When Drupal 8 was first released in 2015, it was not an easy upgrade. The migration process was as time-consuming as starting from scratch, and then moving the content in was much more demanding. And this problem statement encapsulates developers' and companies' concerns about Drupal 9's launch.
The Drupal 9 release is seamless and uncomplicated, much to the relief of many. The Drupal community will have a new experience, with a paradigm shift toward consistent updates and a reasonable development process. What's the big deal if the improvement makes the experience easier? What are the advantages of Drupal 9?
What is Drupal 9?
Drupal 9 is the cleaned up version of Drupal 8, but with the absence of deprecated code in the Drupal 8.9 version. Drupal 9 has all of the power, capability, and ease of use needed to be a real enterprise-ready solution, with capabilities that rival any CMS on the market. Drupal 9 boasts structural features that can specify editorial workflows, thanks to an API-first development approach. It is, however, past time for people to provide us with candid comments.
What Was the Reason for the Code's Deprecation?
Was it clear to deprecate the code while Drupal 9 was still under development? Maybe! However, it has its own causes that yielded rewards for Drupal 9 observers, such as:
- Even before Drupal 9, deploying the code within the Drupal 8 version aided in the resolution of difficulties.
- It didn't require as much restructuring as prior versions, which had a totally new API.
- Of course, the migration procedure will not act as a road block for sites running older Drupal versions.
Why Should You Upgrade To Drupal 9?
The greater question is: 'is it time to take another look at Drupal?' 'How important is this move for you?'
Only until November 2021 will Drupal 8.9, the last version of Drupal 8, receive bug patches and security updates. Drupal 9's development and security updates, on the other hand, will extend far beyond that deadline.
This means you can keep using Drupal 8.9 to update your site until the end of 2021.
Drupal 9 is for sites that want to be compatible with future Drupal releases. Also, not all Drupal 8 code will run on Drupal 9, according to the updates.
Apart from these factors, now is an suitable time for businesses considering a migration to Drupal 9 from other CMS to take advantage of all the Drupal 9's capabilities!
How Should You Prepare for Drupal 9 upgrade?
First determine whether your contributed modules are Drupal 9 compatible, as you will eventually want to upgrade your site to Drupal 9.
Below is the checklist to get started with the upgrade.
Checklist for Drupal 9 Updates
Before you begin the migration process, make sure the following items are in place to assist you upgrade faster:
- Ascertain that your site is running on the most recent minor version, i.e. Drupal 8.9. Upgrades beyond Drupal 8.8 are not supported.
- Upgrade to PHP 7.3+ to meet the most recent PHP needs.
- With the Upgrade Status module, you can deprecate code on your site and fix it if required.
- Determine whether your website uses Composer or tarballs. The actual upgrade flow will be determined by this.
Drupal 9 upgrading Tools & Modules
If you're ready to upgrade to Drupal 9, here's a list of tools and modules that will help you:
- Migrate your content and site configuration with the Core Migrate Module Suite.
- Provide information about the availability of contributed projects in the Upgrade Status Module.
- Rector: automate module updates for Drupal 8 sites with commonly deprecated code to Drupal 9 compatible code.
- Module for Drupal Upgrader: scan and convert your Drupal 7 site's out-of-date code.
What Impact Will This Have on My Website?
The migration for Drupal 7 to Drupal 9 and Drupal 8 to Drupal 9 will be different, as indicated by the above list. As a result, the next major consideration is how distinctive it will be. Let's decode it"
If your site is on Drupal 8,
Drupal 8 to Drupal 9 migration requires fully updating the Drupal 8 website to the most recent version of Drupal. It will be minor version upgrade of Drupal 8. If your site is on Drupal 8.9, you can put it on hold for now and avoid the upgrading hassle. Check if your website is at version below Drupal 8.8, than you must start investing in upgrading to Drupal 9.
A few permissions and modules are not supported for Drupal 8.9, and upgrading to Drupal 9 is required.
As a result, it is up to you to determine whether or not your favourite contributed modules and features are supported.
Learn more about updating your Drupal 8 site in detail here.
If your website is on Drupal 7,
If you've a Drupal 7 site for a long time, migrating to Drupal 9 might face resistance from your team. However, there is some good news: because to the global COVID-19, community support for Drupal 7 will be provided until November 2022.
The Migrate Drupal module may be useful for a simple site, however migrating the "theme" over will require custom development work.
You can also rely on Drupal 7 Long Term Support (which is a temporary and less secure remedy that we do not advocate).
Each site's migration path from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9 will be unique. If you have a more complicated site, it may not be as simple, and this is where we can help. Drupal 9 might also be a wise choice for site owners seeking for a new CMS.
Business Value
You can begin preparing to upgrade your Drupal site as soon as feasible, whether you're on D7 or D8.
Drupal 7 was released nine years ago; with the release of Drupal 9 it is time to revisit the demands of content writers and site visitors. It's also crucial to consider the business continuity implications of maintaining and updating your systems.
- These questions could help you think about how the migration can better serve today's audience:
- What features and modules do you have now, and how relevant and secure are they?
- What is the extent of your migration, how much time and money can you commit, and what development capabilities do you have on hand?
- What effect will the upgrade have on the present site's content in terms of design and architecture?
With so many questions to answer and a lengthy road ahead of you, you may need specialists on your side and partners who can lend a hand.
Some facts
If currently on Drupal 7, it is important to note that while you can upgrade directly to Drupal 9, it will require more work. End of life for Drupal 7 is on November 2022 and Drupal 8 is on November 2021. Security Coverage for Drupal 8.9 Ends in November 2021. Contact us to learn how CIGNEX can help you stay ahead.
