Module 3

Unit 8 Introduction to Drupal

Drupal is a free, open-source content management system written in the PHP programming
language and distributed under the GNU General Public License (version 2 or later). Because
Drupal is open source, users can run Drupal or modify it as they see fit.

Dries Buytaert created Drupal in 2000 as a message board while studying at the University of
Antwerp and released it as an open-source project in 2001. He intended to name it “dorp”
(Dutch for “village”) to reflect the community focus, but a typo led to “[Link],” which
eventually became “Drupal,” derived from the Dutch word “druppel,” meaning “drop.”

The Drupal slogan is "Come for the code, stay for the community." You can download the
software for free and do what you like with it. Drupal helps users’ structure and manage
their content. People can use it to build websites or web applications, as well as integrate it
with many third-party sites and services.

Drupal is a robust content management platform. Functionality is bundled in "modules"

which you can use to alter and extend your out-of-the-box Drupal site. Themes control the
look-and-feel, and like modules, are used to customize your Drupal site. Drupal helps you
create dynamic, content-driven websites. Today, Drupal has more than 51,000 modules that
extend its functionality in areas such as content scheduling, auto URL aliasing, and
tokenization. There are also hundreds of integrations for applications like Mailchimp, Apache
Solr, and the Salesforce suite.

Drupal community
Drupal is used, built, taught, documented, and marketed by the Drupal community, which
is made up of people from around the world, with a shared set of values, collaborating
together in a respectful manner. The Drupal community is one of the largest open-source
communities in the world with more than 1,000,000 passionate developers, designers,
trainers, strategists, coordinators, editors, and sponsors working together. They build Drupal,
provide support, create documentation, share networking opportunities, and more.

Following are the groups that most often touch the software.

1. Developers

Who they are:

Programmers, tech hobbyists, site builders, module/theme developers, and full-stack
engineers.

Why they love Drupal:

• Open source: Anyone can contribute or modify the code. Drupal has over 1 million
members, with 10,000+ active contributors.

• Modular design: 51,000+ modules and 3,000+ themes allow developers to extend
and customize sites easily.

• Composable architecture: Supports traditional, headless, or hybrid setups for flexible

content delivery.

• Modern tooling: Uses PHP, Composer, and the Symfony framework for powerful,
object-oriented development.

• World-class security: Backed by a dedicated security team and the Drupal Steward
program. Used by governments worldwide for its reliability.

2. Marketers

Who they are:

Digital marketers, content strategists, and campaign managers.

Why they love Drupal:

• Independence: With WYSIWYG tools and drag-and-drop page builders, marketers

can create and manage digital experiences without relying on developers.
 • Reusable content: Drupal's composable content model lets teams reuse blocks,
fields, and media efficiently.

• Strong integrations: Seamlessly connects with martech tools like CRMs and
marketing automation platforms.

• SEO-ready: Fast-loading, mobile-friendly, and search-optimized with features like

sitemaps and structured metadata.

• Accessibility: Built to meet accessibility standards (WCAG 2.0 AA), making websites
usable for everyone.

• Multilingual: Translated into 94 languages, with tools to manage translations and

support SEO.

3. CMOs and CIOs

Who they are:

Chief Marketing Officers, Chief Information Officers, and other executives.

Why they value Drupal:

• Scalability & performance: Handles high-traffic websites with features like caching,
BigPipe, CDNs, and failover support.

• Composable enterprise: Encourages reusable, scalable digital systems that work

across channels and devices.

• Faster time to market: Low-code tools reduce launch time, giving businesses a
competitive edge in publishing content or launching campaigns.

• Efficiency & collaboration: Enables teams (marketing, IT, devs) to work together
more productively with shared tools and systems.

The Bigger Picture: The Drupal Community

The Drupal community includes:

 • Developers (core, module, and theme contributors)

• Designers and UX experts

• Marketers and content creators

• Translators and accessibility advocates

• Educators and documentation writers

• Project managers and site builders

• Organizations and enterprises using and supporting Drupal

• Event organizers and volunteers who run meetups, DrupalCamps, and DrupalCon

The community is collaborative, innovative, and mission-driven, united by the shared goal
of building powerful, accessible, and flexible digital experiences through Drupal.

Key aspects of the Drupal developer community:

• Vast and diverse:

The community includes over a million members, encompassing developers, designers,

trainers, strategists, and more.

• Open source and collaborative:

Drupal is built and maintained by the community, with contributions ranging from core
development to theming, documentation, and event organization.

• Welcoming and inclusive:

The community emphasizes respect, collaboration, and inclusivity, making it a supportive

environment for everyone.

• Global network:

Drupal is used and developed worldwide, with various user groups, online forums, and chat
channels for local and topical discussions.

• Opportunities for contribution:

Individuals can contribute to Drupal in various ways, including code development,
documentation, translation, and support.

• Community events:

DrupalCon and local camps provide opportunities for learning, networking, and knowledge
sharing.

• Driven by the Drupal Association:

The Drupal Association is a non-profit organization that supports the Drupal project and
community.

• Continuous improvement:

The community is constantly working to improve Drupal's features, security, and

performance.

• Support and resources:

[Link] provides extensive documentation, issue queues, and forums for support and
collaboration.

• Focus on security:

Drupal has a strong security process, with community members actively involved in
identifying and resolving vulnerabilities.

Key Features of the Drupal Community:

1. Open-Source Collaboration

o Anyone can contribute to code, design, documentation, and translations.

o Contributions are reviewed, shared, and improved by the community.

2. [Link] Platform

o The official hub for downloading Drupal, reporting issues, and sharing
modules, themes, and distributions.
 o Hosts forums, issue queues, and documentation.

