Policy based access

First, let's start with the most exciting part of the updates. The dedicated team working on Policy-Based Access has successfully completed the work. Kristiaan Van den Eynde has been a pleasure to work with and has always been very responsive. Here is Kristiaan's own update:

The Access Policy API is ready to be committed and was integrated into core with zero test fails. It will revolutionize how contribution access modules are able to interact with the access layer.

While we wait for core maintainers to have a thorough look at it, we still have budget left to follow up on the merge requests until completion

The core committer team is already informed, so it’s just a question of waiting and, if necessary, responding to any reviews.

JSON FTW

We have received an extensive update from Brad, which I’ll reproduce next.

The initiative to implement JSON data storage and introduce an MVP for core field schema support is proceeding on schedule, perhaps even a little ahead. While I had initially intended to work mostly on schemas in the first half of the project, I gained early momentum on JSON data type and ran with it. This is the most complex part of the project, so it’s promising to be more than halfway done with the truly “hard stuff.”

Of specific interest to those who are looking forward to JSON data type support is our handling of database indices. (Thank you to @daffie for his early guidance on this.) I also received some excellent suggestions by a community member who wishes to be a silent helper. As a result, I was able to include auto-magical creation of generated columns for indexing frequently-used jsonpath expressions, which will then be used as indices. It turns out there is quite a bit of variation between core’s supported database drivers on indexing, but we are largely abstracting away this complexity.

The use of jsonpath expression in query conditions necessitates that we add a new condition method, ::jsonCondition(), to the DB abstraction layer. I would love to get more community feedback on the ergonomics of this new syntax.

As I’ve spent the bulk of the first half of the project deep in the weeds of the database API, I haven’t worked as much on schemas, but have switched focus around our project mid-point. The bulk of this work will be in contrib-land, with the exception of the addition of a “schematic normalizer” interface to core.

I welcome community help and suggestions on all the above and appreciate the advice and support by those who have already contributed. - Brad Jones

Decoupled Layout Builder

PreviousNext has been regularly sharing updates on their project. Below, we have highlighted their recent progress. For a quick summary in video format, we recommend watching their demo to get an overview of the current status at this link.

September updates:

• Evaluation of JSON:API
• Design of API and Open API specification
• Persistence layer complete
• Local development setup
• API for formatters in React
• API for Block plugins in React
• API for Layout plugins in React
• Evaluation of React drag and drop libraries
• Drag and drop support for blocks and sections
• NEW API for Widget plugins in React
• NEW Reducers for blocks to trigger mutating state
• NEW Proof of concept of inline editing of simple text and rich text (CKEditor inline editor)

October updates:

• Finalized the API
• Added an API for React Widget components plus a Widget manager
• Added a settings tray
• Added support for settings form to React Block components
• Added a document outline with drag and drop support
• Added a footer component that shows breadcrumbs
• Plain text widget
• Rich text widget powered by CKEditor
• Edit and select document modes
• Drag and drop to add new section or block

For a more in-depth understanding of their progress, be sure to check out their blog posts:

• Sprint 1-2 Blog Post
• Sprint 3-4 Blog Post

Drupal API

Brian Perry, lead of this initiative, shared the following update:

We're making good progress on our vertical slice Proof of Concept (POC)

As of right now half of the issues under that meta issue are complete, and all of the remaining issues have open PRs. That puts us slightly behind schedule, but we seem to be closing the gap a bit.

Mentor the mentor

The slide deck for the First-Time Contributor Workshop is now drafted and scripted, designed with accessibility in mind. It serves as a flexible template that can be tailored to suit the specific requirements of the event where it will be presented.

The Mentoring team presented this version on Tuesday, 17 October, at DrupalCon Lille, after which they will make any necessary iterations.

Gutenberg in Drupal

The team has started working on the starter theme, and a demo with the work in progress is scheduled soon. At the moment, the Drupal Association is helping arrange meetings with Automattic and beginning to plan workshops that will take place in the next few months.

A group conversation at DrupalCon Lille 2023

Drupal 10 will be released in December 2022. Let's remember what made the community happy with the previous version - Drupal 9, and get ourselves prepared for innovations.

Drupal 9 is a cutting-edge secure and convenient version of CMS and you have about 0 reasons to put off the update of your Drupal 7 website that is growing obsolete. Read this post to learn how to prepare your site for a serious update.

What is an Electronic Payment System? What is the Internet acquiring? What is a Payment Gateway? Online payment processing — how does it work? In this article, we will describe in layman’s terms the process of money movement from a buyer to a store. And surely, we couldn’t have been called a Drupal studio if we omitted the issue of online payments on a Drupal website.

Sounds cool? You may find the article here.  

