The open-source ecosystem thrives on collaboration, innovation, and inclusivity. Within this space, Drupal has consistently emerged as a beacon of robust, community-driven development. A significant contribution to this success comes from Drupal companies stepping up to sponsor Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) events, ensuring the platform's visibility and fostering its growth.
Some of them are doing more than just sponsoring events—they are cultivating spaces where Drupal can shine amidst the broader open-source community. By anchoring Drupal’s presence at these gatherings, they highlight the platform’s strengths, such as its flexibility, scalability, and vibrant community. Their efforts underscore the idea that Drupal is not just a content management system but a cornerstone of the open-source movement.
Recently, Nico Grienauer wrote an article in the Drop Times about acolono’s presence at ‘Kiss the Globe,’ an interdisciplinary event held in Vienna, Austria. Acolono was one of the event's sponsors, but it did not end there. The company offered discounted tickets to Drupal developers, enabling more contributors to attend. This approach democratizes access to knowledge-sharing opportunities, allowing developers to engage with the broader open-source world while representing Drupal.
Such measures ensure Drupal's representation and help create a collaborative bridge between diverse technologies and communities. This cross-pollination of ideas enhances the value of open-source events and reflects the cooperative ethos that defines Drupal.
In a world where competition often overshadows collaboration, these efforts remind us of the power of community. Such initiatives deserve appreciation as they propel Drupal forward and uphold the principles of open source—accessibility, inclusivity, and innovation.
Now, let’s look at the important stories from the past week.
In an interview with Alka Elizabeth, Martin Anderson-Clutz reflects on his experiences presenting at NEDCamp. He delves into his work under the Starshot initiative, which aims to enhance Drupal’s capabilities for event management. He highlights the evolution of Drupal recipes, explores the complexities of event-based tools, and shares developments slated for upcoming releases. He also discusses how collaboration within the Drupal community has shaped tools and practices, offering insights into the future of event management and site-building with Drupal.
For acolono, Open Source is not just a technical solution but a philosophy. It represents collaboration, innovation, and shared responsibility—values that align closely with the ethos of Kiss the Globe. By leveraging Drupal, acolono develops digital tools that are both innovative and environmentally conscious, reinforcing the agency’s belief that technology can be a driver of sustainability. Nico Grienauer shares about acolono's partnership with Kiss the Globe event and their giant push for Drupal.
Bernardo Martinez writes about how DrupalCamp Atlanta regained momentum in 2024 after one of its lead organizers stepped down last year. Earlier in the week, we had published his reflection on this year's Open-Source/DrupalCamp Chattanooga. Here's a report of the event from Bernardo Martinez.
This week, from November 25 to December 1, 2024, features several Drupal events, including the MidCamp 2025 Planning Meeting, the Event Platform Initiative Discussion, and the Dutch Splash Awards. Have a look at the Drop Times’ article on events this week.
Pamela Barone has provided updates on the progress of Drupal CMS version 1 and outlined plans for new work tracks to advance the platform further. With version 1 nearing completion, successful tracks like Project Browser and Workspaces as Content Moderation continue to drive improvements.
DrupalSouth has officially announced its committee for 2024, bringing together a group of dedicated professionals to lead the organization’s activities and initiatives. The newly appointed committee includes individuals with diverse experience, ready to advance the Drupal community in the region.
DrupalCon Singapore 2024 is set to roll within a month. The grand event that brings together Drupal enthusiasts from Asia and beyond is going to be a goldmine of networking opportunities. Have a look at the Social Events at the event.
DrupalNYC invites Drupal enthusiasts to participate in its upcoming "Contribution Day," scheduled for Friday, December 13, 2024, from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. The event encourages both new and seasoned contributors to collaborate on advancing the Drupal ecosystem.
DrupalCamp Poland 2025, the country's largest Drupal-focused conference, will occur on June 7 in Warsaw. Organizers have announced that the call for session proposals is now open, inviting speakers to submit their topics for consideration.
A new podcast series was launched exclusively to deal with topics connected to LibreOffice. The series titled LibreOffice Podcast is being published on PeerTube. The first episode, published on 20 November, discussed the topic "Marketing Free Software".
James Abrahams, Director at FreelyGive. Ltd, recently shared an update on the integration of AI agents into Drupal, sparking a wide-ranging discussion among experts on LinkedIn. His insights focused on the critical role of evaluations in AI systems, as well as the challenges of creating intuitive tools for non-developers within the Drupal ecosystem.
With that let's wind up this week's newsletter.
Thomas Alias K
Sub-editor, The Drop Times
Headless Drupal is changing the course for content management systems by offering a fresh approach to how digital content is delivered across platforms.
At its core, headless Drupal separates the backend (where content is stored and managed) from the frontend (where content is displayed). This decoupling allows for a greater range of flexibility and customization in how content is presented to users, leading to faster, more dynamic websites that can easily integrate with a multitude of modern tech stacks.
The benefits are abundant. By going headless, organizations can seamlessly deploy content across diverse platforms—from mobile apps and kiosks to IoT devices. This means a blog post, product description, or interactive experience can be shared consistently, regardless of where or how it is consumed.
However, embracing headless architecture is not without its challenges. Managing separate systems can introduce complexity. Multiple moving parts can sometimes lead to increased difficulty in synchronizing the backend with various frontends. Fortunately, Drupal's API-first architecture mitigates these challenges by providing a strong foundation for developers to build upon, ensuring a cohesive integration between systems.
The real excitement comes with the capability to pair Drupal's robust backend with cutting-edge front-end technologies like React, Vue.js, or Angular. This combination results in richer, more engaging user experiences that cater to modern audiences' expectations for speed and interactivity. Developers have the freedom to innovate and tailor the user interface to meet the unique needs of their audience, unencumbered by traditional constraints.
Moreover, businesses are positioned to benefit tremendously from headless Drupal. They gain the ability to bring new features to market rapidly, allowing them to stay ahead in today’s fast-paced digital landscape. Scalability becomes less of a concern, as the architecture easily accommodates growth and a wide variety of digital touchpoints.
Headless Drupal doesn't just promise flexibility; it delivers adaptability essential for future-proofing digital strategies. In an era where customer engagement is king, and technology continues to evolve at unprecedented speeds, having a versatile and powerful content management system is indispensable.
The question isn't just whether headless Drupal is the future—it's about understanding how this evolution in content management can redefine your digital strategy to better connect with users across every platform.
Headless Drupal Drupal Planet
Drupal CMS is built to empower marketers, content teams, and site builders, making it easier than ever for organizations to adopt and thrive with Drupal. For long-time Drupal users, it’s an opportunity to supercharge and expand your Drupal experience.
This is our moment to shine! It’s a huge moment in the history of Drupal, and it also marks Drupal’s 24th birthday.
Let’s introduce Drupal CMS to the world, and celebrate the remarkable community that has made this possible.
💥 Host a launch party
Be part of the excitement by organizing a Drupal CMS launch party in your local community on January 15, 2025.
👉 Sign up to host: Fill out [this form] to share your event details and join the party.
👉 Promote your event: Post it on Drupal.org’s Community Events page with the tag #DrupalFest so everyone can find it.
💥 Find a launch party to attend
👉Find a local party: Visit Drupal.org’s Community Events page and search with the tag DrupalFest to find launch parties near you. (Note: launch parties will be added in the coming week).
Here’s what’s in store:
🎥 Live-stream
Be part of a global live-stream (details coming soon) connecting launch parties around the world. Feel the energy of our vibrant community as we celebrate together in real time!
🎙️ Interviews
Get behind-the-scenes insights with interviews with the brilliant minds behind Drupal CMS. Learn how they brought this next-generation platform to life.
⏱️ Countdown to launch
Join the excitement with a countdown anchored from our mission control party in Boston.
💻 Live demos of Drupal CMS
See Drupal CMS in action with live demonstrations that showcase its game-changing features. Whether you're a marketer, developer, or site builder, you’ll be inspired by what’s possible.
SWAG, and much more!
Translate the press release
Help Drupal CMS reach every corner of the world by translating the official launch announcement into your language.
Use branded marketing materials
We’re creating ready-to-use content—including blog templates, social media kits, and more—to help you amplify the launch. Updates to come.
Is your website the driving engine of your higher ed institution and a powerful catalyst for its goals? Is it effectively attracting prospective students, inspiring alumni, and building a vibrant community? There are always new strategies to boost your website's impact and ensure the answer is a resounding "yes"! As a team that specializes in higher education website design & development, we are passionate about sharing useful tips that can help those in this sector.
🚀 Ready to take your session ideas to the next level? Whether you're a seasoned speaker or a first-time presenter, the MidCamp 2025 Session Proposal Workshop is here to help you craft standout submissions.
📅 Date: December 12, 2024
🕒 Time: 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM CST
🌐 Location: Virtual via MidCamp Slack (#speakers channel)
This workshop will be led by Aaron Feledy, a seasoned Drupal contributor and experienced speaker. Aaron brings years of expertise in proposal crafting and conference speaking, offering practical advice to help you refine and elevate your session submissions.
Submitting a session proposal can be daunting—but it doesn't have to be! This workshop is designed to guide you through the process, from brainstorming topics to refining your submission. Our expert facilitators will share insider tips on what makes a proposal stand out to reviewers and resonate with attendees.
Ready to submit? Session submissions for MidCamp 2025 are now open! Visit the MidCamp 2025 session submission page for guidelines and start your journey to the stage.
Simply join the MidCamp Slack and head over to the #speakers channel on December 12th at 3:00 PM CST. No registration required—just jump in and start collaborating!
