Drupal CMS, the evolution of the Starshot project, aims to transform Drupal into a platform accessible to non-developers, while maintaining its power and flexibility. With key innovations that simplify the website creation experience, it positions itself as the standard for no-code website creation. In this article, we will explore the project updates presented in September by Drupal founder Dries Buytaert during DrupalCon Barcelona 2024.
The future of Drupal: Starshot and the evolution of the CMS
As recently highlighted in the article Drupal Starshot: the new version that promises a revolution, the Starshot project, now officially renamed Drupal CMS, marks a turning point in the platform’s history. It represents the realization of an ambitious vision that sees Drupal not just as a powerful CMS serving structured organizations and developers, but also as a tool accessible to non-developers, while maintaining the power and flexibility that made it famous.
The project, initially announced at DrupalCon Portland 2024, therefore aims to set a new standard for no-code website creation.
Drupal CMS: a platform for (non) developers
Dries’ presentation in Barcelona included a demo that showcased the progress made in the first four months of the project. Helping Dries demonstrate the tool’s potential was Sarah, an imaginary marketer, who literally built a powerful website in just a few hours with minimal help from a developer.
This is because the platform introduces a series of innovations that drastically simplify the process of creating and managing websites. Among these, the ability for users to try Drupal CMS with a single click stands out, eliminating the traditional barriers for new users. Thanks to WebAssembly, users can access a trial experience directly in the browser, without needing to install or manage servers.
Another key element of Drupal CMS are “recipes,” predefined features that allow users to combine modules, configurations and content for common needs. These solutions enable even non-expert users to quickly create complex websites.
Let’s take an example: building an events website with Drupal Core would normally require an experienced developer several days of work. With Drupal CMS, the same result can be achieved in just a few clicks by non-technical users. The user simply needs to access the Project Browser (which supports recipes), browse the various preconfigured features for an events site, select and customize them. Time required: a few minutes. Development skills required: zero.
Key innovations: AI, SEO and Experience Builder
In short, Drupal CMS introduces a series of revolutionary innovations that radically transform the experience of creating and managing websites. The integration of Artificial Intelligence represents one of the most significant advances: AI agents are now capable of creating content types, configuring fields, building templates, modules and much more.
In the SEO field, Drupal CMS introduces an SEO recipe that combines and configures all the essential Drupal modules to optimize a site for search engines. This feature simplifies the optimization process, making it accessible even to users who are not SEO experts.
The Experience Builder represents another innovation, offering layout design, page building, basic theming and content editing tools, making the Drupal user interface more intuitive and accessible.
Additionally, Drupal CMS introduces AI-assisted content migration, a feature that uses artificial intelligence to analyze the source website and handle complex tasks on the destination site, making migrations faster and simpler.
These innovations not only improve Drupal’s usability but also open up new possibilities for creating sophisticated and personalized digital experiences.
Product strategy and release plan
The product strategy for Drupal CMS has been designed to establish the software as the gold standard in no-code website creation. This step, while revolutionary, fits coherently with Drupal’s ambitions, which have long directed their strategic focus towards the marketing sphere (we discussed this in detail in the White Paper Drupal as a Marketing Asset).
As for the Drupal CMS release plan, we can say it is just as ambitious as its vision. The launch date is set for January 15, 2025, coinciding with Drupal’s twenty-fourth birthday. This date is not just symbolic but also marks the beginning of a new era for Drupal, aligning with the end of support for Drupal 7.
The development team is working intensively to meet this deadline, with an important intermediate milestone set for DrupalCon Singapore, which will take place from December 9 to 11, 2024. The goal is to have a version ready by that date, to allow the community to test and provide feedback before the official release.
The role of the community in Drupal CMS development
It is clear, then, that the Drupal community plays a fundamental role in the development and success of Drupal CMS. It is no coincidence that Dries Buytaert emphasized the importance of community participation, describing Starshot as “the largest collaborative effort in Drupal’s history.”
Since the early stages of the Starshot project, SparkFabrik has collaborated as a contributor. Our development team is still contributing to the creation of AI agents, writing tests, improving documentation and creating recipes, leveraging our extensive experience with the platform to build preconfigured and effective solutions.
Want to learn more? Don’t miss the free online event Talks on My Machine “Drupal: Driving Digital Experiences”, where we will also discuss AI and Typesense with Roberto Peruzzo, who will show us how artificial intelligence and semantic search can revolutionize the user experience on Drupal sites.
If you would like to contribute to the Starshot project, you can do so through the website drupal.org/starshot. These collective efforts not only improve the product but also strengthen the sense of community and shared belonging that has always characterized the platform.
Challenges and opportunities for Drupal CMS adoption
The adoption of Drupal CMS presents challenges and opportunities for the Drupal community and for the broader web development ecosystem.
One of the main challenges is balancing ease of use for non-developers with the power and flexibility that have made Drupal popular among professional developers. Finding the right balance will be essential to maintaining the existing user base while attracting a new audience.
Another important challenge is related to training non-technical users in using a system that, although simplified, remains sophisticated in its capabilities. This is a process that will inevitably require a significant investment in creating educational resources, tutorials and community support.
On the other hand, the opportunities offered by Drupal CMS are vast, starting with the ability to fully leverage the potential of Artificial Intelligence to make website creation more efficient, faster and more personalized. Indeed, very few Open Source CMSs today have integrated AI so effectively within their features.
Advanced AI technologies open up new possibilities for innovation and website personalization, positioning Drupal at the forefront of the AI revolution in web development.
Finally, opening the platform to a broader audience could lead to a significant expansion of Drupal’s user base, potentially positioning it as a leader in the no-code and low-code CMS market. For Drupal agencies and developers, this change may require an adaptation of their business model, but it also offers the opportunity to expand their services to a wider market of clients.
Ultimately, the success of Drupal CMS will depend on the community’s ability to embrace this change, continuing to innovate and adapt to the evolving needs of the digital market.