The web studio ADCI Solutions starts a series of articles about Drupal web development for online commerce. The first article is about how the industry is experiencing a pandemic (spoiler: great), what eCommerce development tools exist on Drupal, how non-programmers can create a simple store (another spoiler: it is easy only at the beginning).

Are you interested? Here is the link to watch our article.

New year, new web design trends. This means that it is time to start updating your Drupal websites. Don't panic, there are not many things that need to be changed or upgraded. Check our article on web visual and technological trends that will be popular for websites and mobile applications in 2021.

You can find the link here.

Today we are talking about The Future of Drupal article, What Challenges Drupal may have, and How we can overcome them together! with guest Ricardo Marcelino.

For show notes visit: www.talkingDrupal.com/421

• Can you describe the article this topic is based on
• Module percentages
• Drupal’s challenges
• Drupal’s unique selling proposition
• How can Drupal expand relevance
• Why is relevance important
• How does Drupal move forward
• What’s next for Drupal
• Do you think this is a natural change for a project like Drupal
• How do we ensure the future of Drupal

• The Future of Drupal
• Drupal Day Portugal Slides
• Dries note

Ricardo Marcelino - omibee.com rfmarcelino

Nic Laflin - nLighteneddevelopment.com nicxvan John Picozzi - epam.com johnpicozzi Mark Casias - kanopi.com - markie

Martin Anderson-Clutz - @mandclu (Next.js)[https://www.drupal.org/project/next]

• Brief description:
  • Have you ever wanted to build a website with a React-based front end, but with lots of the robust and mature CMS capabilities that Drupal provides? There’s a module for that.
• Brief history
  • How old: created in Jan 2021 by shadcn, who continues to support it, including in the #nextjs channel in Drupal slack
• Versions available:
  • 1.6.3 for Drupal 9 & 10
• Maintainership
  • Actively maintained, though it uses a Github repo as its place for collaboration, including issues
• Number of open issues:
  • 135 open, 12 of them bugs
• Test coverage? Y
• Usage stats:
  • 1,249 sites
• Maintainer(s):
  • shadcdn, who continues to support it, including in the #nextjs channel in Drupal slack
• Module features and usage:
  • For anyone not familiar with Next.js, it’s a React framework for building front-end applications that gives developers a number a number of useful capabilities, such as dynamic routing, performance optimizations, integrations, and more
  • The Next.js module for Drupal optimizes your Drupal backend for use as the content repository for a Next.js front end
  • It add functionality like headless preview of unpublished content, even across multiple front end apps
  • It also supports Incremental Site Regeneration, a best practice to ensure your front end site can serve static pages for the fastest possible delivery, but without the risk of serving stale content
  • Works with the JSON:API Menu Items and JSON:API Views Drupal modules to allow even more of your front end site to be managed within your Drupal backend
  • There’s even a Next.js Webform module that allows your Drupal site builder to create webforms, and have the React forms automatically created
  • There is also a specialized version of Next.js, a “next-drupal-basic-starter”, also maintained by shadcn, that helps to get your Next.js front end working with Drupal more quickly

As we navigate the ever-changing world around us, we must remember the profound words of Nelson Mandela about Education.

"Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world."

Today, we're here to discuss the crucial need to stand against injustices, no matter where they occur. It's a call to action, a reminder that silence is not an option when the rights and dignity of people are at stake.

In a world filled with triumphs and tribulations, we must acknowledge that being neutral is not a virtue when confronted with oppressors and injustice. It's a moral obligation to speak up, to raise our voices against those who violate human rights and inflict suffering on others. Our commitment to justice knows no boundaries and extends to every corner of the world.

In the pages of history, we find countless examples of individuals who refused to remain silent in the face of tyranny. Mahatma Gandhi, the father figure of the Indian Freedom Struggle, led a nonviolent movement that shook the foundations of an empire. His commitment to justice and equality inspired millions around the world.

But the struggle for justice and freedom is not limited to one era or nation. From Martin Luther King Jr.'s fight for civil rights to Aung San Suu Kyi's unwavering stance against dictatorship, we see that the fight against oppression is universal. Their stories serve as a beacon of hope and a reminder that, as Nelson Mandela said, "it always seems impossible until it's done."

With a world full of challenges, it's essential to have a powerful platform to convey your messages and create a positive impact. At The Drop Times (TDT), we've embraced Drupal to do just that. As DrupalCon recently concluded, it's the perfect time to explore the many news articles and insights we've collected for you.

Remembrance is a central part of life and a ritual that unites us, regardless of beliefs, religion, social status, or location on the planet. TDT joins Drupal Community in mourning the untimely demise of Hawkeye Tenderwolf.

Today, TDT published an exclusive Interview with Ricardo Marcelino, the Portuguese Drupal Association's President and Omibee's co-founder. Through this comprehensive interview, Elma John, sub-editor, TDT, explores Ricardo's transition from a graphic design and marketing background to his current vocation in web development, serving as a testament to the industry's dynamic nature.