3. DrupalCon Events

o Major international conferences that bring together community members for

talks, training, and collaboration.

4. Local Meetups and Camps

o Regional events and user groups meet to share knowledge, network, and
contribute to the project.

5. Contribution Areas

o Core development, module and theme creation, testing, UX design,

accessibility, documentation, mentoring, and more.

6. Governance and Values

o Guided by values like innovation, collaboration, and respect.

o Dries Buytaert, the project’s founder, still plays an active role in leadership.

Why the Drupal Community Matters:

• It ensures the platform evolves with changing technologies.

• It supports new users and developers, making the software more accessible.

• It drives innovation through shared knowledge and global teamwork.

current version of Drupal

Drupal 11 is the latest release of Drupal.

Drupal 10 will reach end of life, with no further security support, sometime in 2026
to coincide with the release of Drupal 12.
Features of Drupal
1. Security
2. Performance and scaling
3. Multilingual
4. Accessibility
5. Marketing automation
6. Content authoring
7. Personalization
8. Content as service
9. Modular and extensible architecture
10. Custom content types and fields
11. User roles and access control
12. API-first and headless CMS
13. Taxonomy system
14. Community and eco system
15. Open source

Security

Drupal has a strong reputation for security, with regular updates and a dedicated security
team actively addressing vulnerabilities.

Drupal’s security ensures:

• User Access Control

• Database Encryption

• Information sharing via security reports

• Auto-update and core validation work in partnership with GitHub

• Prevention of malicious data entry

• Mitigation of Denial of Service (DoS) attacks

• Patching of issues before they’re exploited

Performance and scaling

a scalable Drupal site is one that can handle increased traffic and content growth without
significant performance degradation.

• Ensures uptime without server outages

• Runs more than a million checks a day for potential performance issues

• Routes technology that dynamically scales across server clusters

Multilingual

Drupal has built-in support for creating and managing websites in multiple languages,
making it ideal for reaching global audiences. Drupal have built-in multilingual features:
translate content, interface, and configuration. It Supports right-to-left (RTL) languages.

Drupal features over 100 languages, providing translations for user interfaces, basic content
forms, and much more. You can also add your translations.

Accessibility

Accessibility features in Drupal are tools and design practices that make websites usable for
people with disabilities, including visual, hearing, mobility, and cognitive challenges. These
features help ensure inclusivity, allowing everyone to access and interact with your website.

Drupal is known for its strong commitment to accessibility, making it a good choice for
building inclusive websites that comply with international standards like WCAG (Web
Content Accessibility Guidelines) and Section 508.

Marketing automation

Drupal, while primarily a Content Management System (CMS), offers powerful marketing
automation capabilities through core features and integration with external tools. These
features help businesses automate repetitive marketing tasks, track user behavior, and
deliver personalized experiences.

Drupal can help with your results, including:

 • Real-time sales alerts

• Data management in bulk

• Streamlined workflows

• No licensing costs

• Advanced email reporting for specific audiences

• Refinement of your marketing processes

• Less time required for marketing staff

Content authoring

Drupal provides robust tools for creating, managing, and organizing content, including
structured content types, flexible layouts, and workflow management.

This results in a Drupal-based content flow:

• Create content — even from numerous users — in one place

• Deploy content across channels

• Connect with all of your marketing tools

• Users access your content on any device

• Monitor site content and campaigns in one place, ensuring brand consistency

• Tailor, retarget, personalize content

Personalization

Personalization in Drupal refers to the ability of the content management system (CMS) to
deliver customized content and experiences to different users based on their behavior,
preferences, location, roles, or other attributes. This is a key feature for improving user
engagement, conversion rates, and overall digital experiences.

Key Concepts:

• Targeted Content:
Delivering specific content to users based on their characteristics or actions, making the
website more relevant to them.

• Personalized Experiences:

Creating dynamic and customized user journeys based on user segments and profiles.

• A/B Testing and Optimization:

Using personalization to test different content variations and optimize for conversions and
engagement.

Content as a Service (CaaS)

Content as a Service (CaaS) features revolve around providing a centralized, cloud-based

platform for managing and distributing content across various digital channels. Key features
include a centralized content repository, API-driven delivery, structured content, platform
independence, and omnichannel support. This approach decouples content from its
presentation, allowing for flexibility and efficiency in content management and distribution.

Core Features of Content as a Service (CaaS):

• Centralized Content Repository:

CaaS platforms offer a single, cloud-based location for storing and managing all content,
eliminating the need for multiple CMS instances.

• API-First Approach:

Content is accessed and delivered through APIs, enabling seamless integration with various
platforms like websites, mobile apps, and IoT devices.

• Structured Content:

CaaS platforms allow for the creation of structured content, making it easier to manage and
reuse content across different channels.

• Platform Independence:

CaaS is platform-agnostic, meaning it can be used with any technology stack or front-end
framework.
 • Omnichannel Support:

CaaS enables consistent content delivery across all channels, ensuring a unified brand
experience.

• Content Creation Tools:

Many CaaS platforms offer user-friendly interfaces with pre-built templates and components
for creating and managing content.

• Integration Capabilities:

CaaS platforms often integrate with third-party tools and services, extending their
functionality and enhancing content workflows.

• Content Delivery Network (CDN):

CaaS providers may utilize CDNs to optimize content delivery and ensure fast loading times
for users across different locations.

Modular and extensible architecture

Drupal's architecture is renowned for its modularity and extensibility, allowing developers to
tailor the platform to specific needs. This is achieved through a core system with essential
functionalities, complemented by a vast ecosystem of contributed modules that extend or
modify its capabilities. The platform's flexible structure enables customization through
theming, user role management, and content modelling, making it suitable for a wide range
of applications, from simple blogs to complex enterprise-level websites.

