You probably go to the doctor for a yearly checkup, but how often do you check the health of your eCommerce store? Much like preventative care, code audits are conducted to catch and fix potential problems before they cause more expensive and complicated issues. If your site has experienced several changes, updates, and customizations, it’s likely that you’ve racked up some technical debt due to code inconsistencies. Taking care of your outdated site ASAP could potentially save you thousands in the long run.

What’s a Code Audit?

A code audit consists of a careful analysis of your website’s architecture, noting any potential security risks, unnecessarily complex codes, and outdated tools. This process will also help you implement the best practices for your store and provide advice for making the suggested changes. While each code audit will differ depending on the site’s unique architecture, you can expect an auditor to complete the following steps during the process:

• Generate an overall health report for your website
• Note both major and minor code issues
• Create a plan to fix the issues identified
• Suggest site improvements and optimization strategies
• Identify security loopholes and potential vulnerabilities
• Provide assistance with following Magento best practices
• Give actionable insights and recommendations on server configuration

How the Auditing Process Works

A code auditor works similarly to an editor in the sense that they carefully comb through each line of code to see if sections are poorly written, too complex, or need to be replaced altogether. Since the Magento platform is constantly evolving and improving, it can be easy for retailers to fall behind on updating their sites in order to keep up with best practices. An audit will create a detailed report of your eCommerce store’s code, paying particular attention to the following areas:

• Website security and environment. This includes an analysis of the source code, custom and purchased modules, security updates, and the database structure. Once the development standards are checked, the developer can identify any security issues or issues with the code quality.
• Website performance. A slow website can be a symptom of a deeper problem within the coding of your site. An auditor will be able to reveal any underlying problems within the code, and they may additionally suggest general optimization techniques to further improve site speed.
• HTTP server,  MySQL, and PHP. Developers will examine any architecture issues in custom or installed modules or extensions and review queries made in PHP.
• Browser compatibility. Developers will suggest optimization strategies and Magento best practices that retailers can implement to boost their site’s SEO.
• 3rd-party extensions. Any extensions that pose possible security risks or require regular upgrades will be checked, along with any purchased themes or customized integrations.
• JavaScript/CSS/HTML. The developer will analyze the performance of various JavaScript plugins, Magento templates, and the CSS framework of your eCommerce site.

Signs You Need a Code Audit

If you have experienced performance issues, site crashes, or other problems with your site that you can’t seem to identify, conducting a code audit should be your next course of action. Diagnosing issues with your code now and getting to the root of the problem can prevent you from losing loyal customers due to security risks or slow performance later. However, even if you think your store is perfectly healthy, there may be faulty coding or inconsistencies that you’re unaware of. To determine if you would benefit from a code audit, ask yourself these questions:

• Is the code consistent with Magento’s coding standards?
• Has the core code been changed at all?
• Have you installed any third-party extensions?
• Do you use any customized extensions?
• Have you applied the latest security patches?
• Are there any unused extensions?

If you answered yes or “I don’t know” to any one of these questions, you’re in need of a professional code audit.

Next Steps

To make sure that every detail is accounted for, Wagento code audits carefully consider all of the various elements and features that influence a site’s performance. A Wagento code audit includes the analysis of a website’s:

• Hosting partner
• Web servers
• Infrastructure
• Native and custom functionalities
• Current site speed
• Caching
• Server configuration
• Database performance
• Current integrations and extensions
• Future compatibility

After the code audit is complete, a Wagento developer will compile a detailed report and give you a consultation to get your site back on track. Instead of waiting until something goes wrong with your website, be proactive and schedule a code audit today!