQL API coverage
  • Full reference PWA store (Venia) with completed components US (Peregrine)
  • PW /Page Builder integration

Now: Composable

  • Composable
  • Edge Delivery Services
  • App Builder
  • SaaS

How composable with Adobe works

To support their composable offering, Adobe has released tools to unify data across platforms, boost performance, simplify maintenance, and bolster your content workflows. Of course, all of the tools connect seamlessly with the rest of the Adobe Experience Platform.

Adobe Commerce is the umbrella for all commerce-related services provided by Adobe. Here’s how the ecosystem fits together:

Adobe Commerce Foundation (Core): The PHP-based application formerly known as Magento.

Commerce SaaS Services: SaaS services that enhance Adobe Commerce or Magento Open Source. These services are free for Adobe Commerce license holders and may become available as paid services in the future.

Service Connector: This software integrates the Adobe Commerce Foundation with SaaS Commerce Services, handling configurations and catalog imports/exports where needed.

Adobe App Builder: A platform to create both full-stack and headless applications on Adobe infrastructure, with support from other Adobe services. App Builder is free for Adobe Commerce license holders. App Builder also extends other Adobe services using SDKs and integrates with the Adobe Commerce admin panel via the React-Spectrum UI framework.

Here’s a bird’s eye view of an example tech stack using composable with Adobe:

Ginormous huge detailed diagram showing how composable with Adobe works

A closer look at Adobe’s building blocks

App Builder

A powerful cloud platform that lets you shift customizations away from the core application, making it easier to integrate with 3rd-party systems.

Admin extensibility: Easily add new pages to the Adobe Commerce admin panel. No more hearing, “It’s hard to customize the admin panel”—because now it’s not!
Non-invasive customization: Build your customizations on App Builder to keep upgrades simple and cut down on technical debt and maintenance costs.

Developer tools: Speed up development with SDKs, UX modeling tools, IDE plugins, and more—everything you need to streamline debugging, testing, and deployment of custom experiences.

Infrastructure: Run and host your code seamlessly as part of your Adobe license.

API mesh and integration starter kit: Connect Adobe apps, third-party systems (like ERP or PIM), mobile apps, and even custom code effortlessly—even for areas that don’t have API coverage!

SaaS Commerce Services

Say goodbye to performance bottlenecks and enjoy improved out-of-the-box functionality designed to keep your business running smoothly.

Product recommendations by Adobe Sensei: Boost sales with AI-driven product recommendations based on shopper behavior, popular trends, and product similarities.

Live Search by Adobe Sensei: This AI-powered search delivers smarter, more relevant results. Use it not only for search but also to enhance category merchandising and guide customers to the right products effortlessly.

Payment services: Get a single, clear view of all payment processes, orders, and invoices to streamline operations and improve customer satisfaction.

Site-wide analysis tool: Stay ahead with this self-service tool that provides in-depth system insights and recommendations.

Catalog service: This multi-tenant SaaS service dramatically accelerates product and category data retrieval—up to 10x faster.

Experience Platform Connector

Seamlessly plug Adobe Commerce into the Adobe Experience Platform ecosystem for unified data and smooth workflows across all Adobe products.

Unify your data: Connect Adobe Commerce to the Adobe Experience Platform (AEP) and get a 360-degree view of your customers across every touchpoint.

Personalization at scale: Deliver hyper-personalized experiences using unified data from AEP and engage customers in real time.

Friction-free integration: The Connector makes it easy to sync product catalogs, order data, and customer profiles—without complex manual setups or delays.

A lil’ help from AI: With Adobe Sensei in the mix, leverage AI and machine learning to uncover patterns, predict trends, and fine-tune your marketing efforts for maximum impact.

Edge Delivery Services

Get your frontend game on with the next-gen performance! Plus, easily create content using AEM, Google Docs, or Microsoft Word.

Delivery pipelines: Deliver content and commerce experiences at warp speed! These pipelines ensure everything runs smoothly, keeping your customers engaged and satisfied, every time they visit.

Drop-in components and SDK: Think of these as ready-made building blocks: modular, pre-built, and frontend agnostic. Develop, test, and deploy independently without a fuss. Built with a standardized framework, these components integrate easily with any interface to supercharge performance.

