'Drupal at Your Fingertips' Is Designed as a Quick Reference for Experienced Developers: Selwyn Polit

Navigating the complexities of Drupal development can be daunting, even for seasoned developers. The vastness of the platform, with its intricate modules and configurations, often leaves professionals seeking a reliable reference that offers quick, precise guidance without overwhelming detail. This is where "Drupal at Your Fingertips" steps in—a book tailored for experienced developers who need rapid answers and efficient solutions. Authored by Selwyn Polit, this guide aims to serve as a streamlined resource that cuts through the clutter, providing precisely what developers need when they need it.

What sets "Drupal at Your Fingertips" apart is its focus on providing concise, actionable information tailored for those who already have a firm grasp of Drupal. Selwyn’s book isn’t just another beginner’s manual—it’s a quick-reference tool designed to enhance the workflow of experienced developers.

"I hope my book provides the community with a useful reference guide for Drupal development"

Selwyn Polit, a passionate advocate for open-source development, has been deeply involved with Drupal since its 4.7 version. His extensive experience spans various software languages and environments, including PHP, MySQL, JavaScript, Oracle, and Linux, making him well-versed in the challenges developers face. Currently focusing on back-end Drupal development for mission-driven organizations and businesses, Selwyn understands the critical need for a resource that supports developers in efficiently tackling the complexities of Drupal without unnecessary detours into foundational concepts.

In this interview, Selwyn Polit delves into the meticulous process behind creating "Drupal at Your Fingertips," offering detailed insights into how he curated and organized the content to serve as a comprehensive reference for Drupal developers. He explains how he ensured the accuracy and relevance of the code samples and information, a task that required not only his deep expertise but also a keen awareness of the evolving needs of the Drupal community. Selwyn also shares how he decided which topics to include, focusing on those that would provide the most value to experienced developers.

Currently working with WebFirst, a company that primarily develops government websites, Selwyn’s personal values align closely with his professional endeavours. He speaks about how his commitment to integrity drives him to contribute to projects that aim to improve the world. This principle also guided him in creating a book that genuinely supports the Drupal community.

Now, let's dive into the interview,

TDT [1]: Can you tell us about your journey with Drupal? How did you get started, and what motivated you to specialise in Drupal development?

Selwyn Polit: I first met Drupal back when version 4.7 was the current version and it was love at first site.  I come from a background of database programming and also developing in C and C++.  I had done some experimenting with tools like Dreamweaver and Frontpage, which could handle the appearance but had limited support for structured data. I found them less than inspiring. It seemed to me like the web was coming into its own with the advent of tools like Drupal because it allowed for structured data to be included along with the ability to make it look good via the presentation layer.  The key was CCK and views for me.  It opened up a whole new world of possibilities.

TDT [2]: Could you share some insights into your contributions to the Drupal community? How do you actively participate in the community, and what impact do you hope to make through your contributions?

Selwyn Polit: Most of my contributions are in the form of the book.  I do post things in issue queues whenever possible.  I hope my book provides the community with a useful reference guide for Drupal development.  I’ve heard some nice feedback from some of the Drupal superstars, which is very satisfying.

TDT [3]: Your book, "Drupal at Your Fingertips," sounds like an invaluable resource for developers. What inspired you to create this book, and what distinguishes it from other Drupal resources? It is also described as a living Modern Drupal reference book. Could you elaborate on what this means and how the book will adapt to future changes and updates in the Drupal ecosystem?

Selwyn Polit: I always keep pretty detailed notes as I learn things.  Drupal can be challenging to find solutions especially given that it is 20 years old and has gone through so many changes. I love the idea of open source and wanted to make something useful for others. This book is different in that it is for more experienced developers as a quick reference.  It doesn’t go into the basics much but rather gives developers quick answers with minimal explanations.  I recently learned that an intern at my company uses it as a reference, so apparently, it is useful for newer developers, too.

I update it every day as I work on Drupal projects for my job. Others do the same, and as we move to the next version of Drupal, so will the project.

TDT [4]: Can you provide some insights into the process of creating the book? How did you gather and organise the content to ensure it serves as a comprehensive reference for Drupal developers?

Selwyn Polit: It is a Github “pages” project using Vitepress for the theming.  Each chapter is a markdown file with mostly “normal” markdown code, but sometimes, there is a special magic that Vitepress knows how to interpret and render. I work on it like any other project in that I edit files, commit them, and then run Github actions to build and deploy the project.  I don’t know if it could ever be comprehensive, but as a living document, I hope it will be useful for many developers.

