10 Must-Attend Sessions at DrupalCon Singapore 2024

DrupalCon Singapore 2024 is set to bring the Drupal community together once again for the first time in 8 years, marking DrupalCon's exciting return to Asia this December. Over three days, attendees will experience an array of sessions, hands-on training, and collaborative contributions, all aimed at advancing Drupal and uniting its global community. 

DrupalCons are known for informative sessions that provide an in-depth understanding of the topics they cover. DrupalCon Singapore 2024 will also present an array of topics that are not only relevant but futuristic. The following are my top 10 picks for this year's DrupalCon Asia. Naturally, the readers have other priorities. If you feel that I missed out on an exciting session, please comment, explaining why you think it must be added to the list. 

1. A Drupal Core Maintainer Shares Peer Code Review Best Practices

Monday, December 09, 2024, 09:00 to 09:45 SGT (UTC + 08:00)

The first session in the schedule will be hosted by Jess (xjm), a seasoned Drupal developer with years of hands-on experience. Join a Drupal core release manager in this session to master the art of peer code reviews. Learn strategies to enhance your team’s code maintainability, productivity, and collaboration. Discover how a well-structured review process can reduce defects by up to 90% and foster mentorship within your team. The session, "A Drupal core maintainer shares peer code review best practices" also covers insights into Drupal’s two-phase core review process, best practices, and tools that streamline code reviews, making your Drupal contributions impactful and efficient.

2. Building the Future of Drupal: 11, 12 and Starshot

Monday, December 09, 2024, 11:30 to 12:15 SGT

Gábor Hojtsy and Tim Plunkett will take delegates through the futuristic Drupal projects and how the projects are going to fuel Drupal’s journey forward. "Building the future of Drupal: 11, 12 and Starshot" explores the future of Drupal, highlighting Drupal 12’s planned release and Starshot’s ongoing development. Building on Drupal core, Starshot aims to enhance new and existing sites with improved ease of use, better update processes, and full control for developers. Dive into how Starshot will reshape core and contributed projects, making Drupal more accessible while retaining flexibility, and hear about progress updates from the Driesnote at DrupalCon Barcelona 2024.

3. Sustainable Digital Marketing with Drupal—Eco-Friendly Tech Solutions

Monday, December 09, 2024, 11:30 to 11:50 SGT

Prevya C P, Drupal Community Manager at Valuebound, will explain the importance of sustainable marketing models in digital marketing in the session "Sustainable Digital Marketing with Drupal—Eco-Friendly Tech Solutions." This session explores the powerful synergy between sustainability and digital marketing using Drupal. Ideal for marketers, developers, and business leaders, it dives into eco-friendly practices within the digital space, emphasizing Drupal’s role in reducing environmental impact. Topics include energy-efficient web design, sustainable UX principles, and creating impactful, green campaigns. Attendees will gain practical insights and tools to enhance Drupal sites’ efficiency and lead their brands toward a greener future through sustainable digital marketing.

4. Being a Drupal Developer in a Small Third World Country

Monday, December 09, 2024, 14:15 to 15:00 SGT

Niraj Malinga Meegama, an experienced Drupal developer from Sri Lanka, describes what it means to be a Drupal developer in his country. In the session titled "Being a Drupal developer in a small third world country," Neeraj will share his journey of promoting and nurturing Drupal talent in Sri Lanka, a country with a growing yet small Drupal community. From starting with Drupal 6 to building the website for Sri Lanka Telecom, Neeraj will take us through the rewarding path that led to working with high-profile clients, including the UK government, Australian agencies, New Zealand brands, and, most recently, Pfizer UK.

5. Features of Fully Open Source Enterprise Hosting

Monday, December 9, 2024, 13:00 - 13:10 SGT

This session will be led by Toby Bellwood, Director, Product Engineering - Lagoon at Amazee.io. Toby's session, "Features of Fully Open Source Enterprise Hosting," delves deep into the challenges in the area of Enterprise Drupal hosting. He will also present amazee.io's insights from a decade of delivering Enterprise Drupal hosting on an open-source platform. Discover what "Enterprise" truly means to clients worldwide, from managing vast networks of mission-critical sites to addressing vital needs like data sovereignty and security. Learn about the features and solutions amazee.io has built to support clients with fleets of up to 1,000 sites, along with the team’s approach to maintaining optimal uptime, updates, and performance.

