How to install Magento 2 via Composer

First of all, what is Magento 2?

Magento is an online store platform based on open-source technology. Magento is a content management platform for your online store that allows you to control the website settings, plugins, display, and functionalities. Magento provides powerful marketing tools, search engine optimization, and catalog management tools.

Using Magento to create an online store has the following benefits:

• SEO administration, for better indexing in search engines
• Personalized shopping cart
• Flexible system of coupons and prices
• Reporting and analysis system
• Product catalog management
• Optimized for iPhone
• Order tracking
• Product search and image zoom
• Supports multiple languages and currencies

If you are new to eCommerce and Magento, there is a lot to learn. In this article, we will give you an overview of how to install the sample data in Magento 2.

What is Magento sample data?

Magento sample data includes a showcase using the Luma theme, presented with more than 250 products, categories, promotional pricing rules, and more. This data saves merchants a lot of time when creating a test showcase because it works exactly like a real Magento store.

How to install sample data on Magento 2?

You can install the sample data when setting up Magento or add it afterward. There are two main ways to do this:

1. Using Composer
2. Cloning storage

Installing the sample data with Composer

This method applies to both Magento Open Source and Magento Commerce. You can use Composer to install the sample data after Magento. The same authentication keys (access keys) that are used to install Magento must be used.

Steps to install Magento 2 using Composer:

Step 1: Select a solution

You can get started with one of the following solutions:

1. Install from a Zip file: Easy installation, no command line required.
2. Metapackage: Use Composer to install Magento.

Before you continue, make sure you’ve completed the following:

1. Set up a server that meets Magento’s system requirements
2. Create the Magento file system owner

Step 2: Install Magento 2 Step by Step

1. Download Magento packages – https://magento.com/tech-resources/download
2. Upload to your server
3. Update file permissions
4. Run the Magento Setup Wizard
5. Complete the installation process

ATTENTION: If you encounter errors during installation, you must resolve them before proceeding. Click More Detail (if available) to see additional information about each issue.

Complete the sample data installation

After downloading the sample data packages, log in to your Magento server as (or switch to) the Magento file system owner and run the following command in the <magento_root> folder:

bin/magento setup:upgrade

If you’ve followed all the steps, you can now check both the frontend and backend to confirm that Magento 2 and the sample data were successfully installed.

Updated on: 18/09/2025