As you may have heard, Drupal 7 is reaching its End of Life on 5 January 2025 – fourteen years to the day that it was released. While migrating from Drupal 7 may seem daunting, the Drupal Association is here to assure you that the process can be smooth from start to finish! In our series of Drupal 7 End of Life blog posts, throughout the next 15 months we’ll be sharing all of the tips and tricks to ensure you have the easiest migration possible.
As you approach the start of your site migration, you may be asking yourself – where do I even begin? Don’t feel embarrassed if you don’t even know where to start! We know that there are plenty of site owners in the same boat as you, asking themselves where to begin. Luckily, we’re here to help! There are three steps you should complete first in your Drupal 7 End of Life site migration process:
- Read our questionnaire to determine your needs
- Determine your budget for migration
- Select a certified partner and/or use our DIY resources to build out a plan
Not only has the Drupal Association created a questionnaire to assist you in deciding on which direction to take your Drupal 7 sites, but we have also created an entire portal of partners and resources. In order to find the best fit for you, we invite you to take our Drupal 7 Site owner questionnaire here (scroll down, and you’ll find it under ‘Understanding my Options as a Drupal 7 Site Owner’). Once you’ve taken the questionnaire, you can begin working on your budget plan for 2024 and determine if you’ll be working with a certified partner from our list or using DIY resources to migrate.
So, when should you begin these steps? We recommend starting as soon as possible, ideally completing these three steps by the end of Quarter 4 of 2023! By determining the best path for your site, planning your budget, and then selecting your certified partner(s) or resources, you’ll be on your way to migrating your site by the End of Life date of 5 January 2025.
What does End of Life mean for you?
In software terms, end of life means that the version of that software no longer receives feature updates, bug fixes, or security releases. This last point is the most important. If a security vulnerability is discovered after the end of life date, it may be publicly disclosed, and you will be unable to update your site to protect against the issue. For this reason, we recommend beginning to plan your migration now.
Whether you want to take advantage of new functionalities with Drupal 10 or opt for another option, we’re here to support you.
Learn more on our Drupal 7 End of Life page now, and stay tuned for more blogs in our Drupal 7 End of Life series!