Major stories from the week past include the induction of new members to the Drupal Association Board. Fei Lauren was elected to the Community At Large seat on the Board, while Imre Gmelig Meijing, Lenny Moskalyk and Piyush Poddar were co-opted to the Board.

Alka Elizabeth, sub-editor at TDT, spoke with Fent Jani, CEO of Antlify and creator of Schema UI module, bringing in the story, "Schema UI Module Simplifies Entity Schema Visualization in Drupal."

Last week, The Drop Times ran seven featured articles and numerous other articles about DrupalCon Lille, offering insights into various aspects of this event. In "Celebrating Excellence," we highlighted the exceptional achievements of women honoured with the Women in Drupal Award 2023. "Driesnote Drenched in a Fairy Tale: What Lies Ahead?", a report penned by our editor Sebin Abraham Jacob, discussed Dries Buytaert's keynote speech and his focus on marketing and ease of use, making Drupal more accessible. "Local Drupal Communities Gather for Growth and Impact at DrupalCon Lille 2023" underlined the importance of local Drupal communities coming together, collaborating, and making an impact.

"Empowering Drupal's Search Capabilities" highlighted the innovative use of APIs and how they're improving Drupal's search functionality. "Is Gen AI Disruptive to your Site Search?" delved into the impact of generative AI on-site search, featuring a lightning talk by Sameer Maggon, Founder and CEO of SearchStax. "Choosing Drupal to Power Jägermeister" highlighted Andrea Ostheer's success story of using Drupal for cross-border communication at Mast-Jägermeister SE. I overviewed SparkFabrik's contributions at DrupalCon Lille, emphasizing themes of software security and seamless developer onboarding in the article "Software Security & Developer Onboarding."

In addition to the featured articles, TDT also covered other exciting news related to DrupalCon Lille. We highlighted a lively "Trivia Night" organized by Zoocha, where participants engaged in six rounds of questions covering Drupal and general web topics, competing for the title of Drupal trivia champions and fantastic prizes. The Belgian Drupal community, with the support of Make it Fly and WebstanZ, brought back the cherished tradition of "Belgian Night" at DrupalCon Lille, showcasing the tight-knit Drupal community spirit. Additionally, Annertech, a platinum sponsor for the third consecutive year, demonstrated its dedication to the Drupal community at DrupalCon Lille. Finally, DrupalCon Lille 2023 emphasized the ongoing commitment of the Drupal community to prioritize accessibility and inclusion, ensuring that Drupal remains an inclusive platform for all. The next year's DrupalCon Europe will be at Barcelona in Spain. 

We also brought to light a range of insightful blogs and guides. Oliver Davies underscored the importance of using Composer as a reliable dependency manager for Drupal projects, offering valuable insights that can significantly benefit developers. The LN Webworks blog post on "Enhancing Nonprofits and NGOs: The Drupal Advantage" delved into the crucial role of Drupal as a content management system (CMS) uniquely tailored for nonprofit organizations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Furthermore, an article by Alisha Khan on Zyxware explored the innovative "Composable Core" strategy of Drupal 11, unravelling the enhancements it brings to the CMS platform's flexibility and functionality.

Another engaging read on "SystemSeed's Seamless Transition to Drupal 10: Enhancing Web Experience" recounted SystemSeed's successful transition from Drupal 9.5 to 10.1. Lastly, OPTASY's dual certification as a Drupal Migration Partner marked a significant milestone, affirming their prowess in Drupal migration and unwavering commitment to the Drupal community, underlining their reliability and expertise in this field.

We've got you covered for upcoming events, training, and workshops. Join amazee.io's AI webinar on November 14, 2023, and unravel the secrets of leveraging Artificial Intelligence in web applications. Join the Comprehensive Drupal Administrator Training by Makina Corpus Foundation to enhance your Drupal skills. There's also a fantastic opportunity to unlock 50% savings on Early Bird tickets for EvolveDrupal Ottawa, a tech and design summit. Don't miss Acquia's Drupal Govcon Community Party on November 1, 2023, in Bethesda Row, U.S.A. Join Drupal4Gov's Extended Learning Contest to supercharge your Drupal skills and win nine Acquia certification tests. If you're interested in mastering Drupal migrations, sign up for the 3-day online workshop by Drupalize. me from November 6-8, 2023. Lastly, mark your calendar for NEDCamp 2023, a must-attend Drupal gathering in Providence, Rhode Island, on November 17-18, 2023. Only four weeks to go!

Stay informed, stay engaged, and let's continue our journey together in raising our voices against oppression and fighting for a brighter, more just world.

Remember to keep visiting The Drop Times for more Drupal-related news and updates.

Sincerely,  
Kazima Abbas  
Sub-editor, The DropTimes