Drupal has been around for 20 years, serving as one of the best open-source digital experience platforms (DXP). It boasts top-of-the-line content management tools and sophisticated functions to elevate your digital presence.
Well, its newest version, Drupal 10, is set to release soon! It may come as a surprise since Drupal 9 has only been around for a while, but it's undoubtedly a pleasant one.
While Drupal 9 was released five years after Drupal 8, the creators have sped up their processes this time around.
They are all set for a revamped Drupal version to go live in June 2022. There are already many tools and processes in place to ensure a smooth upgrade.
Let us look at everything you need to know before Drupal 10 goes live.
Drupal 10 is releasing soon—Want to know the reason why?
You might wonder why Drupal 10 is releasing much sooner compared to previous versions.
While there was a waiting time of almost four to five years between Drupal 7 and 8, version 9 and 10 kicked it pretty soon.
The primary purpose of bringing in new versions sooner is to ensure the security of the CMS system.
Drupal depends on multiple third-party elements that come with their own end-of-life dates.
When their release cycle ends, and they are no longer supported, their security cannot be fixed. As a result, nobody can guarantee that the website will remain secure.
The most prominent third-party elements in question are PHP 7, Symfony 4, and CKEditor, among others.
Since Symfony 4 will reach its end-of-life by November 2023, Drupal will have to adopt Symfony 5, or possibly an even higher version of Symfony by then.
Here are when some other third-party components will reach their end-of-life:
- jQuery UI: 2017
- PHP 7: 2022
- CKEditor: 2023
What upgrades will Drupal 10 bring?
There are plenty of crucial features that newer versions will replace with Drupal 10. Moreover, we will also see some new features. To know more about what’s included in Drupal 10 visit.
The following third-party components will be updated to newer versions:
- Symfony 4 to Symfony 5 or 6
- PHP 7 to PHP 8
- CKEditor 4 to CKEditor 5
- Composer 1 to Composer 2
Here are some of the other things that will change with Drupal 10:
- The Claro administration theme will replace Seve.
- The Layout Builder and Media will see improvements.
- Modern JavaScript components will replace jQuery UI, as well as some functions of jQuery.
- The default Olivero theme will replace Bartik.
- Site builder experience will be improved, especially for URL handling and menu.
- Theme starter kit tools will be added for bespoke theme creation.
Drupal 10 will be built-in Drupal 9
Instead of building Drupal 10 as its own branch with a complete code overhaul, Drupal is building it within Drupal 9 with new functionalities.
Every minor release up to Drupal 9.4.0. will be backward compatible. As a result, developers will have sufficient time to keep up with any API changes as they come.
This approach will enable Drupal to deliver fresh value every few months without disrupting your current site.
As soon as Drupal 10 is ready for release, Drupal will remove all the redundant code and automatically update their dependencies. Drupal used the same strategy for switching from Drupal 8 to Drupal 9.
The method proved highly successful, and as a consequence, modules and extensions were able to become compatible with Drupal 9 much quicker.
Why should you use Drupal 10?
Drupal has proven itself as one of the best open DXPs out there. Time and again, they have catered to the users' interests to ensure a seamless experience.
Their main goal is to make Drupal a lot more user-friendly content management system. They aim to ease the processes and maintenance for developers while allowing them to be flexible. The Drupal 10 Readiness Initiative places the focus on platform stability and components.
With Drupal 10, developers can use their creativity and innovation to create unforgettable digital experiences. This version will improve all the features of Drupal 9 and even include initiatives contributed by the global community.
If that doesn't convince you to move to Drupal 10, maybe the following points will:
- Enhanced user experience
- Implementation of automated updates
- Introduction of JavaScript components
- Addition of the new Olivero front-end theme
How can you switch to Drupal 10?
It's time to prepare! It would be best to switch to Drupal 10 as soon as its release because the older versions might be nearing their end of life.
So, how should users of different Drupal versions go about the upgrade? Let's find out.
Drupal 9 Users
Drupal 9 users can automate the process for upgrading to Drupal 10. You could check out the drupal-rector for help. There are several APIs that could be of use to you.
Check out the Upgrade Status on your Drupal 9 site to determine the amount of work that will be required.
Drupal 8 users
Drupal 8 has reached its end of life. Only users that have upgraded to Drupal 9 can switch to Drupal 10.
If you had upgraded to Drupal 9, you could use Upgrade Status in this case, too, to analyze your website. As it turns out, there are about 6000 contributed projects that are ready for Drupal 9.
Drupal 7 users
Drupal 7 will be around only till November 2022. Although it will end after the planned release of Drupal 10, it would be best if you upgraded earlier.
While Drupal 10 will feature migration tools from Drupal 7, a better idea would be to move to Drupal 9 first and then upgrade to Drupal 10.
Wrapping up
Open source DXPs are vital since they provide businesses with the tools required to satisfy their audience. Buyers today expect more customized experiences throughout sales channels. DXPs, such as Drupal, can help your business shine in this regard.
The release of Drupal 10 has created quite a buzz in the developer community. If you are still on one of the older versions, upgrade to Drupal 9 as soon as you can for a smooth shift to Drupal 10.
It will be interesting to see how Drupal improves its own stellar track record with its newest release!