Key Aspects of Drupal's Modular and Extensible Architecture:

• Modular Structure:

Drupal's core functionality is built on a modular architecture, meaning it's composed of

independent modules that can be added, removed, or customized. This allows for a flexible
and scalable system, where specific features can be easily incorporated or modified without
impacting the core.

• Contributed Modules:
A vast collection of contributed modules, developed by the Drupal community, are available
to extend Drupal's core functionalities. These modules can add new features, modify existing
ones, or integrate Drupal with other systems.

• Community Support:

Drupal benefits from a large and active community of developers, designers, and users who
contribute to its growth, provide support, and develop new modules and themes.

• API-First Approach:

Drupal embraces an API-first approach, making it easier to integrate with other systems and
create decoupled applications.

• Composable Architecture:

Drupal's modularity and flexibility allow for a composable architecture, where different
components can be combined and integrated to create unique digital experiences.

Custom content types and fields

Custom content types allow defining specific data structures for different types of content,
while fields provide the ability to add various data types (text, images, etc.) to these content
types. This modularity allows for tailored content models that precisely fit the needs of a
website.

Custom Content Types:

• Content Structure:

Content types act as blueprints for content, defining the fields and structure for each type of
content (e.g., articles, products, events).

• Flexibility:

Drupal allows creating an unlimited number of custom content types to accommodate

diverse content needs.

• Configuration:
Each content type can be configured with specific settings for submission forms, publishing
options, display settings, comment settings, and menu settings.

• Fields Integration:

Content types are built upon fields, allowing for the addition of various data types to store
specific content information.

Custom Fields:

• Field Types:

Drupal provides a wide array of field types (text, number, image, etc.) and the ability to
create custom field types to meet unique requirements.

• Field Configuration:

Fields can be configured with specific settings like allowed number of values, default values,
and display settings for different contexts.

• Field Widgets:

Drupal offers various field widgets (text fields, text areas, image pickers, etc.) for user input,
which can be customized for a better user experience.

• Field Formatters:

Different field formatters (display options) can be applied to control how the field data is
presented on the website.

• Reusability:

Fields can be reused across different content types, promoting consistency and reducing
redundancy.

Key Features and Benefits:

• Enhanced Content Modelling:

Drupal's flexible content modelling allows for creating custom content structures tailored to
specific website needs.
 • Improved Content Management:

Custom content types and fields simplify content organization, making it easier to manage,
update, and retrieve content.

• Reusable Content:

Content can be reused across different parts of the website, promoting consistency and
reducing content duplication.

• Customization:

Drupal provides various customization options for fields, widgets, and formatters, allowing
for a unique user experience.

• Integration:

Content types and fields integrate seamlessly with other Drupal features like views, blocks,
and panels.

User roles and access control

Drupal's user roles and access control features allow administrators to manage user
permissions and control what users can do on a website. Drupal uses roles to group
permissions, which are then assigned to users. This system provides a flexible and secure
way to manage user access to different parts of a website.

Key Concepts:

• Roles:

Roles are collections of permissions that define what a user can do on a Drupal site.

• Permissions:

Permissions are specific actions or tasks that a user is allowed to perform, such as creating
content, editing content, or managing users.

• User Accounts:
Each user has a unique account with associated information like username, email, and roles.

• Default Roles:

Drupal comes with three default roles:

• Anonymous User: Users who are not logged in.

• Authenticated User: Users who have registered and logged into the site.

• Administrator: Users with full access and control over the site.

• Custom Roles:

Administrators can create custom roles and assign specific permissions to them based on the
needs of the website.

How it works:

1. 1. Role Creation:

Administrators create new roles and assign appropriate permissions to them.

2. 2. User-Role Assignment:

When a user registers or an administrator creates a new user account, the user is assigned
one or more roles.

3. 3. Permission Enforcement:

When a user attempts to access a feature or perform an action, Drupal checks the user's
assigned roles and their corresponding permissions to determine if access should be granted

Benefits of using Roles and Permissions:

• Granular Control: Allows administrators to precisely control what users can do on the
site.

• Security: Reduces the risk of unauthorized access and malicious actions by limiting
user permissions.

• Efficiency: Managing permissions through roles simplifies user management and

reduces the need to assign permissions individually.
API-first and headless CMS

Drupal's API-first and headless capabilities allow it to function as a robust backend content
repository, delivering content via APIs to various frontends, thus decoupling the content
management system from its presentation layer. This means developers can use any
technology to build the frontend, while Drupal handles content creation, management, and
storage.

Here's a breakdown of Drupal's API-first and headless features:

API-First Approach:

• Core API:

Drupal has robust APIs (RESTful Web Services, JSON:API, and GraphQL – via modules) that
enable external applications to interact with its content and data.

• Decoupled Architecture:

Drupal's API-first nature allows for a decoupled architecture, separating the front-end
(presentation layer) from the back-end (content management).

• Content as Data:

Drupal delivers content as data through APIs, enabling flexibility in how that content is
presented and consumed.

Headless CMS Functionality:

• Content Delivery via APIs:

Drupal's headless capabilities mean that content is primarily accessed and delivered through
APIs, rather than being tied to a specific frontend theme.

• Front-end Flexibility:

Developers can choose any frontend framework (React, Vue, Angular, etc.) or even build
native mobile apps, and connect them to Drupal's API for content.

• Omnichannel Content Delivery:

Drupal can power content across multiple channels and devices (websites, mobile apps,
digital kiosks, etc.) because of its API-driven approach.

• Simplified Development:

With decoupled architecture, front-end and back-end teams can work in parallel, leading to
faster development cycles.

Taxonomy system

Drupal's taxonomy system allows you to classify and organize content using vocabularies and
terms, similar to categories or tags in other systems. This system provides a structured way
to relate and group content, enhancing navigation and search functionality.

Here's a breakdown of the key features:

1. Vocabularies and Terms:

• Vocabularies:

These are collections of terms that define a specific classification system. For example, you
might have a vocabulary for "Categories," "Tags," or "Ingredients".

• Terms:

These are individual keywords or phrases within a vocabulary. For instance, within a
"Categories" vocabulary, you might have terms like "News," "Blog," or "Tutorials".

• Hierarchy:

Vocabularies can be structured hierarchically, allowing you to create parent-child

relationships between terms (e.g., "Vegetables" as a parent term with "Tomatoes" and
"Carrots" as child terms).

2. Content Classification:

• Reference Fields:
You can add reference fields to content types (like articles, blog posts, etc.) that link to
taxonomy terms.

• Term Reference Field Settings:

These settings allow you to specify which vocabulary to use for a field and whether users can
add new terms or only select from existing ones.

• Free Tagging vs. Controlled Vocabulary:

Drupal supports both free tagging (users can create new terms on the fly) and controlled
vocabularies (terms are pre-defined and managed by administrators).

3. Usage and Applications:

• Content Organization:

Taxonomy enables you to categorize and group content, making it easier for users to find
relevant information.

• Menu and Navigation:

You can use taxonomy to structure menus and navigation systems, creating logical pathways
through your site.

• Display Options:

Taxonomy can influence how content is displayed, allowing you to customize the appearance
of different sections of your site based on taxonomy terms.

• Workflow:

You can use taxonomy to manage different states of content (e.g., draft, published, archived)
or to control access levels based on defined terms.

• View and Display:

Taxonomy can be used to create views and display content based on specific terms or
combinations of terms.

• Extensibility:
Drupal's taxonomy system is highly extensible, with contributed modules like "Climate
Tagger" providing automatic semantic tagging capabilities according to [Link].

Community and eco system

Drupal's community and ecosystem are major strengths, fostering a collaborative

environment for development, support, and innovation. The Drupal community is vast,
offering a wealth of knowledge through forums, documentation, and local user groups. This
collaborative spirit ensures continuous learning and timely updates. The Drupal ecosystem
also includes a wide array of contributed modules, themes, and tools, expanding Drupal's
functionality and enabling developers to build complex solutions efficiently.

Key aspects of Drupal's community and ecosystem:

• Vibrant Community:

Drupal boasts a large and active community of developers, designers, and users who
contribute to its ongoing development and provide support.

• Extensive Resources:

The community provides extensive documentation, forums, and local user groups, making it
easy for users to learn and troubleshoot issues.

• Contributed Modules and Themes:

Drupal's ecosystem includes a vast collection of contributed modules and themes, allowing
developers to extend Drupal's functionality and customize its appearance.

• Support and Collaboration:

The Drupal community is known for its helpfulness and collaborative spirit, with users
readily assisting each other with problems and sharing their knowledge.

• Innovation and Updates:

The community-driven approach ensures that Drupal is constantly evolving with timely
updates and new features.
 • DrupalCon:

DrupalCon is a major annual event where the community gathers to learn, network, and
celebrate Drupal.

• [Link]:

[Link] serves as the central hub for the Drupal community, providing access to
documentation, modules, themes, and forums.

• Open Source:

Drupal's core and most contributed modules are open source, ensuring transparency and
community-driven development.

Drupal's Ecosystem in Detail:

• Contributed Modules:

Drupal's contributed modules are pre-built packages of functionality that can be added to a
Drupal site to extend its capabilities. These modules cover a wide range of needs, from e-
commerce and social media integration to SEO and marketing automation.

• Themes:

Drupal themes control the visual presentation of a website. The community offers a wide
variety of themes, allowing for diverse designs and branding.

• Hosting Solutions:

A variety of hosting providers offer specialized Drupal hosting, ensuring optimal

performance and security.

• Developer Tools:

A range of developer tools are available to streamline the development process, such as
Drush for command-line management.

• Accessibility:

The community prioritizes accessibility, with efforts to ensure Drupal websites are usable by
everyone, including people with disabilities.
 • Scalability and Security:

Drupal's architecture is designed to be scalable and secure, making it suitable for websites of
all sizes, including those with high traffic demands.

• Multilingual Support:

Drupal provides robust multilingual capabilities, allowing websites to be easily translated

into multiple languages.

• Modernized Features:

Drupal 10 and Drupal 11 continue to introduce modernized features like an improved admin
interface, simplified solutions for content management, and enhanced support for
decoupled architectures.

Open source

Drupal, as an open-source CMS, offers several key features including free availability,
modifiable source code, and a large, active community. These features translate to cost-
effectiveness, flexibility, and strong community support for users and developers.

Here's a more detailed look at Drupal's open-source features:

1. Free to Use and Modify:

• Drupal is free to download and use, eliminating licensing fees common with
proprietary software.

• Its open-source nature allows users to access, modify, and distribute the source code,
promoting customization and innovation.

• This freedom from vendor lock-in empowers users to adapt Drupal to their specific
needs and integrate it with other technologies.

2. Extensive Module and Theme Ecosystem:

• Drupal boasts a vast collection of free modules and themes, extending its
functionality and design options.
 • Over 51,000 contributed modules are available for diverse functionalities, including
e-commerce, social media integration, and more.

• Thousands of themes allow for easy customization of a website's appearance.

3. Strong and Active Community:

• Drupal has one of the largest open-source communities globally, with over 100,000
members.

• This active community provides support, contributes to development, and shares

knowledge, ensuring continuous innovation and problem-solving.

• Users can leverage the community's expertise for assistance with development,
troubleshooting, and best practices.

4. Scalability and Flexibility:

• Drupal's modular architecture enables it to handle websites of various sizes, from

simple blogs to complex enterprise applications.

• Its composable architecture allows for flexible content delivery across multiple
channels and devices.

• Drupal can integrate with various third-party services and APIs, offering extensive
customization options.

5. Security and Accessibility:

• Drupal has a strong focus on security, with regular updates and a dedicated security
team constantly working to address potential vulnerabilities.

• It also incorporates accessibility features, including support for assistive technologies

and compliance with accessibility standards like WCAG.

Advantages of Drupal

1. Customization
As an open source platform, Drupal's administrative portal supports many customizations,
including thousands of modules, themes, taxonomy management tools and drag-and-drop
page building features. This lets users create highly customized websites that align with their
specific needs.

For instance, a tech company could choose from Drupal's event management modules to
create an online registration page for an annual conference. On the other hand, a university
might use an educational theme to stylize its site layout and design.

2. Security and access controls

Drupal offers effective user management and secure access control features to protect
content. Key features include automated logout, CAPTCHA verification, content access,
password policies, session limits and multifactor authentication.

However, Drupal admins still need to stay current with the latest updates and patches to
address any potential risks or vulnerabilities in the platform.

3. Scalability

Drupal is highly scalable, which means it can support large volumes of visitors and massive
spikes in traffic. This makes it a suitable option for large organizations, such as [Link],
Pfizer and Harvard University, which have been known to use the platform.

Additionally, its modern web development framework can reliably service large
organizations for years, without the need for significant redevelopment. However, during
initial planning, admins and IT leaders must define performance requirements, such as
expected user loads and traffic spikes, so they can design and implement the system to
support those requirements.

4. Accessibility

Drupal meets accessibility requirements based on the World Wide Web

Consortium standards, such as the Web Content Accessibilities Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0,
which offer best practices on how to make content accessible to people with disabilities. For
example, Drupal supports screen readers to help visually impaired users navigate website
menus and buttons. Drupal also plans to attain compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA, which offers
more advanced accessibility features than the more basic guidelines.

Additionally, Drupal's semantic structure -- the way it organizes and labels HTML --
uses HTML5 and Accessible Rich Internet Applications standards to structure content
logically. This approach can enhance screen reader functionality for disabled users and
improve the overall UX.

5. Community support

Drupal has a large online community where users, admins and developers come together to
share their experiences with the platform. This community consists of three core Drupal
sites: the [Link] main site, the Drupal Groups site and the API group site.

New and experienced users can engage with these communities to learn about the
platform's latest enhancements and apps.

Disadvantages of Drupal

1. Steep learning curve

Drupal has a steep learning curve for admins. For instance, inexperienced admins often
struggle to implement necessary requirements around creating sites, managing content and
customization. Other CMSes, such as WordPress and Joomla, offer simpler interfaces for
admins.

2. Performance issues and infrastructure requirements

While Drupal is scalable, its extensive use of modules can present performance challenges
for admins. For instance, organizations that use too many modules at once might increase
the server load and experience slow load times.

Additionally, modules sometimes conflict with each other and require custom
configurations, which can consume IT departments' time and resources.

3. Time-consuming updates
Drupal's update process often overwhelms admins and consumes a lot of time. In many
cases, admins must consider the readiness and compatibility of their current sites, because
older modules can lose functionality after updates.

Additionally, because Drupal doesn't yet fully support automatic updates across all versions,
organizations must manually manage updates, which can consume considerable time and
disrupt workflows.

4. Costly support

As an open source CMS, Drupal offers a low cost of entry. However, unlike other platforms,
such as Microsoft SharePoint, users often struggle to find affordable expertise.

As a result, organizations must partner with third-party vendors that can help them develop
and support the platform. This external support can become a costly endeavor, despite the
platform's several community support groups.

5. Complex back-end interface

While highly customizable, Drupal's back-end interface lacks the intuitiveness of other CMS
platforms, like SharePoint and WordPress. For instance, users without developer experience
or prior knowledge of the platform often struggle to manage and customize it.

When is Drupal the right choice?

Organizations should evaluate their customization and security requirements before they
consider Drupal because the tool's complexity may exceed their needs.

Drupal can make sense if organizations meet the following criteria:

• Have complex requirements. Drupal's high level of customization makes it a suitable

choice for organizations with complex requirements, such as large enterprises or
universities.

• Employ experienced web developers. Drupal's steep learning curve requires

experienced developers to build highly customized sites.
 • Need strict security. Organizations that store a lot of sensitive information, such as
government agencies or healthcare providers, can benefit from Drupal's detailed
security features.

• Want reduced licensing costs. Organizations that want to reduce licensing costs
might choose Drupal because its open source software is free. Proprietary systems,
such as Microsoft SharePoint, require a licensing fee.

Drupal might not make sense in the following cases:

• Simple requirements. Organizations that need a simple website might find Drupal's
detailed customizations excessive. Instead, they might consider more straightforward
tools, like WordPress or Squarespace.

• Security isn't critical. Not all websites contain sensitive information. For instance, a
small business might publish an informational site that displays store hours, locations
and services. These sites don't require Drupal's extensive security features.

• Lack of web development resources. Organizations that lack skilled developers often
struggle to manage Drupal sites.

• Limited support budget. Although Drupal's core software is free, support and
maintenance costs can add up.

System requirements

[Link] Server

[Link] Server

3. PHP

4. Disk Space

5. Additional Considerations
[Link] Server

Drupal works on any web server with a version of PHP that meets the PHP version
requirements.

Many hosting providers offer PHP version options. The default PHP version might be less
than the version required for Drupal, so check the current version in your host’s control
panel, and change it to the latest supported version (if needed).

PHP has occasional security releases, watch for them at [Link] and upgrade/patch your
servers as needed, or work with a hosting provider that handles PHP updates.

Apache

Apache is the most commonly used web server for Drupal. Drupal requires Apache 2.4.7 or
greater hosted on UNIX/Linux, OS X, or Windows.

The majority of Drupal development and deployment is done on Apache, so there is more
community experience and testing performed on Apache than on other web servers.

Nginx

Nginx is a commonly used web server that focuses on high concurrency, performance and
low memory usage.

Drupal requires Nginx 1.1 or greater hosted on UNIX/Linux, OS X, or Windows. Nginx is a

popular alternative to Apache, so there is also significant community experience and testing
performed on Nginx.

Microsoft IIS

Microsoft IIS is a web server and a set of feature extension modules for use with Microsoft
Windows.

As of Drupal 11.0.0 Drupal does not support the use of Microsoft IIS.
[Link] Server

Drupal supports multiple database systems, including MySQL, MariaDB, Percona,

PostgreSQL, and SQLite.

Drupal 10

• MariaDB 10.3.7+

• MySQL/Percona 5.7.8+

Drupal 11

• MariaDB 10.6+

• MySQL/Percona 8.0+

Required configuration

• InnoDB as the primary storage engine

• The PDO database extension

Drupal itself will generally operate with a default MariaDB/MySQL configuration. A more
complex site will likely require configuration changes for the database.

PostgreSQL

Drupal 10

Drupal 10 requires PostgreSQL 12 or higher with the pg_trgm extension enabled.

Drupal 11

Drupal 11 requires PostgreSQL 16 or higher with the pg_trgm extension enabled.

See remaining issues with PostgreSQL support in Drupal here.

Note: Some contributed modules include MySQL-specific code. Issue reports can be filed in
the contributed modules' queues when this occurs.

SQLite

Drupal 10
Drupal 10 requires SQLite 3.26 or higher with the json1 extension enabled.

Drupal 11

Drupal 11 requires SQLite 3.45 or higher.

Note: Some contributed modules include MySQL-specific code. Issue reports can be filed in
the contributed modules' queues when this occurs.

Other database servers

Microsoft SQL Server and MongoDB are supported by contributed modules.

PHP

PHP 8.3 or a higher PHP 8 version. PHP must be set up with a minimum memory size of
64MB; if you are running multiple modules on your site or using memory-intensive PHP-
based command-line tools (such as Composer), considerably more memory than that may
be needed.

Certain PHP extensions are also required; the exact list of required PHP extensions depends
on how you install the core software and which modules you are using on your site.
Generally, hosting service providers have installed all the PHP extensions you will need. If
you are self-hosting or running your site on your local computer, you will get error messages
during installation if any required PHP extensions are missing, and should be able to install
them and continue. See PHP requirements for a complete list of requirements.

What does it mean for a version of PHP to be "recommended"?

Drupal will work on all supported PHP versions. Recommended PHP versions are the best
choice for building a Drupal site because they will remain supported longer.

4. Disk Space

Drupal's memory requirements depend on which programs and tools are in use. PHP uses
some memory, and if you also use Solr, Memcache, or similar programs, it all adds up. You
probably need to run Composer commands occasionally, which require a certain amount of
free memory. You can check the memory usage with a Unix command line tool such
as htop or with the WebProfiler module.

• Minimum RAM: 1 GB

Additional Considerations:

• Composer:

If you're installing Drupal via Composer, you'll need to have Composer installed and
configured.

• SSL Certificate:

For HTTPS connections, a valid SSL certificate is required.

• Browser Compatibility:

Drupal is compatible with all modern browsers that support CSS and JavaScript.

• Contributed Modules:

Some contributed modules may have their own specific system requirements, so be sure to
check the documentation for those modules.

XAMPP

XAMPP is a free and open-source cross-platform web server solution stack package. It allows
developers to create and test websites locally on their computers before deploying them to
a live server. XAMPP stands for Cross-Platform, Apache, MySQL, PHP, and Perl.

• Cross-Platform (X):

XAMPP can be installed and run on different operating systems like Windows, macOS, and
Linux.

• Apache (A):

It's a widely used web server software that handles requests from users and serves web
pages.

• MySQL/MariaDB (M):
These are database management systems used to store and manage data for websites and
applications.

• PHP (P):

A popular server-side scripting language used to create dynamic web content.

• Perl (P):

Another scripting language that can be used with XAMPP.

To install XAMPP, first download the installer from the Apache Friends website. Then, run
the installer, choosing your preferred components (like Apache, MySQL, PHP) and
installation directory. Finally, start the XAMPP Control Panel and start the desired services
(Apache and MySQL).

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

1. Download XAMPP:

• Go to the Apache Friends website.

• Download the latest version of XAMPP for your operating system (Windows, macOS,
or Linux).

• XAMPP comes bundled with Apache, MySQL, PHP, and other components.

2. Install XAMPP:

• Run the downloaded installer file.

• Follow the on-screen instructions.

• Important: During installation, you might be prompted to allow certain features

through your firewall. It's generally safe to allow them.

