drupal

Talking Drupal: Talking Drupal #506 - Automated Testing Kit

Today we are talking about Automated Testing Kit demo Recipe, Why Automated Testing is important, and How this recipe helps with guest André Angelantoni. We’ll also cover Taxonomy Views Integrator as our module of the week.

For show notes visit: https://www.talkingDrupal.com/506

Topics
  • What is Automated Testing Kit
  • Features and benefits of Automated Testing Kit
  • Cypress vs Playwright
  • Where should these run
  • Automated Testing Kit recipe
  • Demo configuration
  • Installing and setting up the Kit
  • Using this on an existing site
  • Managing tests and repositories
  • Building and using recipes
  • Debugging and troubleshooting tests
  • Roadmap
Resources Guests

André Angelantoni - drupal.org/project/automated_testing_kit aangel

Hosts

Nic Laflin - nLighteneddevelopment.com nicxvan John Picozzi - epam.com johnpicozzi Norah Medlin - tekNorah

MOTW Correspondent

Martin Anderson-Clutz - mandclu.com mandclu

  • Brief description:
    • Have you ever wanted to customize the taxonomy display view for a specific vocabulary, or even a specific taxonomy term? There’s a module for that.
  • Module name/project name:
  • Brief history
    • How old: created in Sep 2009 by Derek Webb (derekwebb1) though the most recent release was made by Kevin Quillen, who was a guest on the podcast in episodes 406 and 500
    • Versions available: 2.0.0 which works with Drupal 8, 9, 10, and 11
  • Maintainership
    • Actively maintained
    • Security coverage
    • Test coverage
    • Documentation
    • Number of open issues: 13 open issues, 4 of which are bugs against the 2.0.x branch
  • Usage stats:
    • 24,130 sites
  • Module features and usage
    • After enabling this module, when you edit a vocabulary or a taxonomy term, users with the necessary permissions will see an option to specify a view to show tagged content, and you can also choose which display to use
    • You can create a new view from scratch, or clone the taxonomy/term/* view provided by core, or a view defined in code. Obvious it’s critical for the view to have a contextual filter for a taxonomy term
    • Using this module could allow you to customize the presentation on a view page, for example to make the exposed filters more relevant, or even to split out the content, for example if you wanted to list only news in the main display, and have events and blog posts listed separately in attachments
    • I found this module really helpful during some recent work on the Drupal Event Platform, so I thought I would share it with our listeners

The Drop Times: Code with a Conscience

“In such an emergency as we are right now everyone needs to take more responsibility… and use whatever platform they have… to push in the right direction. I think that is our duty as human beings.”

—Greta Thunberg

Humanity’s greatest strength is our willingness to speak out—to oppose injustice, genocide, and hate—even when neutrality feels easier. Choosing silence often means accepting the unacceptable. As individuals and as a global society, we hold a collective duty to defend human dignity. When we embrace our responsibility to speak up, we help shape communities that uphold justice, empathy, and solidarity.

Drupal embodies this principle. Project leadership and contributors have consistently spoken out against racism, oppression, and violence. In 2020, Drupal founder Dries Buytaert affirmed that “Drupal is a force for good in the world,” renewing the project's commitment to justice and equality. The Drupal Association's official statement against racism encouraged the community to not only speak up but also take informed, intentional action. This includes educating ourselves, actively listening, and building inclusive spaces for all.

This isn’t just philosophy—it’s action. The Drupal Diversity & Inclusion initiative amplifies the voices of underrepresented individuals and supports genuine inclusion through mentorships, speaker training, and community-driven support. Contributors across the globe give their time not only to build software but to shape a culture rooted in empathy and fairness. The Drupal community proves that open source isn’t just about code; it’s about creating a world we want to live in.

Drupal also powers websites for humanitarian organisations like Human Rights Watch, UNICEF, and Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders). These aren’t just technical achievements—they’re acts of alignment with values that matter. Supporting truth, justice, and human rights is built into the very fabric of what we create. Because speaking up isn't about making noise—it's about making a difference.

INTERVIEW

DISCOVER DRUPAL

DRUPAL COMMUNITY

EVENTS

ORGANIZATION NEWS

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,
Kazima Abbas
Sub-editor, The DropTimes

Dries Buytaert: Accelerating AI innovation in Drupal

Imagine a marketer opening Drupal and with a clear goal in mind: launch a campaign for an upcoming event.