Document-based CMS: Manage content from tools you already know, like Google Docs or Microsoft Word! Combine this convenience with GenAI capabilities, built-in A/B testing through Adobe Experience Manager (AEM), and seamless content optimization—no complex systems required.

 

How EDS powers content and commerce

 

Blog post: Read about 3 ways to use Edge Delivery Services »

Edge Delivery Services x Adobe Experience Manager

Content variation generation: Instantly create copy and image variations for A/B testing.
Easy setup: No developers or extra tools required to run tests.
Privacy-first and high performance: Maintain customer privacy while delivering top-tier performance.
Analytics: Out-of-the-box (OOTB) reporting helps you gather insights and continuously optimize your site.

Check the diagram below to see how all these components fit together!

Diagram showing how EDS works

Benefits of going composable with Adobe

Build your tech stack your way. Swap in the tools you love and scale seamlessly as your business grows.

Launch new features faster by connecting best-in-class services—no more waiting for one-size-fits-all updates.

Keep your site fast and responsive with modular components and Edge Delivery Services that power exceptional shopping experiences.

Pay only for what you need and avoid bloated solutions. Plus, native Adobe services help you cut down third-party costs.

Connect Adobe products for a unified data ecosystem and use AI-powered tools (like Adobe Sensei) to enhance search, recommendations, and more.

Stay ahead of trends and tech changes with a composable setup that grows and adapts with you.

Freedom to pivot—integrate, replace, or upgrade tools without being tied down to a single platform.

Why choose composable with Adobe Commerce & Vaimo

If you want the best of all worlds, choose Adobe Commerce as your composable foundation and Vaimo as your Adobe Commerce agency. Here’s why you should work with us on your composable project:

Shopify background image

Flexibility

Adobe allows for modular upgrades, seamless integrations, and tailored customizations, allowing you to adapt quickly to market changes, customer demands, and optimizing your business.

More ROI

Choose Adobe for the cost savings and enhanced ROI you’ll experience through reduced maintenance costs, simplified upgrades, and a more agile operational framework.

Experience

We started out as a purist Magento agency in 2008, and have gone through every change right along with Adobe. Our proven track record and extensive expertise with all things Adobe makes us a trusted leader in this space.

Do you have questions?

Think of composable commerce as a “build-your-own-adventure” ecommerce solution. Instead of using a one-size-fits-all platform, you can pick and choose different components (like payments, product search, or customer accounts) to fit your specific business needs. This modular approach is more flexible than traditional platforms, which tend to lock you into predefined features.

Adobe offers the best of both worlds: flexibility and powerful integrations. With features like API Mesh and App Builder, you can easily connect with third-party tools and create custom microservices without worrying about infrastructure. It’s all about scaling efficiently and keeping your commerce platform future-ready.

Yes, the modular nature of Adobe Commerce makes it easy to add or replace features as your business grows. Whether you need to add new payment options or expand into different markets, the platform adapts with you—no need for complete overhauls.

Not at all! Adobe Commerce supports hybrid frontend experiences, meaning you can gradually integrate a composable setup without tearing down your current system. This way, you can transition at your own pace, reducing risks and downtime.

Integration is a breeze thanks to API Mesh, which consolidates various microservices and external tools into a single API endpoint. The Integration Starter Kit and App Builder allow you to build integrations with PIM, CRM or ERP without changing your Adobe Commerce platform. This reduces complexity and enhances performance and security, all while making sure your tech stack works seamlessly together.

The composable model ensures that your platform can evolve with the latest technology trends. You’re not stuck with legacy systems—new features, services, or microservices can be added as they emerge, keeping you ahead of the curve.

Adobe Commerce is ideal for businesses looking for flexibility, customization, and scalability—whether you’re a growing retailer, a large enterprise with global ambitions, or a company wanting to innovate fast in a competitive market.

Yes! Adobe Commerce offers support for both headless and traditional frontend experiences, giving you the freedom to implement a headless approach if and when you’re ready, without being forced into it.

Hello!

Choose your site: