Planet Drupal

If you've experienced issues or are worried about deploying changes to production, on a Friday or another day, when did you last deploy something?

Can you make deployments smaller and more frequent?

Deploying regularly makes each deployment less risky and having a smaller changeset makes it easier to find and fix any issues that arise.

I'm much happier deploying to production if I've already done so that day, or at least that week.

Any time more than that, or if the changeset is large, the more likely there will be issues and the longer it will take to resolve them.

Authored by Nadiia Nykolaichuk.

DrupalCon 2024 is returning to one of the world’s most enchanting cities — Barcelona! As the event draws near, Drupal enthusiasts from around the globe are tapping out the rhythm of Spanish flamenco with their feet in anticipation. Now is the perfect time to explore the conference’s program and select the sessions that will inspire and invigorate you.

The Morpht CI pipeline caught a recent vulnerability in Drupal core which led to the problem promptly being fixed.

Do you deploy changes to production on Fridays?

Some people don't as they're worried about potential issues occuring over the weekend.

When's the last time you did a deployment which caused a issue 24 or 48 hours later?

In my experience, most issues are visible immediately or shortly after a deployment and not days later.

Deploying on a Friday may not be as risky as you think.

The Drupal Forge business model

Drupal Forge is a non-profit project of the Drupal community. Our mission is to support vendors that devote a portion of their revenue to sustaining the software and infrastructure Drupal needs to be a great product. Our product launch buttons are part of a business module to sustain contribution. This is what makes them different from launch buttons that hosting vendors offer on their own.

Darren Oh Tue, 09/10/2024 - 15:13 Tags

• Drupal
• Drupal Forge

• Read more about The Drupal Forge business model
• Log in or register to post comments

Can Contact Forms Be Replaced by AI Chatbots on Drupal Websites? bhavinhjoshi Tue, 09/10/2024 - 17:52

Contact forms have been a staple on websites for years.

But, are they becoming outdated?

Say hello to AI chatbots.

Here’s why an AI chatbot might just be the better choice.

Real-time Engagement 

• Contact forms often mean waiting. Users type out their message, hit send, and then wait for a response. With AI chatbots, the response is instant, providing immediate support and answers.
• Example: A user needs information about your services. Instead of waiting hours (or days) for an email reply, the chatbot instantly provides the details they need.

Enhanced User Experience 

• Chatbots can guide users through their queries, step-by-step. This ensures visitors aren't left guessing, navigating through multiple pages to find answers.
• Example: Someone asks about your pricing. The chatbot not only shares the info but can also offer links to relevant pages, FAQs, and even schedule a meeting with a sales rep.

24/7 Availability 

• Unlike human staff, chatbots never sleep. They're available around the clock, ensuring your site visitors always get the support they need, no matter the time zone.
• Example: A potential client from another continent visits your site at 3 AM. The chatbot assists them in real-time rather than making them wait until your business hours.

Personalisation 

• Modern AI chatbots can personalise interactions based on user data. This means more relevant responses and recommendations tailored to each visitor.
• Example: The chatbot recognises a returning user and picks up the conversation where it left off, making the interaction feel continuous and personal.

But is it all sunshine and rainbows? Not quite.

There are challenges.

Some users may prefer human touch over automation. And, implementing a sophisticated AI chatbot can be resource-intensive.

So, should you replace your contact form with a chatbot?

Maybe not completely. A hybrid approach might work best. Let the chatbot handle routine inquiries and simple tasks, while the contact form can serve for more detailed and specific requests.

What do you think? Can AI chatbots replace traditional contact forms on Drupal websites?

Drupal Drupal 10 AI Drupal Planet Add new comment

Noah’s Page Builder offers Drupal users an intuitive way to create front-end pages quickly, without needing extra modules like Paragraphs. Developed by Julian Chabrillon, this tool provides real-time design changes, a variety of widgets, and CSS configuration options. In this interview, Julian discusses the inspiration, challenges, and future plans for Noah’s, including its impact on the Drupal community with both free and paid versions available for flexible usage.

Non-code contributions in open source communities attract considerable interest. Join a panel discussion with diverse experts who are actively involved in non-code contributions within the Drupal community to bridge a gap between experienced contributors and those considering their first step!

Discover together with Norman Kaemper-Leymann and Yannick Leyendecker a selection of Drupal contrib modules tailored to specific use cases, including Config Patch GitLab API, Content Templates, Frontend Editing, and more!

AI tools like OpenAI's ChatGPT integrate well with Drupal, but identifying the right use cases can be challenging. Explore together with Christoph Breidert the opportunities and limitations of LLMs and learn how to create impactful AI solutions!

Learn together with Artem and Bruno how to simplify content management using the Drupal modules “Content Templates” and “Frontend Editing.” Discover best practices for managing content at scale and improving the editor experience!

Explore the digital transformation of one of Europe’s oldest pharmaceutical companies together with Baddy Breidert, CEO of 1xINTERNET, and Alexander Reisenauer, Director of Global Digital Marketing at Schwabe Group. Discover how strategic decisions led to Drupal becoming a key component of Schwabe's digital ecosystem!

In our recent newsletter, we incorrectly stated the dates for DrupalCon Europe 2024. The event will take place from September 24 to 27, 2024. We regret the oversight and appreciate your understanding.

Drupal 11 has arrived! Okay, it’s been a month, but we were too busy exploring its new features to write the blog right away. With improved CKEditor integration, performance boosts, a redesigned Field UI, and updated taxonomy term revisions, this version builds on the success of Drupal 10. It introduces new tools and workflows designed to simplify development, improve performance, and streamline content management—making it easier than ever to create and maintain high-quality digital experiences. In this article we’ll talk about what makes Drupal 11 so exciting and even walk you through the upgrade from Drupal 10. Dive in! What’s introduced in Drupal 11 Drupal 11, the latest major release of the Drupal Content Management System, brings powerful new features that enhance the capabilities of developers, site builders, and content owners. This version focuses on modern technologies and best practices to make sites more efficient, scalable, and easier to maintain. Key improvements in Drupal 11 include enhancements to the developer experience, performance boosts, and advanced tools for content creators. With these updates, Drupal 11 empowers users to build and maintain optimized digital experiences with greater ease. Below are the major features and enhancements you can expect in Drupal 11 compared to Drupal 10: Faster real and perceived page performance including interface previews and lazy loading. New Experimental Recipes API. Single Directory Components (SDC) - used to create UI components. Symfony 7 under the hood (replacing Symfony 6). Decoupled menu support improved with Linkset support. Content editing is streamlined with automatic formatting. Menu, taxonomy, block and permission management made easier. What’s removed Several Drupal core modules and themes are deprecated in Drupal 10 and removed in Drupal 11. While they are no longer included in Drupal 11, you can still install and use them if needed: Actions UI Book Tracker Forum Statistics Tour How to Upgrade from Drupal 10 to Drupal 11 Platform requirements This version of Drupal 11 requires specific conditions to be met in your environment. Please ensure you check the following requirements: Update to PHP 8.3 Update to Drush 13 Database: It requires MySQL 8.0+ or MariaDB 10.6+. Otherwise, use the mysql57 module to use Drupal 11 on MySQL 5.7.8+ and MariaDB 10.3.7+. Symfony 7 jQuery 4 PHPUnit 10 Composer 2.7.7 Web server - As of Drupal 11.0.0, it does not support using Microsoft IIS. Other web server requirements remain unchanged.  Upgrade to the latest Drupal 10 Drupal sites running version 10.2.x or earlier must first upgrade to version 10.3.0 or later before updating to Drupal 11. This is necessary because all core updates introduced prior to version 10.3.0 have been removed. Upgrade Status + Drupal Rector Run a deprecation scan using the Upgrade Status module in conjunction with Drupal Rector to identify and address deprecated code before upgrading your Drupal site. The screenshot below shows the upgrade status report for Drupal Core version 10.1. Here is a snapshot of the upgrade status report after upgrading Drupal core to the latest version, 10.3. Update platform requirements as needed Drupal 11 requires PHP 8.3 and the MySQL database driver requires MySQL 8.0. While Drupal 11 does not currently use MySQL 8-specific syntax, future versions will. If you cannot upgrade to MySQL 8.0 immediately, you can use the MySQL 5.7 backport module as a temporary solution. Upgrade Contributed Packages Upgrade contributed modules & themes to the latest compatible version using Composer. For example: composer require drupal/package_name:^x.y --no-updateWhere, ^x.y is the latest available version of the package. For packages without Drupal 11 compatibility, use composer require with mglaman/composer-drupal-lenient and apply necessary patches using cweagans/composer-patches. Update Custom Code Use Upgrade Status and Drupal Rector to assess the readiness of your custom modules and themes for Drupal 11. Replace any code that was deprecated in Drupal 10 and removed in Drupal 11. Update Core to Drupal Core The following provides instructions for updating from Drupal 10.3.x to Drupal 11.x. Temporarily grant write access to protected files and directories: chmod 777 web/sites/default chmod 666 web/sites/default/*settings.php chmod 666 web/sites/default/*services.yml Update the required versions of the core-recommended packages. Use the --no-update option to prevent issues with mutual dependencies during the update process: composer require 'drupal/core-recommended:^11' 'drupal/core-composer-scaffold:^11' 'drupal/core-project-message:^11' --no-update Upgrade drush to version ^13: composer require 'drush/drush:^13' --no-update Perform upgrade to the core using: composer update After successfully running composer update without errors, verify that you can also run composer install. Update the database using drush:  drush updatedb Once complete, restore read-only access to the sites/default directory: chmod 755 web/sites/default chmod 644 web/sites/default/*settings.php chmod 644 web/sites/default/*services.yml For a detailed guide on upgrading, please visit https://www.drupal.org/docs/upgrading-drupal/upgrading-from-drupal-8-or-later/how-to-upgrade-from-drupal-10-to-drupal-11. Final thoughts No need to stress though! Drupal 10 isn’t going anywhere for a while. It will remain supported until Drupal 12 arrives, which is expected around mid to late 2026. But the fact that there are so many exciting updates and features in Drupal 11 means that moving from Drupal 10 to Drupal 11 is an opportunity you won’t want to miss. Transitioning now will set you up for future success and make the most of what Drupal 11 has to offer. Thinking about making the jump to Drupal 11? Our Drupal experts are just an email away!

Today, Beyond Blocks - the podcast I started last year and has 20 published episodes - passed 1,000 total downloads.

I've had some great guests on the show and discussed some interesting topics so far and I have others recorded and guests lined up for future episodes.

This week's episode will be with Eirik Morland again - the first returning guest - where we discuss the improvements and changes that have been made to Violinist.io since we spoke in January.

The first episode with Erik is here if you want to listen to it beforehand.

Thanks to all the guests and listeners of the podcast, and if you'd like to be a guest or suggest a topic, reply and let me know.

Authored by Nadiia Nykolaichuk.

Having your website on the World Wide Web is a responsible task because it must always be impeccable in the eyes of your audience. What if you must launch a new product, run a content-rich campaign, or just review and publish large amounts of content?

Today we are talking about Progressive migration with Drupal, What it is, and how you can do it with your organization with guest Stephen Cross. We’ll also cover Views JSON Source as our module of the week.

For show notes visit: www.talkingDrupal.com/466

Topics

• What is a progressive migration
• What other types of migration are there
• What problem does progressive migration solve at the ATF
• What versions of Drupal are involved
• Technical implementation
• Technical challenges
• Non-Technical challenges
• Processes needed for success
• When to use another migration process

Resources

• Drupal GovCon Presentation - Progressive Migration
• Talking Drupal #334 - Managing Drupal Teams in Government

Guests

Stephen Cross - stephencross.com stephencross

Hosts

Nic Laflin - nLighteneddevelopment.com nicxvan John Picozzi - epam.com johnpicozzi Nate Dentzau - dentzau.com nathandentzau

MOTW Correspondent

Martin Anderson-Clutz - mandclu.com mandclu

• Brief description:
  • Have you ever wanted to use Drupal’s Views interface to allow visitors to browse and navigate data from another source? There’s a module for that
• Module name/project name:
  • Views JSON Source
• Brief history
  • How old: created in Apr 2020 by Pradeep Venugopal (venugopp), but recent releases are by Viktor Holovachek (astonvictor), a member of the Ukraine Drupal community
  • Versions available: 2.0.2 compatible with Drupal 8.8 and newer, all the way up to Drupal 11
• Maintainership
  • Actively maintained
  • Security coverage
  • Documentation: pretty lengthy README to help you get started
  • Number of open issues: 17 open issues, 4 of which are bugs against the current branch, although one had a fixed merged in the past week
• Usage stats:
  • 1,641 sites
• Module features and usage
  • After installing the module, you can create a view and specify it should show “JSON” instead of some kind of content entity
  • In the view settings you can then provide a URL for where to retrieve the JSON, and an optional Apath value to indicate a section of the data to show
  • It also supports contextual filters, so you can create a single view that will show different sections of data depending on the path used to access it
  • From there you can build out your view in the normal way: using fields to specify what data should be shown and how, filters to limit which rows will be shown, and sort criteria to specify the order in which it will be listed. And of course, the ability to expose controls for users to filter and sort the data in ways that meet their own needs make this an extremely powerful way to make data available to your site’s visitors
  • We spoke a couple of episodes ago about how powerful it can be to use Drupal as the “glass” or experience layer through which visitors can interact with other systems, and I think this is another great example of that

Drupal is thriving due to the contributions of its community of developers, site builders, designers, business owners, and more. Our open source model ensures that everyone has a voice and can directly contribute to the platform’s growth, making it more powerful, flexible, and secure. In a couple of weeks, our chance to come together in person is not just about learning the latest in Drupal development; it’s about connecting with like-minded individuals who share a passion for open source and the open web. 

Some of the crowd attending DrupalCon Portland in May 2024

We welcome all attendees to stop by the Drupal Association booth at DrupalCon Barcelona to share their ideas, meet our team, learn more about our work, and how to get involved. If you’re not already a supporter, you can sign up and discover how your contribution as a Ripple Maker or a Drupal Certified Partner can make a significant impact. Other opportunities are the Drupal Certified Partner Roundtable or the Ripple Makers Roundtable. The Drupal Association is hosting a coffee for Ripple Makers on Wednesday, 25 September at 8:45 am. The first 50 people who RSVP reserve their spot - you can RSVP here!

Other Drupal Association sessions include Bridging the Gap: Unlocking Non-Code Contributions on Wednesday, the Drupal.org Engineering Panel, the Local Drupal Regions & Associations Round Table, and Supply Chain Security in Drupal and Composer on Thursday. Lastly, we also encourage you to attend the Drupal Association Public Board Meeting, also on Thursday. At this session, the community-elected 2024 At-Large Board member will be announced and welcomed onto the board.

Make sure to also ask about Drupal CMS (aka Drupal Starshot) to learn more about the initiative when you’re visiting the Drupal Association booth. We’ll share:

• The latest Drupal CMS news
• Plans for the future of Drupal CMS, especially the first market-ready version
• How you can get involved in helping with this awesome product!

There will also be a giveaway to win one of three Drupal Starshot initiative posters. Visit us at the booth to enter for a chance to win! 

DrupalCon is a vibrant, collaborative space where individuals from all walks of life come together to create, innovate, and share. The event fosters friendships, offers inspiration, and provides opportunities to contribute back to the community in meaningful ways. The excitement around Drupal CMS and the energy of being surrounded by people who love Drupal is palpable, making DrupalCon an invaluable experience for both newcomers and seasoned contributors alike.

If you can’t make the event in person, we invite you to become a Ripple Maker or a Drupal Certified Partner. You’re not just making a contribution—you’re investing in the future of Drupal. With increased and customized communication, you will learn how these programs support critical initiatives such as security updates, community events, and educational resources that benefit users and developers alike. With your support, you'll be part of the dedicated group of community members who understand the importance of giving back and ensuring that Drupal remains a powerful, free, and open-source tool for everyone. 

See you in Barcelona from 24-27 September 2024!

Harnessing the Power of Decoupled Architecture with Next.js and Drupal Marco Mon, 09/09/2024 - 17:04 Harnessing the Power of Decoupled Architecture with Next.js and Drupal

In today's digital ecosystem, the choice of technology stack is crucial to the success of any project, particularly when developing large-scale web applications. A trend gaining momentum is the decoupling of the frontend and backend, which enhances flexibility, scalability, and the overall user experience. This architectural choice is brilliantly exemplified by the integration of Next.js and Drupal, where Drupal's robust content management capabilities are combined with the modern frontend framework of Next.js.

Recognizing the limitations of its traditional Twig-based frontend, Drupal has embraced a more flexible approach known as "Decoupled Drupal." This blog post delves into  projects that we’ve worked on: Novozymes and Novonesis that leveraged Next.js for the frontend and Drupal as the headless CMS backend, offering valuable insights for digital solution leads and developers keen on exploring this technology stack.

DrupalCon Barcelona is just around the corner, running from September 9 to 12, 2024. As one of the most anticipated events in the Drupal community, this year’s conference promises to deliver a blend of technical insights, community collaboration, and exciting updates that everyone will be talking about. If you're a developer, site builder, project manager, or just someone intrigued by the future of web technology, there’s something in store for you.

Why DrupalCon Barcelona Matters

This year's DrupalCon is packed with key sessions, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities designed to bring the community together. Whether you’re looking to dive deep into Drupal 11, which will see some significant updates during the event, or catch the latest on how Drupal is evolving as a powerful digital platform, the conference is shaping up to be a can't-miss opportunity.

What’s New? A Focus on Starshot

A highlight of the event will be the ongoing work on the Starshot Initiative, which is aimed at taking Drupal to the next level. In a recent interview with The Drop Times, Drupal’s founder Dries Buytaert shared, 

"Our next big milestone is DrupalCon Barcelona, which is in September. We hope to show some real progress there on a variety of different things, from marketing to our demo of Starshot to maybe having the first recipes... implemented."

This makes DrupalCon Barcelona not just another tech event but a milestone where the community will witness key advancements, including live demos of Starshot. The first recipes, a crucial technical feature within Starshot, might be unveiled, offering an early glimpse into the future of Drupal.

Program Highlights

The event's schedule will feature sessions on critical topics such as Composer, security, local development, and the latest updates in Drupal 11. Expect to hear about performance improvements, new modules, and security enhancements that aim to make Drupal 11 even more powerful. Developers will also have the opportunity to discuss workflows, integrations, and DevOps practices that can streamline their projects.

Additionally, keep an eye on the Starshot Initiative sessions, where you’ll get a closer look at how this ambitious project is progressing and what it means for Drupal’s future. We have listed the key Starshot sessions happening at DrupalCon Barcelona—take a look at the Key Sessions on Drupal Starshot Initiative at DrupalCon Barcelona 2024 

Community and Networking Opportunities

As always, DrupalCon is more than just technical talks. It's about community. The event is set to feature numerous networking events, helping attendees meet fellow Drupal enthusiasts, share ideas, and collaborate on projects. Whether you're looking to expand your skill set or connect with others in the industry, DrupalCon Barcelona offers the perfect platform.

Why You Should Attend

With all the excitement surrounding Starshot and the recent release of Drupal 11, there’s no better place to catch up on the latest developments in the Drupal ecosystem. With keynotes from leading voices in the community, hands-on workshops, and the promise of some surprise updates, DrupalCon Barcelona 2024 is poised to leave a lasting mark.

Don’t miss your chance to be part of this landmark event. Now, as we proceed further, let’s find out what The Drop Times has covered last week:

In an exclusive interview, Vincenzo Gambino, Drupal Architect and Senior React Developer, shared his career journey from Palermo to London with our former sub-editor, Elma John. He discussed working on high-profile projects, such as those for Cambridge University, and co-authoring Jumpstart Jamstack Development. Vincenzo touched on the role of Drupal in headless architectures and its future in open-source technologies.

Christian Burk, Senior Backend Engineer at CivicActions, provided insights into managing complex content changes on large sites like VA.gov during Drupal GovCon 2023. He highlighted the codit_batch_operations module, which simplifies revisions, logging, and script execution alongside co-presenter Steve Wirt.

At the same event, Michael Kinnunen, Backend Engineer at CivicActions, discussed A/B testing within Drupal using LaunchDarkly, underscoring the platform’s versatility for government websites. He also attended sessions on content translation and large-scale content management, deepening his understanding of Drupal's growing influence.

In other news, Drupal CMS has launched a community survey to improve its default search configuration. The initiative, led by 1XINTERNET, focuses on making Drupal’s search functionality more flexible for both developers and no-code users. Community members are encouraged to contribute to shaping the future of Drupal’s search experience.

Additionally, Drupal.org has updated its fonts to enhance readability, switching to ZT Gatha for headings and Noto Sans for body text. The update modernizes the platform’s look, improving user experience across its global community.

For a deep dive into Dresktop, an open-source tool transforming Drupal management, check out a tutorial by José Daniel Estrada Guzmán. From local development to cloud integration, Dresktop streamlines workflows using Docker, SSH, and Drush.

Lukas Fischer, CEO of Netnode AG, shared his innovative Native Design Flow, which integrates Figma and code at the outset of a project. This approach aims to eliminate the traditional design handoff, creating a more cohesive and efficient workflow from day one.

For the first time, local Drupal associations will jointly host a booth, highlighting collaboration within the European Drupal community. The booth will serve as a hub for networking and sharing information about upcoming events.

Looking ahead to other events, the NEDCamp 2024 session submission deadline has been extended to September 15, offering opportunities for presenters of all experience levels. Splash Awards Switzerland 2025 is scheduled for March 11 in Davos, coinciding with Drupal Mountain Camp. These awards celebrate the best in Drupal projects and innovation.

Early bird registration for DrupalCamp Berlin 2024 remains open until September 15, offering a discounted rate of €80. After October 15, the price will increase to €120, so early registration is recommended. The ticket includes entry, lunch, and an official event T-shirt.

Additionally, DrupalSouth Community Day 2024 in Canberra is seeking volunteers for event support, speaker coordination, and attendee assistance. The call for papers is also open, inviting Drupal professionals to submit session proposals for the event on November 14.

Meanwhile, The Splash Awards will debut in Asia at DrupalCon Singapore on December 9, 2024, celebrating excellence in Drupal projects across categories like Government, Corporate, and Education.

Mark your calendars for DrupalCamp Atlanta on October 18, 2024, in Sandy Springs, Georgia. This one-day conference will offer sessions on the technical and business aspects of Drupal and plenty of networking opportunities.

Finally, join The Drop Times at DrupalCon Barcelona as a volunteer to help cover the event’s best moments. From live updates to behind-the-scenes stories, it’s a great way to engage with the community and share the excitement.

We acknowledge that there are more stories to share. However, due to selection constraints, we must pause further exploration for now.

To get timely updates, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook. You can also, join us on Drupal Slack at #thedroptimes.

Thank you, 
Sincerely 
Kazima Abbas
Sub-editor, The DropTimes.