They start by uploading a brand kit to Drupal CMS: logos, fonts, and color palette. They define the campaign's audience as mid-sized business owners interested in digital transformation. Then they create a creative guide that outlines the event's goals, key messages, and tone.

With this in place, AI agents within Drupal step in to assist. Drawing from existing content and media, the agents help generate landing pages, each optimized for a specific audience segment. They suggest headlines, refine copy based on the creative guide, create components based on the brand kit, insert a sign-up form, and assemble everything into cohesive, production-ready pages.

Using Drupal's built-in support for the Model Context Protocol (MCP), the AI agents connect to analytics tools and monitor performance. If a page is not converting well, the system makes overnight updates. It might adjust layout, improve clarity, or refine the calls to action.

Every change is tracked. The marketer can review, approve, revert, or adjust anything. They stay in control, even as the system takes on more of the routine work.

Why it matters

AI is changing how websites are built and managed faster than most people expected. The digital experience space is shifting from manual workflows to outcome-driven orchestration. Instead of building everything from scratch, users will set goals, and AI will help deliver results.

This future is not about replacing people. It is about empowering them. It is about freeing up time for creative and strategic work while AI handles the rest. AI will take care of routine tasks, suggest improvements, and respond to real-time feedback. People will remain in control, but supported by powerful new tools that make their work easier and faster.

The path forward won't be perfect. Change is never easy, and there are still many lessons to learn, but standing still isn't an option. If we want AI to head in the right direction, we have to help steer it. We are excited to move fast, but just as committed to doing it thoughtfully and with purpose.

The question is not whether AI will change how we build websites, but how we as a community will shape that change.

A coordinated push forward

Drupal already has a head start in AI. At DrupalCon Barcelona 2024, I showed how Drupal's AI tools help a site creator market wine tours. Since then, we have seen a growing ecosystem of AI modules, active integrations, and a vibrant community pushing boundaries. Today, about 1,000 people are sharing ideas and collaborating in the #ai channel on Drupal Slack.

At DrupalCon Atlanta in March 2025, I shared our latest AI progress. We also brought together key contributors working on AI in Drupal. Our goal was simple: get organized and accelerate progress. After the event, the group committed to align on a shared vision and move forward together.

Since then, this team has been meeting regularly, almost every day. I've been working with the team to help guide the direction. With a lot of hard work behind us, I'm excited to introduce the Drupal AI Initiative.

The Drupal AI Initiative builds on the momentum in our community by bringing structure and shared direction to the work already in progress. By aligning around a common strategy, we can accelerate innovation.

What we're launching today

The Drupal AI Initiative is closely aligned with the broader Drupal CMS strategy, particularly in its focus on making site building both faster and easier. At the same time, this work is not limited to Drupal CMS. It is also intended to benefit people building custom solutions on Drupal Core, as well as those working with alternative distributions of Drupal.

To support this initiative, we are announcing:

  • A clear strategy to guide Drupal's AI vision and priorities (PDF mirror).
  • A Drupal AI leadership team to drive product direction, fundraising, and collaboration across work tracks.
  • A funded delivery team focused on execution, with the equivalent of several full-time roles already committed, including technical leads, UX and project managers, and release coordination.
  • Active work tracks covering areas like AI Core, AI Products, AI Marketing, and AI UX.
  • USD $100,000 in operational funding, contributed by the initiative's founding companies.

For more details, read the full announcement on the Drupal AI Initiative page on Drupal.org.

Founding members and early support

Image removed.Some of the founding members of the Drupal AI initiative during our launch call on Google Hangouts.

Over the past few months, we've invested hundreds of hours shaping our AI strategy, defining structure, and taking first steps.

I want to thank the founding members of the Drupal AI Initiative. These individuals and organizations played a key role in getting things off the ground. The list is ordered alphabetically by last name to recognize all contributors equally:

These individuals, along with the companies supporting them, have already contributed significant time, energy, and funding. I am grateful for their early commitment.

I also want to thank the staff at the Drupal Association and the Drupal CMS leadership team for their support and collaboration.

