Dear Readers,
In November 2023, the Drupal community outlined potential release windows for Drupal 11, contingent on meeting specific beta requirements. Today, it is exciting to anticipate that Drupal 11 is on the verge of being officially released, marking a significant milestone in the evolution of this widely used content management system. This release includes crucial updates to key dependencies such as Symfony 7, jQuery 4, and PHPUnit 10 or 11, promising enhanced performance and stability.
Initial challenges, particularly with the update to PHPUnit 10, made the first anticipated release window in June unfeasible. However, with the completion of beta requirements by April, the development team has positioned Drupal 11 for a scheduled release this week. The release candidate, Drupal 11.0.0-rc1, was made available in the week of July 11, 2024, paving the way for the stable release. This new version introduces several features designed to enhance the overall user experience, including more intuitive content management tools, enhanced site builder capabilities, and streamlined processes for upgrading and maintaining Drupal applications.
Noteworthy features in Drupal 11 include an improved administration backend with a faster toolbar and better permission management. The introduction of Single-Directory Components (SDC) simplifies the creation and management of UI components, making it easier for developers to work with the platform. These enhancements reflect Drupal’s ongoing commitment to providing a powerful and user-friendly platform for web development.
With that, let’s move on to the important stories from last week.
Last week, Janne Kalliola, the Chief Growth Officer and Founder of Exove delved into the origins and evolution of the Drupal Business Survey, which he co-initiated in 2016. The survey, which is in its ninth year, gathers information about the state of Drupal businesses and agencies worldwide. In his conversation with Alka Elizabeth, Janne emphasizes why agencies should respond to the Drupal Business Survey.
In an interview with Kazima Abbas, Brad Jones discusses his “JSON data and schemas FTW!” initiative, which aims to modernize Drupal’s data management capabilities by integrating JSON data types and schemas. He highlights the initiative’s potential to enhance Drupal’s flexibility and interoperability, particularly in decoupled systems. The interview also explores Brad’s journey with Drupal and the challenges of incorporating his project into Drupal’s core.
In a recent article published on The DropTimes, Grzegorz Pietrzak, a Senior Drupal Developer at the European Commission, outlines five basic rules to keep website dependencies secure. His advice aims to help site maintainers manage and mitigate the risks associated with using third-party dependencies in Drupal projects.
The DropTimes highlighted the key moments from DrupalCamp Asheville 2024, emphasizing the event’s engaging workshops, diverse sessions, and inclusive community atmosphere. Organizer April Sides shared insights on the camp’s commitment to creating a welcoming environment and the challenges of organizing such events. The camp concluded with a scenic hike, underscoring the community’s emphasis on well-being and connection. Read here.
DrupalCamp Colorado 2024, held at the Tivoli Center Ballroom in Denver, provided a unique blend of learning, networking, and community engagement for open-source technology enthusiasts. The event featured keynotes by Lynn Winter and Matthew Saunders, covering topics from digital strategy to diversity in tech. The camp offered workshops, community sessions, and networking activities, including a coffee exchange and an after-party, creating a comprehensive and enriching experience for attendees.
Presently in the Drupal world, Drupal GovCon scheduled for August 13-15, 2024 has opened volunteering opportunities for the event. The deadline for submissions to the 2024 Splash Awards Germany and Austria is rapidly approaching, with entries closing on July 31. The annual event, which recognizes outstanding Drupal projects, will take place on November 7 in Berlin.
The A11yTalks session titled “Empowering People with Disabilities Using GitHub Copilot” has been postponed from July 23 to July 31. Hosted by Carie Fisher and Jesse Dugas from the GitHub Accessibility team, this session aims to enhance coding practices through GitHub Copilot’s accessibility features.
This week, the Drupal community has organized several meetups and events, taking place from July 29th to August 4th, 2024. Find the full list here.
Drupal experts Kevin Quillen and Matt Glaman have announced the forthcoming release of their new book, “Drupal 11 Development Cookbook.” It is designed as a comprehensive guide for site builders and developers, building on the success of their previous “Drupal 10 Development Cookbook.” The new edition aims to help users navigate the latest features and updates in Drupal 11.
Provus® 2.1.12, developed by Promet Source, has been released, offering advanced features that continue to revolutionize the content management experience for non-technical editors. Provus® is a content management platform that enhances Drupal’s capabilities, making it easier for users to create and manage website content.
Acquia has announced the availability of Drupal exams in French, marking a significant advancement for the French-speaking Drupal community. This initiative, in collaboration with Wide | Switzerland, a leading digital agency with a strong presence in several Francophone regions, aims to enhance accessibility and inclusivity.
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
Alka Elizabeth
Sub-editor, The DropTimes.