A critical part of this development has been community members who have kicked in to help with some of the mechanics, especially Maks Oleksyuk whose help was invaluable in getting the site looking so good. Many others have contributed, as you can see from the contributions page at https://www.drupalatyourfingertips.com/attribution

TDT [5]: How did you ensure the accuracy and relevance of the code samples and information provided in the book? Did you collaborate with other developers or rely on your own experiences and expertise?

Selwyn Polit: Most of the code is lifted directly from work and research that I did, so I know it works. Some developers have contributed code to the book, and I feel pretty confident that their code is good. I have tested most of the code in the book, and some contributors have helped keep things accurate. Thanks, Drupal community!  When I’ve come across code in projects that I work on from other developers with whom I’ve worked, I have often included it.  Knowing it is already in working projects gives me that confidence that it is good.

TDT [6]: Given the vastness of Drupal's ecosystem, how did you decide which topics to include in the book? Are there any specific areas or features of Drupal that you believe are essential for developers to understand?

Selwyn Polit: That was initially a challenge, but I looked at various other books and websites to decide on the chapter structure.  It started out being a bit haphazard, but periodically, I split chapters into multiple chapters to help with the organization. Mostly, I do this when a chapter seems to be getting too long. The “batch and queue” chapter is a candidate for splitting shortly, although these two topics are closely related.

TDT [7]: Are there any particular chapters or topics in the book that you found especially rewarding or challenging to write about? Could you share some insights into your experiences while working on these sections?

Selwyn Polit: I think the batch API chapter was especially satisfying. It seems to scratch an itch for me, especially given that it gets around those silly timeouts. I am also inspired when the project motivates others to do projects of their own. Recently, a very talented developer and prolific blogger named Phil Norton used some of my code for his Drupal batch examples repo at https://github.com/hashbangcode/drupal_batch_examples.

TDT [8]: Moving beyond the book, could you tell us about your experiences working with progressive, mission-driven organisations and businesses as a Senior Drupal Developer at Mighty Citizen? How does your work align with your values and goals?

Selwyn Polit: I currently work for WebFirst, which works mainly on government websites, and my values align very closely with the work I do. I try to live my life with integrity, and my efforts generally lead to improving the world wherever possible. I have worked on a variety of sites for various state and federal government agencies as well as non-profit organisations.  I sleep better at night, knowing my clients are similarly aligned.

Many of the amazing developers at WebFirst have contributed source code and custom modules. WebFirst supports my efforts to update Drupal at your Fingertips continually and is currently working on a publicly available Acquia Drupal Certification Study guide.

TDT [9]: What are your thoughts on the Drupal Starshot initiative, and how do you believe it will shape the future of Drupal?

Selwyn Polit: I’m pretty excited about this.  I think this is really what is needed for Drupal to gain back some of its former glory in the smaller to mid-size websites.  Also, it may help with wider adoption with the larger enterprise, government, and education sites as it will allow the less technical “Drupal-curious” folks to try things out without requiring a huge effort. It should just be a click and go, as you can see at https://wasm-drupal.mglaman.dev/.

TDT [10]: In your opinion, what could be a game-changer for Drupal shortly? Are there any specific features, improvements, or community initiatives that you think would significantly enhance Drupal's capabilities and adoption?

Selwyn Polit: I’m excited about the Drupal CMS (starshot) initiative.  This should get Drupal in the hands of folks trying to create websites that can turn into something special.  Many of the starter products out there limit you, but Drupal lets you build something spectacular.

TDT [11]: What advice would you give to new developers looking to start their journey with Drupal? Are there any resources or tips you wish you had when you were starting with Drupal development?  

Selwyn Polit: I wish I had a “Drupal at your Fingertips” when I started;-)).  The best advice I think is to find a mentor who can answer some of the bewildering questions you will come up with.  There are plenty of idiosyncrasies in Drupal that defy logic but are carried over from the early days.

TDT [12]: With over two decades of experience in software development, including extensive work with Drupal, what are the most significant changes you've witnessed in the Drupal ecosystem over the years?

Selwyn Polit: Probably the change to object-oriented code in Drupal 8 and above. I’ve also watched as the AI revolution blazes through every software product, including Drupal.

TDT [13]: Lastly, outside of your professional endeavours, what are some of your interests or hobbies that you're passionate about?

Selwyn Polit: When I’m not trying to be a good father to my 17-year-old son, I am a musician, and I like to play guitar and sing.  Also, I volunteer in my neighbourhood association in East Austin with a climate committee to address the climate crisis.  We are currently planning to get 800 trees planted to mitigate the heat island effect in Austin.