The Drop Times: Honoring the Balance

Dear Readers,

Something subtle is shifting in the Drupal space. Over the past year, there has been a clear move to consolidate around Drupal CMS as the central message of the project. The intention is understandable. Making Drupal more accessible through low-code and visual tooling lowers the barrier for new users and small teams. But this unified direction, while strategic, risks unintentionally simplifying the perception of what Drupal is and what it is still capable of.

That concern comes into focus when we look at how DrupalCon Atlanta was structured. The sessions and keynotes gave the impression that Drupal CMS is not just a major initiative, but the primary path forward. Yet Drupal has always been more than a product. It has been a framework that adapts to a wide range of use cases, especially in enterprise environments. There was noticeably less visibility for advanced architectures, decoupled implementations, or the tools that support complex digital ecosystems.

This is where the reflections of community members like Jesus Manuel Olivas add useful contrast. His take on DrupalCon highlighted the gap between the official storyline and what many agencies are actively building. For organizations that rely on multi-site strategies, custom front-end frameworks, and API-first infrastructure, the current messaging does not quite reflect their day-to-day reality. These are not theoretical edge cases. They are living, large-scale implementations shaping digital strategy across industries.

Drupal's strength has always come from its flexibility. As the project evolves, it’s important to keep that core identity intact. There is room for Drupal CMS to grow without overshadowing the more complex and less visible work happening across the ecosystem. Honoring that balance is not just a matter of inclusion. It is a matter of relevance.

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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.

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