This article is about the Automatic Updates module in 2024. Golems web experts will discuss its importance, core functions, recent improvements, and how it benefits the Drupal community. Whether you are experienced in Drupal or just starting to use it as your website's platform, knowing what this module can do is useful for keeping your Drupal site working well and safe in today's digital world.

In this article, I’ll demonstrate how to integrate Drupal with a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) server, using JumpCloud as an example. With this guide, you’ll be able to quickly and securely manage users on your website. I encourage you to read the blog post or watch the video in the “Nowoczesny Drupal” series.

Recently, in one of our projects with Drupal 10, we faced an interesting challenge: implementing two-level "local tasks" for a specific functionality of our module. Despite the number of documentation related to local tasks in Drupal, setting up two levels of these tasks proved challenging, as we couldn't get them to display in the way we needed. However, after exhaustive research, we found an example in an existing module that helped us solve the problem.

Exploring the Problem

The need was to add a main "local task" and three associated subtasks that would show up when viewing or editing a node. Initially, the main obstacle was finding the right way to implement two levels of local tasks.

The Solution: Inspiration from Contributed Modules

During our search among existing contributed modules, we found…

With the current Drupal CMS work tracks well on the way to delivering for v1, we're planning ahead to define what's next on the roadmap. We also have a few tracks that were already in progress for v1, but never formally announced.

As we move beyond the basics of a CMS, things get complicated quickly! So several of these tracks are somewhat open-ended, and likely require multiple approaches or solutions.

Tracks already in progress

Project Browser

Project Browser is an ongoing initiative, to make it easy for site builders to find modules from within their Drupal sites, led by Leslie Glynn and Chris Wells Redfin. After several years of foundational work, the functionality is now working with a live API endpoint from drupal.org providing the module information. 

Since Project Browser is a critical part of the builder experience for Drupal CMS, we're formally adding it as a work track to recognize that and ensure it is aligned with the product strategy and other work tracks. If you're looking for a way to contribute to Drupal CMS, join the #project-browser channel on Slack for the latest.

Workspaces as content moderation

Drupal core has long provided tools for configurable content workflows, via the Workflows and Content moderation modules. In the meantime, the Workspaces module has become stable, and provides a more scalable method for staging content changes. Experience Builder will require workspaces to provide true content staging, because within XB a user can make changes to a number of different components at once, and content moderation does not allow for this. But right now, the complexity of workspaces makes it challenging for the most basic content moderation use cases.

The team from Tag1 already had a plan to completely replace content moderation with workspaces, and have now committed to delivering this functionality for inclusion in Drupal CMS. The goal of this track is to provide an experience similar to content moderation, where you can edit a single entity and create a draft, using workspaces but without exposing this to the user. So under the hood, workspaces is providing the draft/forward revision, but the user has no direct interaction with the workspace.

Telemetry

Telemetry is a crucial part of modern software development to provide information about how real-world users interact with a software application. Drupal has not integrated a formal telemetry system in the past, but Drupal CMS is a great opportunity both to try a telemetry system, and to take advantage of the insight it provides to rapidly improve the product.

We formed a working group to look into options for telemetry for Drupal CMS and have an early proposal for this now. Ideally, we will include some basic capability in the initial release, but would like to recruit a track lead to oversee this work ongoing, after the initial release.

If you are interested in taking the lead on this track, please apply here.

New tracks we're recruiting for

Content import / migration

Enabling users of other platforms to easily migrate their sites to Drupal is critical to delivering on the Starshot strategy. Drupal's migration tools provide a robust foundation, but this is a huge task to undertake, and may require more than one approach. 

So this track may split off into several different efforts. For example, there may be a simple import solution for basic sites that have a structured data source. Another might offer a migration via site scraping. And another might provide a jumping off point for more complex migrations. Rather than prescribing the approach, we are open to all proposals.

If you are interested in proposing a solution for this, please apply here.

Tours

Drupal has long had the capability to add tours, which are guided overviews of the site interface, via the Tour module. These guided tours are practically universal in our competitor products, and will be key to onboarding new Drupal users.

Several Drupal CMS recipes have provided or plan to provide a tour of the functionality they provide. In order to ensure that the tours provided by Drupal CMS are consistently applied and executed, we are seeking a lead to oversee this aspect of the product. This role is non-technical in nature, and requires skills in user experience, training, content writing and product design. The aim with tours will be to use them only where necessary, and not as a workaround for other fundamental UX improvements.

If you are interested in taking the lead on this track, please apply here.

Identity management / SSO

In user interviews with a number of people in our target person, they highlighted identity management and single-sign as a pain point with other platforms. Given Drupal's robust integration options, we feel this is an area where we can differentiate from our competitors, whose offerings may be more limited. But with flexibility comes complexity, and anyone who has tried to set up SSO in Drupal probably knows that it's not usually plug-and-play.

