After Kentico 13: The Migration Path to Xperience by Kentico

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For companies with a Kentico 13 platform, the situation is clear: security support ends at the end of 2026, and from January 2027 there will be no more security-related patches. The "why" of a replacement is thus largely answered. The more difficult question remains – the "how".

This article describes the concrete migration path from Kentico 13 to Xperience by Kentico: what fundamentally changes on the platform, how a migration realistically proceeds, and which decisions need to be made in advance. It is aimed at everyone who knows the deadline and now needs a reliable roadmap.

Table of Contents

• TLDR
• Why planning should start now
• Experience by Kentico: what fundamentally changes compared to Kentico 13
• Inventory: the basis of every migration
• The migration path in stages – and why it is not just an update
• How Cyber-Solutions supports Kentico migrations
• Conclusion: Migration is an architectural decision

TLDR

• Kentico 13 loses security support at the end of 2026 – migration should be planned now, not reacted to.
• Experience by Kentico is a newly built platform, not a simple version update from Kentico 13.
• A reliable migration starts with an inventory of templates, custom developments, integrations, and content model.
• The path leads via a new implementation with accompanying content migration, not through an in-place update.
• Effort and duration depend primarily on custom developments, integrations, and content volume.

Why planning should start now

The support lifecycle of Kentico 13 is clear: 2026 is the last year with security updates, and full support ends on January 1, 2027. This is less a shutdown deadline and more a planning horizon. Migration to a modern DXP is a project with lead time – from conception through implementation to go-live, months pass depending on scope, not weeks.

Those who start the replacement early gain room for maneuver: migration can be orderly and phased instead of under the pressure of expiring support. At the same time, the switch can be combined with planned projects – such as a relaunch, consolidation of multiple websites, or preparation for headless and AI-capable scenarios. The later date won’t be cheaper; it will only be riskier.

Experience by Kentico: what fundamentally changes compared to Kentico 13

The most important point upfront: Xperience by Kentico is not a new version in the sense of an update but a completely newly developed product. Kentico 13 and Xperience by Kentico share the name and origin but differ significantly in architecture, administration interface, and content model. This is why migration is more than just clicking "update."

For companies, the change brings tangible advantages: a modernized architecture based on current .NET, a revised content management with structured content, and a clearer foundation for API-first and headless scenarios. This allows content to be provided not only for their own website but also for other channels and AI-supported systems – exactly the flexibility Kentico 13 offers only to a limited extent.

This realignment is also the opportunity of migration: instead of transferring an outdated structure one-to-one, it is worthwhile to consciously redesign the content model and architecture to be future-proof.

Inventory: the basis of every migration

Before a single line is migrated, an honest inventory of the existing platform is made. It answers the question of how big the project really is. Experience shows that it is not the content itself that drives the effort but what has been built beyond the standard functions.

Typically, the following questions must be clarified: Which templates and page types are in use, and which will still be needed? What custom developments and extensions exist, and can they be represented differently – often more leanly – in the new platform? What integrations exist with third-party systems such as ERP, CRM, PIM, or shop? How extensive and how cleanly structured is the content inventory, and what of it should be carried over at all?

This inventory is not a bureaucratic intermediate step but the basis for a reliable effort and cost estimate. It prevents typical surprises that arise when migration starts without a clear picture of the current state.

The migration path in stages – and why it is not a pure update

Because Xperience by Kentico is a newly built product, migration does not proceed as an in-place upgrade but as an orderly new implementation with accompanying content migration. In practice, a phased approach has proven successful.

It starts with the concept: based on the inventory, architecture, content model, and scope of migration are defined. This is followed by the new implementation of the platform in Xperience by Kentico – including templates, newly mapped custom functions, and restored integrations. For transferring content and data, the official migration toolkit for Xperience by Kentico provides a customizable tool that supports structured transfer from older Kentico solutions. The conclusion includes testing, approval, and a planned go-live, often with a phase where the old and new environments run in parallel.

Effort and duration of such a project cannot be generally quantified – they depend directly on the results of the inventory. The biggest drivers are the number and complexity of custom developments, the scope of integrations, and the quantity and quality of content to be migrated. A cleanly structured inventory and consciously reduced functionality noticeably shorten the project.

How Cyber-Solutions supports Kentico migrations

As a Kentico Bronze Partner with certified Xperience by Kentico developers and marketers, Cyber-Solutions supports companies throughout the entire migration path – from the initial inventory to go-live. The goal is not to mechanically rebuild an existing platform but to use migration as an opportunity to set up architecture and content model to be future-proof.

A proven entry point is the migration compass: a structured preliminary analysis that captures the current state, makes effort drivers visible, and provides a realistic roadmap – before a major investment decision is made. This turns an abstract deadline into a concrete, plannable path.

Conclusion: Migration is an architectural decision

The replacement of Kentico 13 is more than a technical must – it is the opportunity to consciously redesign your platform to be future-proof. Those who start early on Xperience by Kentico with a clean inventory decide not under pressure but shape the future.

Are you facing the replacement of Kentico 13 and want to realistically plan the migration path?

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