Breaking Barriers, Busting Bubbles, and Building the Future of Drupal in Singapore

After more than 20 hours of flying and two airport layovers, I finally landed in Singapore—home to one of the most efficient airports I’ve ever experienced. Prepared for long queues, I was instead greeted by a technological marvel: no lines, multiple self-service machines ready to assist, and a seamless pass through immigration. For a tired traveler, it was a welcome relief and the perfect start to my journey to DrupalCon Singapore 2024, the first DrupalCon Asia in nine years.

On Monday morning, despite jet lag and little sleep, the excitement of DrupalCon was palpable. The energy was electrifying! This year’s event marked a historic moment: nearly half of the attendees were experiencing their first-ever DrupalCon, and over 50% had signed up for contribution activities—a remarkable testament to the vibrant and growing Drupal community in the region.

As it couldn’t be otherwise, one of the biggest highlights of the day was the Driesnote. Key takeaways included:

• AI innovations that position Drupal ahead of its competitors. The AI track showcased groundbreaking developments, including AI agents that can not only assist with Drupal tasks but potentially perform them autonomously. This is a game-changer, with no competitor CMS offering so many innovations together. 
• Recipes revolutionizing how sites are built by promoting best practices and saving time. Recipes are transforming how we build with Drupal—saving time, promoting best practices, and simplifying complex configurations. From analytics (Evolving Web) to accessibility (Zoocha) and media (Annertech), these tools are poised to redefine efficiency and usability.
• Progress updates on the Experience Builder, highlighting its readiness for the upcoming January 2025 release, with the live demo scheduled for the second day of the conference by Laurii.

Marketing also took center stage. For the first time in Drupal’s history, the Drupal Association has two dedicated product marketers, which marks a turning point in the open-source space, with focused efforts to grow the Drupal brand and expand its reach into new markets. The Starshot initiative is as well energizing the brand and aligning strategies to capture the massive potential of the Asian market, estimated at 1 billion.

Some of the other sessions that stood that day were.

Market Potential & Community Growth

Owen Lansbury, co-founder of PreviousNext and Chair of the Drupal Association Board, shared insights into open-source business strategies and the untapped Asian market potential. With an estimated 1 billion dollars market, the marketing efforts of the Drupal Association are clearly on the right path to expand Drupal’s reach in this dynamic region (which is currently an estimated 100 million market)

Owen shared valuable insights into operating a digital agency within the open-source ecosystem. His extensive experience underscores the significance of open-source contributions in fostering business growth and community engagement.

Owen also emphasised that integrating open-source contributions into a company's culture not only enhances its reputation but also serves as a catalyst for professional development and employee retention. At PreviousNext, developers are encouraged to dedicate a portion of their work hours to contribute to projects like Drupal, which has led to increased team engagement and a stronger presence in the open-source community.

Spotlight on Contribution & Collaboration

1xINTERNET has made remarkable progress in search functionality, partnering with agencies to refine user experiences. The Klaro module’s integration into the data privacy recipe highlights how Drupal simplifies compliance without compromising UX.

Sessions by Gábor Hojtsy and Tim Plunkett reinforced the strides made to make Drupal more beginner-friendly. From the Project Browser to streamlined module installations, these tools have lowered the entry barrier for new users while empowering advanced developers.

Celebrating Excellence: Splash Awards

The evening ended with the prestigious Splash Awards, celebrating the best Drupal projects across categories.

Highlights include:

• Education: Winner – PreviousNext for their outstanding project.
• Government: Winner – PreviousNext, Runner-up – Sparks Interactive.
• Non-Profit: Winner – QED42, Runner-up – Axelerant.
• Open Source: Winner – Reality Loop, Runner-up – Sparks Interactive.
• Best in Show: PreviousNext for their Mentally Healthy Project.

Monday Night Dinner: AI Passion and Laksa Adventures

Monday night brought an unforgettable dinner experience in the heart of Singapore. I had the pleasure of dining with my friends from QED42, including Hemant Gupta, and James Abrahams from FreelyGive.