• You'll be asked to choose the installation directory. The default is often

recommended.

• You may also be asked to select the components you want to install. If you're unsure,
it's best to select them all.
 • Consider unticking the "Learn more about Bitnami" option if you plan to install
WordPress manually.

3. Start the XAMPP Control Panel:

• After installation, the XAMPP Control Panel will likely open automatically.

• If not, you can find it in your installation directory or by searching for "XAMPP
Control Panel".

4. Start the Services:

• In the XAMPP Control Panel, locate the Apache and MySQL modules.

• Click the "Start" button next to each module to start the corresponding services.

• You may see a "Windows Security Alert" asking for firewall permissions. Allow access
to both private and public networks.

5. Test your Installation:

• Open a web browser and go to [Link] or [Link]

• You should see the XAMPP welcome page, confirming that the installation was
successful.

• You can also access phpMyAdmin by going to [Link]

Troubleshooting:

• MySQL Port Conflicts:

If MySQL fails to start, it might be due to a port conflict. You can check which applications
are using which ports using the "Netstat" button in the XAMPP Control Panel and then
change MySQL's port in the configuration file if needed.

• Firewall Issues:

If you encounter firewall-related problems, ensure that XAMPP's services (Apache and
MySQL) are allowed through your firewall.
Installation and configuration of drupal 10

1. Install XAMPP
1. Download XAMPP from Apache Friends.
2. Install it on your system (choose default options unless you want custom settings).
3. Open XAMPP Control Panel and start:
o Apache (for web server)
o MySQL (for database)

2. Download Drupal
1. Go to the official Drupal website.
2. Download the latest stable version of Drupal (zip or [Link]).
3. Extract the files.

3. Place Drupal in XAMPP

1. Copy the extracted Drupal folder.
2. Paste it into:
o C:\xampp\htdocs\ (Windows)
o /opt/lampp/htdocs/ (Linux)
3. Rename the folder to something short, e.g., drupal.
Now, your site will be accessible at [Link]

4. Choose Installation Profile

• You will see two options:
o Standard → comes with pre-configured modules (recommended for
beginners).
o Minimal → only the core essentials (for advanced custom setups).
• Choose Standard → Click Save and Continue.

5. Select Language
• Drupal asks for your preferred language.
 • By default, it shows English.
• Choose English (or another language if you downloaded translation packs).
• Click Save and Continue.

6. Database Configuration
This is where you connect Drupal to the database you created earlier.
• Database name → drupal_db (or the name you created).
• Database username → drupal_user (or root if you didn’t create a user).
• Database password → password123 (leave blank if using root with no password).
• Advanced Options (usually leave default):
o Database host: localhost
o Port: (leave empty unless custom port is used)
Click Save and Continue.
Drupal will now create its tables inside the database.

7. Installing Required Modules

• Drupal automatically installs core modules (user, node, taxonomy, block, menu,
etc.).
• This step takes a few minutes.
• Wait until the progress bar finishes.

8. Configure Your Site (Admin Setup)

Now you’ll create the admin account and basic site settings.
Fill in the form:
Site Information
• Site name → e.g., My Drupal Site.
• Site email address → Used for admin notifications (e.g., admin@[Link]).
Administrator Account
• Username → Choose your main admin login (e.g., admin).
• Password → Create a strong password (min 8 chars).
 • Confirm password.
• Email address → This will be the email linked to the admin account.
Regional Settings
• Default country → Choose your country.
• Default time zone → Set correct timezone (important for content publishing).
Update Notifications
• Drupal may ask if you want to receive security updates → You can leave default or
uncheck.
Click Save and Continue.

9. Installation Complete
• You’ll see a success message: “Congratulations, you installed Drupal!”
• You’re now logged in as the site admin.

10. Access Your New Drupal Site

• Visit [Link]
• Use your admin credentials to log in.
• From here, you can:
o Add content (Articles, Pages).
o Manage users.
o Install modules.
o Apply themes.
 Unit 9 Content types and field in Drupal

Content types
Content types are essential building blocks in Drupal. They provide structure and fields for
different types of content, making it organized and easy to manage. Choosing the
appropriate content type and filling its fields with accurate information improves the user
experience and enhances search engine indexing.
A content type defines a category or type of content. Each type is a template that
determines:
• What kind of fields are attached (e.g., image, text, date)
• How content is displayed
• How users interact with it
Common Content Types:
Drupal comes with a few built-in content types, such as:
• Article – used for time-sensitive content like news.
• Basic page – used for static pages like “About Us”.
You can also create custom content types such as:
• Event
• Blog post
• Product
• Review
Each content type can have its own set of fields.

Fields
Fields are reusable components added to content types, users, taxonomy terms, etc. They
define the structure and type of content a user can input.

Common Field Types:

Field Type Purpose

Text (plain) Single line of text
 Text (formatted, long) Multiple lines with formatting options
Image Upload an image
File Upload any file
Boolean Yes/No toggle
List (text) Dropdown of predefined text options
Entity reference Link to another entity (e.g., user, node)
Date Choose a date
Link Add a URL
Email Store email addresses
Telephone Store phone numbers

3. Creating a Content Type and Adding Fields (UI Steps)

1. Go to: Structure > Content types > Add content type

2. Name your content type and set description

3. Save and manage fields

4. Add new fields like:

o Title (default)

o Image

o Body (long text)

o Tags (taxonomy reference)

5. Configure display settings for each field.

Example:

Suppose you're creating a "Book Review" content type:

• Fields:

o Title (default)
o Body (formatted text)

o Cover Image (image)

o Author Name (text)

o Rating (list or number)

o Genre (taxonomy term reference)

 Unit 10 User Management and Managing
Comments

User Management in Drupal

Drupal user management involves creating, deleting, and managing user accounts, including
assigning roles and permissions. Drupal allows for customization of user profiles, session
management, and integration with external authentication systems.

