The 2025 Ironstar Developer Survey confirms a critical trend in the Drupal ecosystem: younger developers are not entering the community at the rate needed to sustain long-term growth. Of the 753 respondents, only one was under the age of 21. Developers aged 21-29 declined from 59 last year to 44 this year, despite an increase in overall participation. Those with less than one year of experience numbered just 11 globally, with only a single respondent from Asia, a sharp drop in early-career representation.
André Angelantoni stated that "Drupal is struggling to reach younger developers," citing the same findings and pointing to a broader pattern: the aging of the contributor base. While Drupal continues to evolve in areas like AI integration (78% adoption this year, up from 50%), developer tooling (93% of DDEV users would recommend it), and platform usage (Platform.sh is the most recommended PaaS), the lack of incoming junior developers presents a structural challenge.
Despite the gap in new developer entry, Drupal continues to make meaningful progress in areas that matter: AI adoption is up significantly, modern tooling like DDEV is widely embraced, and community-driven improvements to the developer experience are ongoing. To build on this momentum, practical steps should focus on structured onboarding, beginner-friendly documentation, mentorship programs, and targeted outreach through learning platforms and regional events. These efforts can help ensure that Drupal remains accessible, relevant, and supported by a new generation of developers.
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TUTORIALS
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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, Bluesky, and Facebook. You can also join us on Drupal Slack at #thedroptimes.
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Sub-editor, The DropTimes.