James stood out for his remarkable passion for Artificial Intelligence. Over the past few months, he’s focused exclusively on AI, pausing client work to delve deep into this evolving field. His session, “Using Drupal’s AI module to power your Drupal websites and potential plans for Starshot” was one of the most compelling explorations of AI in the Drupal ecosystem. If you’re curious about how AI is shaping the future of Drupal, I highly recommend watching the recording when it’s available.

Beyond his AI expertise, James proved to be an excellent host, guiding us to some of the city’s best culinary experiences. His recommendation of Laksa soup was spot-on (did I pronounce that right?). Though I may have overindulged—yes James, that was definitely a LOT of food—it was an evening of laughter, insights, and cultural exchange. Thanks, mate!

Day 2 at DrupalCon Singapore 2024: Busting Bubbles and Building Bridges

The second day of DrupalCon Singapore continued the momentum and energy of Day 1, with a strong sense of optimism and forward-thinking discussions permeating the sessions and round tables.

Round Table Reflections: Measuring Drupal Beyond the Surface

During a round table I had the pleasure to organise, we explored the nuances of measuring Drupal's success. It's clear that metrics like the number of contributions or installs don’t paint the full picture, as Cristina works point out during the session. For example, one WordPress install isn’t necessarily equivalent to one Drupal install—it’s about the quality and impact of what’s built as well.

Encouragingly, the trend across the board is upwards.

I was particularly heartened to see the idea of "busting the bubble"—a concept I discussed in a blog post last year (read it here)—gaining traction. This approach emphasizes stepping outside our comfort zones to engage with the broader tech ecosystem.

At the same time, we identified bubbles within our own ecosystem. These include individuals or organizations that unknowingly act as "takers," benefiting from the platform but not actively engaging in giving back. The key takeaway? We need to ensure these stakeholders know they’re valued and encouraged to contribute. Drupal thrives when everyone participates.

Sessions That Stood Out

• Experience Builder Update by Laurii Timmanee
  Laurii’s session on the Experience Builder (EB) showed its exciting potential as we approach the January release of Drupal CMS. Key highlights include:
  - Automatic saving of all changes.
  - Integration with workspaces to streamline workflows.
  - Enhanced collaboration via tags and workflow improvements.
   

The progress is remarkable, and EB looks ready to revolutionize how we manage and build Drupal sites.

• QED42’s Mentoring Session
  QED42 delivered a thoughtful session on mentoring within the Drupal community. As we aim to expand Drupal’s reach, mentorship is becoming an essential pillar for fostering new contributors and ensuring a welcoming experience for newcomers.

Contribution Day: A Continued Success

Contribution day was once again a major highlight, with participation levels reflecting the dedication and enthusiasm of this community. The growing engagement from first-time attendees is inspiring—it’s clear that Drupal’s collaborative spirit is alive and thriving.

Final Thoughts: Building Momentum and Busting Bubbles

DrupalCon Singapore has been a powerful reminder of what makes this community special: innovation, collaboration, and a shared commitment to growth. Over the past two days, we’ve seen:

• Record-breaking participation in contribution activities, reflecting the community's dedication.
• Compelling discussions about stepping outside our comfort zones to "bust the bubble" and engage with the broader tech ecosystem.
• Inspiring sessions and updates, from Laurii’s demo of the Experience Builder to QED42’s focus on mentorship, reinforcing Drupal's evolution.
• Incredible potential for growth, with the Asian market spotlighted as a major opportunity to expand Drupal’s reach.

The energy at Drupalcon is always contagious, and the conversations around AI, accessibility, and marketing are reshaping how we see Drupal’s future.

Whether it’s through innovative tools like recipes and Experience Builder, or the personal connections we forge over dinner and discussions, DrupalCon Singapore has shown that together, we’re building something truly remarkable. Here’s to keeping this momentum alive as we look ahead to the future of Drupal!

And, by the way, don’t miss the chance to join the discussion or organize a party for the upcoming Drupal CMS release at CelebrateDrupal.org.

Note: Thank you, Pantheon, for supporting me in traveling to Singapore to host my round table on innovation and report back on everything that happened there.

The DropTimes is extremely happy and grateful for this write-up from Alex Moreno about his DrupalCon Singapore experience, he has been a constant support for us. Thank you, Alex!