6. Defining Drupal Starshot with User-Centered Design

Monday, December 09, 2024, 15:15 to 16:00 SGT

Project Starshot, or Drupal CMS, is a hot topic right now. Cristina Chumillas will highlight some important developments behind the curtain in her session "Defining Drupal Starshot with user-centred Design." This session offers an inside look at how Starshot’s product definition has been shaped by data-driven decisions and community input. From establishing user personas and flows to prioritizing features and defining design tone, intentional strategies have guided Starshot’s direction to ensure it meets the community’s needs. Learn about the role of research in this journey, future plans, and how community collaboration has been central to building a product that aligns with shared goals.

7. Building Multi-Language Sites in Drupal: Unlocking Global Potential

Tuesday, December 10, 2024, 10:15 to 11:00 SGT

Curious about expanding your site’s reach globally without sacrificing quality? Join Anjali Rathod, Acquia certified Drupal developer at Axelerant, in the session "Building Multi-Language Sites in Drupal: Unlocking Global Potential" to explore the ins and outs of building multilingual websites in Drupal. We'll dive into the “how” and “why” of multilingual setups, demonstrating why Drupal is a top choice for global sites. Discover strategies for efficient translation management, maintaining site performance, and optimizing for SEO. This interactive session will cover essential configurations, tackle common challenges, and provide tips for creating seamless multilingual experiences for diverse audiences.

8. Innovation and the Future of Drupal

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 - 10:15 - 11:00

This session was initially presented at DrupalCon Lille in 2023, featuring Alex Moreno alongside notable guests such as Nick Veenhof, Cristina Chumillas, AmyJune Hineline, and Scott Massey. This time, it will be presented by Alejandro Moreno Lopez alone. Is Drupal truly losing ground, or is there more to the story? This session explores Drupal’s current standing in the CMS world, reflecting on its journey, strengths in the enterprise space, and its adaptability for complex, highly customized sites. Join the discussion to assess Drupal’s evolution, tackle perceptions, and discuss the community’s role in shaping its future.

9. Navigating Tomorrow: The Future of Websites in the Age of AI and Content Proliferation

Tuesday, December 10, 2024, 11:15 - 12:00 SGT

John Doyle and Gaurav Goyal will lead this forward-thinking session titled "Navigating Tomorrow: The Future of Websites in the Age of AI and Content Proliferation" on the tremendous shift in the technology landscape. Explore the transformative future of websites in this session, where escalating content demands intersect with the advancing power of artificial intelligence. Dive into the forces driving today’s content boom and discover strategies for thriving in a content-rich environment. We’ll examine AI’s role in shaping website functionality, user experience, and content personalization, offering insights to help you lead in the evolving digital landscape. Join us for a look at the trends and opportunities defining the future of websites.

10. Experience Builder Initiative

Tuesday, December 10, 2024, 16:00 to 16:45 SGT

The speaker, Lauri Timmanee, is expected to break some exciting news about the Experience Builder Initiative at this session. Discover the latest on the Experience Builder initiative, designed to empower non-technical site builders to create and theme complete Drupal sites directly in their browsers. This session will cover the module’s progress, expected changes, and how it aims to simplify content creation and site customisation without heavy coding. Join in for a roadmap overview, insights into the initiative's problem-solving approach, and opportunities for community involvement in shaping this user-friendly tool.

Apart from the knowledge-filled sessions, DrupalCon Singapore 2024 also promises unique opportunities for networking, sharing knowledge, and witnessing the inaugural DrupalCon Splash Awards—a celebration of Drupal innovation and excellence. Held at the stunning PARKROYAL COLLECTION hotel in Marina Bay, this limited-space event offers early bird and student discounts. Secure your ticket now to be part of Drupal’s growth across Asia!

* The agenda is subject to change.