Articles on: Magento 2 User Guide

How to install an extension in Magento 2 - WeltPixel Guides

install-magento2-extension-guide-banner



What Magento is (quick refresher)


Magento is an open‑source ecommerce platform written in PHP. It uses frameworks like Laminas and Symfony and is licensed under OSL v3.0.



Magento 2 editions at a glance


  • Magento Open Source – free and fully customizable.
  • Magento Commerce – enterprise features, available on‑prem or as a managed cloud PaaS.


(Older editions such as Magento Professional and Magento Go are discontinued.)



Why Magento 2 (vs. Magento 1)


  • Better performance (PHP 7+, MySQL improvements, FPC + Varnish).
  • jQuery replaces Prototype.js.
  • Stronger security (SHA‑256 password hashing).
  • Smoother checkout (Instant Purchase, guest‑to‑account flow).
  • Ajax Add to Cart, improved admin UX, richer reports.
  • Built‑in payment integrations (PayPal, Braintree, Authorize.net, etc.).
  • Native B2B features (2.2+).
  • Elasticsearch support.
  • Easier product authoring (including videos).



Ways to install a Magento 2 extension


Paid WeltPixel extensions and themes install and update via Composer only (since 1.16.0). First verify compatibility and install on a staging site before production.


Method 1 — Install via Composer (CLI)


  1. Ensure your Composer access is configured on the instance. For purchases from weltpixel.com, get it under My Products at account.weltpixel.com. For Magento Marketplace purchases, configure your Magento Marketplace authentication keys.
  2. From your Magento root, run:


composer require weltpixel/module-advance-category-sorting
php bin/magento setup:upgrade
php bin/magento setup:di:compile
php bin/magento setup:static-content:deploy -f


That’s it — the module is installed.



Method 2 — Web Setup Wizard (deprecated)


Legacy method, kept for reference only. The Web Setup Wizard is deprecated, and paid WeltPixel extensions install and update via Composer only since 1.16.0.


  1. In Magento Marketplace → My Profile → Purchase History, click Install for the purchased extension.


marketplace-purchase-history-install


  1. Ensure you have Access Keys (Public/Private) under My Profile → Access Keys.


marketplace-create-access-keys


  1. In your Magento Admin, go to System → Web Setup Wizard (Deprecated) → Extension Manager, sign in with your keys, and Refresh to sync purchases.


extension-manager-refresh-purchases


  1. Select the module → Install → pass Readiness Check → take a backup if prompted → proceed through Steps 1–3 until you reach Success.


web-installer-steps-readiness

web-installer-progress

web-installer-success


If the Readiness Check fails, verify cron is running and resolve any reported PHP extension or permissions issues.



Post‑install notes


  • Always clear Magento and application caches after installation.
  • For production, deploy static content and recompile DI if you installed on a running site.
  • Keep extensions up to date to maintain compatibility and security.



Summary


Magento 2 is faster, more secure, and more scalable than Magento 1. Paid WeltPixel extensions install and update with Composer/CLI only (since 1.16.0). Composer access is under My Products at account.weltpixel.com.

Updated on: 28/09/2026

Was this article helpful?

Share your feedback

Cancel

Thank you!