Part of the complexity is the wide range of providers, each with potentially different requirements. The Drupal CMS leadership team is currently undertaking an analysis of key integrations of all kinds, with a focus on user management, to formulate an approach to this that likely will open up one or more work tracks to build or refine the necessary functionality.

If you are interested in proposing a solution for this, please apply here.

Content translation tools

Drupal’s multilingual capabilities are robust, but there is an opportunity to make these tools even more accessible and efficient for content creators managing global audiences. This track focuses on enhancing Drupal’s translation and localization features to streamline content creation and support internationalization needs.

To achieve this, we could explore areas such as UX improvements to simplify translation workflows, AI-driven translation suggestions, integration with translation memories, notifications when content changes require re-translation, and more. Additionally, we can explore refining approval workflows and optimize the interface for managing multilingual content, making Drupal a more powerful, user-friendly platform for international sites.

If you are interested in proposing a solution for this, please apply here.

Front end design system

We are seeking strategic partners interested in designing and implementing a comprehensive design system to integrate with Experience Builder for Drupal CMS. The goal for this initiative is to create a modern and versatile design system that provides designers and front-end developers tools to accelerate their adoption of Drupal as their digital platform, by enabling them to easily adapt it to their own brand. This design system will enable content marketers to efficiently build landing pages and campaigns, allowing them to execute cohesive marketing strategies while maintaining the brand integrity.

More information on this track, including timelines and how to apply, is available in the full brief.

Conclusion

Each of these work tracks is aligned with the goals of the Starshot strategy, which aims to make Drupal CMS the go-to platform for marketers and content creators. 

The tracks we are recruiting for are not expected to be included in the initial 1.0 release of Drupal CMS. That said, development on these tracks could start soon, with target completion in the first half of 2025.

For those looking to apply or contribute, join us on Slack to connect with existing track leads or reach out to the Drupal CMS leadership team with questions. You can also follow developments in the Drupal.org issue queue.

LocalGov Drupal week + code contributions + getting elected on to the board of Open Digital Cooperative. It's been a busy week.

Authored by Nadiia Nykolaichuk.

AI is shifting our perception of the impossible. It does things that past generations would have never imagined. Indeed, it has long since become a routine to ask AI assistants to play music, turn on the lights, or even order groceries. With the advance of generative AI, boosting content management through various AI-driven tasks has also become increasingly common.

Authored by Nadiia Nykolaichuk.

Drupal modules often come with creative, inspiring names, and some even sound downright delicious. Join us on a culinary adventure through modules inspired by foods, and discover the rich features they can bring to your site! Each tool in this collection is powerful enough to supercharge your website’s capabilities, adding its own unique blend of flavors, nutrients, and zest.

The Drupal Association has published this guest blog on behalf of HeroDevs.

At HeroDevs, we’re no strangers to the importance of security—especially when it comes to open-source software. As the pioneers of securing deprecated open source software across various communities like AngularJS, Vue, and Spring, we’re excited to bring our expertise to the Drupal 7 ecosystem. We understand the challenges and vulnerabilities that come with maintaining legacy software, and our goal is to ensure your Drupal 7 websites remain secure, compliant, and fully functional for the long term.

Guaranteed SLA for Security and Compliance

When it comes to security vulnerabilities, having a guaranteed response is crucial for your business. HeroDevs offers a dedicated SLA that ensures your systems receive timely attention and resolution. Our service helps you stay compliant with important regulations such as FedRAMP, PCI, HIPAA, and SOC II. With HeroDevs, your business is backed by proactive security measures, so you never have to worry about delayed responses to critical security needs.

Reliable Terms & Conditions Throughout Your Subscription

We know how important stability and reliability are for businesses managing content management systems such as Drupal 7. That’s why our terms and conditions are mutually agreed upon and remain unchanged throughout your Subscription Term. With HeroDevs, you can rely on consistent, dependable support without the worry of unexpected changes to your agreement.

Guaranteed Subscription Term: No Termination for Convenience

Another aspect that sets HeroDevs apart is our Guaranteed Subscription Term. Unlike other providers, HeroDevs cannot terminate your subscription for convenience. This ensures that you receive full, uninterrupted service for the entire duration of your agreement, so you can have peace of mind knowing your Drupal systems are in safe hands for as long as you need them to be.

Warranties and Indemnification: Protecting Your Business

At HeroDevs, we stand behind the services we provide. Our subscription includes warranties and indemnification to ensure that the security services you receive are up to standard. Should anything go wrong, you’re covered—not just with fixes, but with assurances that keep your business protected.

Why Partner with HeroDevs for Drupal Support?

By choosing HeroDevs, you’re partnering with a team of security professionals with a proven track record across various open-source communities. We’re committed to helping your business meet compliance standards, avoid costly security incidents, and maintain seamless functionality—all with the added benefit of faster support and more secure systems.

Contact us to learn more about Drupal 7 NES.