Magento extensions are a great way of adding third party tools and features, which not only add to the usability of the site, but also contribute to the cutting edge USP of any e-commerce site. These extensions, which can be developed from the scratch or may also be used from a list of already developed ones, are useful for a variety of functional areas of Magento 2.0. These extensions are also useful for interfacing with third party web applications. After developing a particular extension you need to submit them in the Magento Marketplace and after careful evaluation of the extensions, they are made available for public usage. These extensions can be found at the Magento Connect page. However, before developing and eventual launching of your own Magento 2.0 extensions, there are certain key points which you should take care of. Some of them are discussed below for your reference.
#Tip 1: Research the landscape
Even before you start off with the development or launching of any Magento extensions, it is always suggested to have a thorough study of the MagentoConnect. This research would not only give you information regarding the already available extensions, but also help you carefully analyze the scopes for enhancement. The biggest challenge in any business development is to understand the customer experience and then tackling it. Same goes for the Magento 2.0 extensions as well. Additionally it is wise to re-use certain extensions which are already available and not build them from the scratch. This would also reduce the scope for possible conflicts with other extensions and lessen the burden of support issues.
#Tip 2: Follow the Technical Guidelines
Knowing the technical guidelines about how to develop and launch an extension would always give an upper hand. This would ease the process of development and also ensure compatible extension. It is always advisable to follow the Magento philosophy of coding and development. Sometimes, some platforms would provide some similar functionality and you could benefit by following through the blogs and forums for more insight on how to proceed. A code that has been well documented and properly integrated with unit testing suites would go a long way to generate a goodwill and trust on the extension.
Additionally, every extension that is developed undergoes automated technical review to ensure plagiarism-free content, security and code standards. Also a manual business review process follows up, which ensures that the general marketing guidelines are followed for product specific information and a good user experience. The providers are also expected to submit required business information for streamlined transactions. Hence, to ensure passing of the review and the Magento submission process to be successful, following the proper guidelines is very important.
#Tip 3: Connect with your Audience
The extensions to be developed are built solely for their usability and solving certain problems that exist in the current system. Hence, you must always keep a keen eye on understanding the requirements of the users. This will help understand the gaps in the existing extensions, and find new areas to focus on for development of new extensions. Seeking customer feedback is also an efficient way to connect with your audience. In that way, the key features of the extension and their shortfalls come to surface. This helps in strengthening the product and also to create a good and lasting impression once the feedback from the customer is taken and the issue is resolved.
However, not all customers are going to be technically gifted and hence there must be a sincere effort to explain any technical terminology used. Also it is advisable to use examples and data points wherever necessary to assist in understanding details of the extension in discussion. Hiding some core nitty-gritty details might also be considered, which helps in more readability. However some information to showcase the particular use case of the extension needs to be passed across, enough to keep the interest of the customer.
#Tip 4: Foster Open Communication
It is always wise to keep all the communication channels open for people to interact. This helps in both recognition and gives way for better understanding of the feedback. One such way to keep in touch is the Magento Forums. Being an active contributor to these forums helps in keeping in touch with a wide network of enthusiastic and knowledgeable people. This ensures exchange of ideas and keeps the pathway of growth open by sharing of stories. Various ideas come up in discussions with experts and potential customers.
In addition to the above, these forums can also help you get in touch with developers who have experiences in developing such extensions. Apart from the experiences, information pertaining to certain libraries which can be re-used for your development purposes can also be gained during these interactions. As and when any library is developed and up in the market, it is required to be purchased and installed, information related to them can be found from these forums. This helps in creating awareness and to market their products.
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