What comes next

I'm glad the Drupal AI Initiative is now underway. The Drupal AI strategy is published, the structure is in place, and multiple work tracks are open and moving forward. We'll share more details and updates in the coming weeks.

With every large initiative, we are evolving how we organize, align, and collaborate. The Drupal AI Initiative builds on that progress. As part of that, we are also exploring more ways to recognize and reward meaningful contributions.

We are creating ways for more of you to get involved with Drupal AI. Whether you are a developer, designer, strategist, or sponsor, there is a place for you in this work. If you're part of an agency, we encourage you to step forward and become a Maker. The more agencies that contribute, the more momentum we build.

Update: In addition to the initiative's founding members, Amazee.io already stepped forward with another commitment of USD $20,000 and one full-time contributor. Thank you! This brings the total operating budget to USD $120,000. Please consider joining as well.

AI is changing how websites and digital experiences are built. This is our moment to be part of the change and help define what comes next.

Join us in the #ai-initiative channel on Drupal Slack to get started.

[newsletter-blog]

The Drop Times: The Future of Drupal Is Intelligent: Practical AI Integration for Smarter Web Experiences

Discover how AI is enhancing Drupal through practical modules and real-world applications. Learn from GeoNovation’s work and explore use cases like automated tagging, personalized content, AI chatbots, and smart translation. See how development teams are embedding AI in Drupal to streamline workflows and improve digital experiences.

Drupal Association blog: Drupal Launches New AI Initiative to Democratize Intelligent Digital Experiences for Everyone

  • Open-source leader with 290+ AI modules announces major coordinated initiative
  • Transforms organic community innovation into unified product vision with industry backing
  • Establishes dedicated AI team drawn from leading agencies to provide coordinated innovation at scale

June 9, 2025 – Portland, Oregon - Drupal today launched the Drupal AI Initiative, a comprehensive effort to democratize intelligent digital experiences for everyone and drive responsible AI innovation. With over 290 AI modules already available and integrations spanning 21 major providers including OpenAI, Anthropic, AWS Bedrock, Azure, and Google Vertex, Drupal, the leading open-source CMS, has built substantial momentum in AI adoption. The new initiative channels this community-driven innovation into a coordinated product vision with dedicated leadership, funding, and strategic direction.

The initiative establishes a dedicated Drupal AI team drawn from top agencies globally, unified by an AI strategy that prioritizes human expertise over technological replacement. While most technology companies build AI systems that replace human decision-making, Drupal's AI approach centers on collaboration—amplifying expertise rather than replacing it.

Drupal already has a head start with our growing ecosystem of AI modules and active community," said Dries Buytaert, Drupal Founder and Project Lead. "What we are doing now is turning that creative energy into a coordinated product vision.”

The Drupal AI Initiative promises to fundamentally change how organizations approach digital experiences. Teams will create engaging, targeted content in days rather than weeks, while AI agents handle routine tasks like performance optimization and audience targeting. Content creators will focus on strategy and creativity as AI manages translation, layout generation, and SEO optimization automatically. The result is faster time-to-market for campaigns, better performance insights, consistent brand voice, and marketing teams freed from manual work to concentrate on strategic innovation.

A Different Philosophy

Most AI solutions force organizations to choose between powerful capabilities and meaningful control. Drupal's strategy is built around four principles:

  • AI-Human Partnership: Technology that makes people more capable, not less relevant
  • Comprehensive Trust Infrastructure: Advanced governance framework with approval workflows, audit trails, and compliance tools for responsible AI management
  • True Freedom of Choice: Use any AI provider without vendor lock-in
  • Community-Driven Innovation: Development guided by real-world needs, not corporate roadmaps

"We're not just adding AI features," said Dries Buytaert, Drupal Founder and Project Lead. "We're rethinking what responsible AI leadership looks like. This is about building a foundation that organizations can trust with their most important digital experiences."

Industry Leadership and AI Team

The initiative launches with unprecedented support from leading Drupal agencies worldwide, including founding members FreelyGive, Dropsolid, 1xINTERNET, Salsa Digital, and Acquia. This collaboration represents the equivalent of multiple full-time roles committed to development, with dedicated technical leads, UX designers and project managers.

