My Joomla 4.x website (running VirtueMart plus a few stock extensions) is still working to MySQL 5 and now needs to have an update onto MySQL 8. The core install is standard—no bespoke hacks or exotic plugins—so the work is mainly about a careful, methodical database upgrade rather than code refactoring. Current safety net Automated backups run nightly, but you still have to take on your absolutely safety work before touching anything. Timeline & tracking I want this wrapped up within by the end the coming week. You must work through Freelancer’s time-tracking app so I can follow progress. What I need from you • Confirm environment compatibility, run a pre-flight check, and flag any hidden MySQL 8 deprecations that might affect Joomla 4 or VirtueMart. • Spin up a staging copy, perform the latest upgrade, and test every front-end and checkout flow. • Sync the upgraded database back to production during a low-traffic window with minimal downtime. • Provide a brief report stating total hours, steps taken, and any follow-up recommendations. Acceptance criteria – Site and store load normally with no new warnings in Joomla’s backend. – Orders can be placed end-to-end in VirtueMart. – phpMyAdmin (or SSH) shows the database engine at MySQL 8.x. Next steps Let me know our hourly rate and roughly how many hours you expect this to take and paste two or three Joomla projects you’ve handled so I can verify your experience. If everything goes smoothly, I’ll keep you on retainer for future maintenance and feature work.