Building a Schema.org-First Future with the Schema.org Blueprints Module for Drupal

The Schema.org Blueprints module takes a Schema.org-first approach. It provides a set of tools to create perfect data structures (Schema.org), pristine APIs (JSON:API), and great SEO (JSON-LD) within the best content authoring and administration user experience.

Schema.org is a collaborative initiative that develops and promotes standardized schemas for structured data, enhancing how websites, applications, and services organize and share information. Widely adopted by over 10 million sites, it provides a shared vocabulary to describe content, improving machine readability, search engine optimization, and interoperability across platforms.

The Schema.org Blueprints module extends this standardization by creating reusable, shareable content models based on the Schema.org specification. By defining content types, properties, and relationships in a machine-readable format, it simplifies data sharing, promotes consistency, and bridges communication gaps between organizations, developers, and search engines.

The creator of the module, Jacob Rockowitz recently gave a presentation about the module during NEDCamp 2024. 

"Over the past two years, I've actively integrated and improved the Schema.org Blueprints module for my client,"

says Jacob. This principal client, is a healthcare organization, seeking to re-architecture and modernize its existing Drupal website/application. 

"The Schema.org Blueprints initially started as a proof-of-concept on Drupal.org.  My client decided to sponsor my work on the module and contribute it to the Drupal community."

In 2022 and 2023, at NEDCamp and other Drupal events, Jacob did presentations that introduced people on how to leverage Schema.org as the foundation for a content model in Drupal.  Recently, his presentations have shifted to how to implement the Schema.org Blueprints module.

Jacob observed that members of the Drupal community often find it challenging to get started with the Schema.org Blueprints module. While his installation guide provides helpful instructions, the module's comprehensive nature and numerous sub-modules can be daunting.

"People in the community are intrigued by what the Schema.org Blueprints module is trying to accomplish; meanwhile, this project is somewhat adjacent to the Drupal community's focus on the initial release of Drupal CMS and its preliminary content model."

These sub-modules, primarily for managing optional integrations with other contributed modules, sometimes create confusion. Jacob emphasizes that the best way to ease adoption is by guiding users through specific tasks or features, demonstrating the module’s practical applications for building API-first, SEO-friendly websites using Schema.org’s content models.

"One strength of the Drupal community is that we can collaborate on multiple projects, solving similar problems in different ways. Drupal CMS may gradually adopt a Schema.org-first approach, and the Schema.org Blueprint will support Drupal's Recipe initiative."

Jacob adds.

Over the past year, the most significant updates to the Schema.org Blueprints module have been creating starter kits that build an entire content model for an organization like a Hospital or a Hotel.  These starter kits will gradually be converted to Drupal Recipes.

"Leveraging Schema.org as the content model with Drupal removes the challenge of naming things because Schema.org provides a well-thought-out, collaborative standard for defining content types and properties."

Jacob highlights that leveraging a standard like Schema.org offers significant SEO benefits. He notes that naming conventions are a critical part of implementing a high-quality API, and understanding well-defined relationships is equally important. Schema.org relationships, such as hasPart/isPartOf, parentOrganization/subOrganization, and subjectOf/about, provide a framework for connecting and contextualizing content effectively, which he believes more people should familiarize themselves with.

Schema.org has discussed and evolved its content model for the past decade to define and capture anything. One challenge for a modern Drupal project is fully grasping the suitable Schema.org types and properties required for their organization. One of the best quotes from my work over the past two years and my presentation at DrupalCon Barcelona is,

"You can build anything Drupal, and Schema.org defines anything."

With Jacob's work in Schema.org and Webform modules, it is evident that he strives for well-thought-out solutions for complex problems. Asking about the contributions from the Drupal community for his ventures, Jacob answered, 

"Any involvement in the Drupal community leads to meeting like-minded people.  This connection is the beauty of contributing to open-source code maintained by a diverse and engaged community."

The Webform and Schema.org Blueprints modules cater to distinct use cases and audiences. While the Webform module remains a widely used solution for many Drupal websites, the Schema.org Blueprints module serves a more niche audience with specific needs.

Frankly, the Schema.org Blueprint module is a more personal endeavor for me, Jacob says,

because it is, first and foremost, part of my day-to-day client work.  With that said, contributing all my work back to the Drupal community allows me to continually get feedback and suggestions from the community. 

Conversely, because the Schema.org Blueprints module is sponsored by a client actively using it to rebuild their Drupal site for the next year or two, the module will remain in an alpha state to make it easier to make improvements and code changes as needed.

The future of the Schema.org Blueprint module is stability, maintainability, and reliability.  Reaching a stable release is a key milestone for any Drupal project. Ensuring the module's maintainability requires robust test coverage and thorough documentation. Additionally, the module must reliably generate Schema.org JSON-LD that meets Google's Structured Data requirements.

"What excites me most is the prospect of helping other organizations build a Schema.org-first content model using the Schema.org Blueprints module."

concludes Jacob Rockowitz.