Jamie Abrahams (FreelyGive), Baddý Breidert (1xINTERNET), Christoph Breidert (1xINTERNET), Dominique De Cooman (Dropsolid), and Kristen Pol (Salsa Digital) lead the initiative, representing the founding member agencies and bringing together diverse expertise in innovation, coordination, development, marketing, and community engagement.

Resources

About Drupal Drupal powers over 500,000 websites worldwide, including NASA, the BBC, and government agencies across six continents. Since 2001, this open-source platform has helped organizations create flexible, secure digital experiences while maintaining complete control over their technology. Recognized as a Digital Public Good, Drupal generates an estimated $3.5 billion annually through its global ecosystem of agencies and service providers.

Media Contact 

Ryan Witcombe (Australia)
Director, Product Marketing, Drupal Association
ryan.witcombe@association.drupal.org
+61 3 431 983 295

Nick Koger (USA)
Manager, Product Marketing, Drupal Association
nick.koger@association.drupal.org
+1 410 868 6425

DrupalEasy: The challenges of launching the Drupal IXP program at this moment in time

The Drupal IXP program officially launched a couple of months ago, marking a significant step in our community's effort to build future talent. Modeled after traditional apprenticeship approaches (with the Drupal-y twist of 250 contribution credits,) the program aims to connect newcomers at the beginning of their Drupal journey with organizations willing to hire and mentor them. While the initiative is poised to address a critical talent gap, its launch occurs during a challenging period for the Drupal community, prompting a reflection on the timing and rationale.

A challenge, and an opportunity

The primary challenge is the current landscape where many experienced Drupal developers are suddenly seeking employment. It is not unreasonable to assume that some percentage of these people will find non-Drupal jobs. Combine this potentiality with the fact that the Drupal developer community is getting older and that fewer and fewer new Drupal developers have been joining us suggests a long-term need for new talent. The single goal of the IXP program is to cultivate new Drupal developers so that we can maintain a community hearty enough to carry Drupal Core and Drupal CMS into the future.

Despite the external market conditions, the decision to launch the IXP program now was driven by the significant volunteer effort and organizational support from the Drupal Association. It just didn't make sense to not launch the program with the pending need so great, and while it had momentum. The program has reached a stage where it is ready to provide tangible opportunities for newcomers and benefits for participating organizations.

Advantages for new developers and businesses

The IXP program focuses on individuals with less than three months of paid Drupal experience, specifically targeting that crucial transition point between learning and professional practice to bridge the gap between learning Drupal and securing the first professional role. It serves as a structured pathway and a "safe learning environment" to help new developers navigate this complexity and build their skills under the guidance of experienced mentors. By providing paid experience in real-life use cases with structured mentorship (at least one hour of mentorship for every ten hours worked,) the program directly addresses the difficulty newcomers face in gaining practical experience.

IXP developers are expected to have knowledge about Drupal (either gained on their own or via courses like Drupal Career Online or Professional Module Development) - the program isn't asking hiring organizations to provide basic Drupal knowledge.

For businesses, hiring new Drupal developers through the IXP program presents potential advantages including the fact that they are not entering the workforce with the same level of expertise or salary expectations as seasoned developers. The program allows organizations to shape talent according to their specific practices and needs, representing a strategic investment in future talent. IXPs gain paid work experience and build a portfolio, while organizations benefit from fresh perspectives and enthusiasm.

IXPs can also be a low-cost way for organizations to invest in learning about and leveraging new developments in the Drupal community, including Drupal CMS as well as Drupal AI modules and techniques. Other potential tasks that IXPs can perform for hiring organizations include Drupal core and module updates, Drupal site-building, and quality assurance. These tasks can be foundational for various projects, including those potentially for smaller clients.

Make the choice

Yes, launching the Drupal IXP program now comes at a time with challenges. However, we really can’t afford putting off such a sound solution to address the long-term health of the community by creating structured pathways for new talent. Supported by a dedicated community of volunteers as well as the Drupal Association, we reached a point where launching was the necessary step to start building the future talent pipeline, offering paid experience and mentorship to new developers while rewarding organizations for their investment in the ecosystem.

If you're a hiring organization and want to get involved, start here.

AI was used for the initial outline of this blog post.
 

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