1. Users

Drupal comes with a built-in user system.

Default Users:

• User 1: The super admin account created during installation. Has all permissions.

• Anonymous user: Not logged in.

• Authenticated user: Logged in but not assigned a specific role.

Manage Users:

Go to:
Admin → People
Here, you can:

• Add users manually

• Edit/delete users

• Block or activate accounts

• Assign roles

2. Roles

Roles define sets of permissions.

 Default Roles:

• Anonymous user

• Authenticated user

• You can create custom roles like:

o Editor

o Moderator

o Author

o Admin Assistant

Create a Role:

Go to:
People → Roles → Add role

Give it a name like Content Editor.

3. Permissions

Permissions determine what users can do (view, create, edit, delete, administer, etc.)

Manage Permissions:

Go to:
People → Roles → Edit permissions

You’ll see a matrix of permissions per role.

Examples:

• "Administer users"

• "Create Article content"

• "Edit own Article content"

• "Use the administration pages and help"

Permissions are granular, allowing very fine control.

4. User Fields

You can add custom fields to user profiles, just like content types.

Example fields:

• Profile picture

• Phone number

• Bio

Go to:
People → Account settings → Manage fields

5. User Settings

Go to:
Configuration → People → Account settings

You can configure:

• Registration settings (open/closed/admin-only)

• Email verification

• Password policy

• User picture settings

• Login options

6. User Roles in Content Workflow

Roles often work with:

• Content moderation
 • Workflows

• Access control modules (e.g., Content Access, Permissions by Term)

Managing Comments in Drupal

Drupal offers robust comment management features that allow administrators to control
and moderate user-generated content on their websites. This includes enabling or disabling
comments, managing comment settings for content types, and moderating individual
comments.

In Drupal, comment management is a built-in feature that allows users to post and manage
comments on content such as articles, blog posts, and more. This system supports
moderation, threading, permissions, and customization.

1. Comment Module

The Comment module is included in Drupal core and must be enabled to allow commenting.

Go to:
Extend → Enable "Comment" module (if not already enabled)

2. Comment Types

Drupal 10 allows you to have multiple comment types, just like content types.

Example Comment Types:

• Default: Comment

• Custom: Product Review, Discussion Reply, etc.

Go to:
Structure → Comment types

Here you can:

• Manage fields (add rating, images, etc.)

• Change display settings

• Configure form layout

3. Enabling Comments on Content Types

You can configure which content types allow comments.

Go to:
Structure → Content types → [Edit a content type] → Comment settings

Options:

• Open (Users can post comments)

• Closed (No new comments allowed)

• Hidden (No comment section displayed)

4. Comment Permissions

Set who can view, post, edit, or delete comments based on roles.

Go to:
People → Roles → Edit permissions

Examples of permissions:

• Post comments

• Skip comment approval

• Edit own comments

 • Administer comments

• Delete any comment

5. Comment Moderation

Comments can be approved manually or automatically.

Go to:
Configuration → Comment settings

Options:

• Require approval (moderation queue)

• Allow anonymous posting (optional CAPTCHA)

• Enable threaded replies (nested)

You can also moderate via:

• Content → Comments

o Approve, unpublish, delete, edit

6. Comment Settings

Go to:
Configuration → Comment settings

Here, you can control:

• Posting behavior

• Comment title (enable/disable)

• Threaded/nested replies

• Anonymous user handling

 7. Custom Fields for Comments

Each comment type can have custom fields.

Example:

• Add a rating field to product review comments.

Go to:
Structure → Comment types → Manage fields

Creating and customizing themes

In Drupal, a theme determines the visual presentation of a website. It controls aspects such
as layout, color schemes, fonts, menus, and overall design. Themes can be installed,
enabled, and customized to align with a site’s branding and user experience goals.

Managing Themes in Drupal

1. Navigating to the Appearance Section

From the administration menu, go to Appearance or directly visit: /admin/appearance.

2. Installing a New Theme

Click on the Install new theme button.

Upload the theme as a .[Link] file or paste the URL of the theme package from an external
source.
3. Enabling and Setting a Default Theme

After successful installation, click Install and set as default to activate the theme.

Multiple themes can be enabled, but only one theme can be set as the default front-end
theme. Additionally, an admin theme can be selected for the backend interface.

Configuring a Theme

Themes in Drupal offer various customization options such as uploading a logo, setting a
favicon, choosing a color scheme, and modifying layout or typography (if supported).

Step-by-Step Configuration Guide

Step 1: Access the Appearance Settings

Navigate to the Appearance section via the admin toolbar or directly at /admin/appearance.

tep 2: Select the Active Theme

• Identify the active theme, marked as → Default theme (e.g., Olivero).

• Click the Settings link adjacent to the active theme to open configuration options.

(Image of Vani Theme Settings)

Common Theme Settings:

• Logo image: Upload a custom logo for the site.

 • Favicon: Define the small icon that appears in browser tabs.

• Color Scheme: Choose a predefined or custom color palette (if the theme supports
it).

• Typography/Layout: Adjust fonts and layout settings (available in certain themes).

• Display site name and slogan: Enable or disable the display of the site name and
tagline.

• Page Elements: Configure visibility of elements like the breadcrumb trail, main menu,
and others.

Step 3: Save the Configuration

• After completing the desired changes, scroll to the bottom of the settings page and
click Save configuration to apply the modifications.