News Roundup

Jim Birch of Kanopi Studios and John Doyle from Digital Polygon are spearheading the SEO track for the Drupal Starshot initiative, aiming to create a search-optimized Drupal CMS. They've launched a community survey, open until August 16, 2024, to gather insights on Drupal's SEO practices. Participants can contribute anonymously or receive issue credit by providing their Drupal.org username.

This week, from August 12 to August 18, the Drupal community is abuzz with events, with Drupal GovCon 2024 taking center stage from August 13 to 15 at the University of Maryland. Key meetups include gatherings in Brisbane, Canberra, and Seattle, alongside specialized online sessions such as "GitHub Co-Pilot and Actions" on August 14. These events offer rich opportunities for learning, networking, and collaboration across the global Drupal community.

Jon Pugh, Founder of ThinkDrop, will present at DrupalGovCon 2024 on integrating GitHub Actions with DDEV Site Runner for self-hosted CI/CD environments. His session on August 13 will showcase how developers can automate hosting without relying on third-party tools like Jenkins, enhancing efficiency and security. The presentation includes a demo of the DDEV Site Runner used at Washington State University, Vancouver.

Drupal Association has launched the Starshot Bounty Program, offering new contribution credits to reward key community efforts. The program focuses on accelerating innovation in Drupal's core projects. Contributors can earn credits for their work on high-priority tasks that will shape the platform's future.

The latest study by TheDropTimes reveals the CMS landscape among top US universities. Discover which CMS solutions dominate the education sector and how Drupal maintains its strong hold. Dive into the data and gain insights that can inform your own CMS decisions.

Twin Cities Drupal Camp 2024, scheduled for September 12 to 13, is approaching fast, with only seven days left to submit session proposals. The deadline is August 15, and organizers encourage quick action for those wishing to present. Early submissions are prioritized, so submit your session title and description soon to secure a spot in this year’s lineup.

The Drop Times announces its participation in Drupal GovCon, which will take place from August 13 to 15, focusing on Drupal's role in digital governance. Visitors are invited to engage at The Drop Times' stall to discuss the latest trends and share experiences on Drupal’s impact in the public sector. This event promises insightful conversations on how Drupal can continue to innovate in supporting public services.

The Drupal Starshot project has announced the introduction of "tracks" to focus development on specific areas, with nearly 65 community submissions received for leadership roles. Key track leads have been selected, including experts from Dropsolid, Lullabot, and Acquia, among others. While three tracks still seek leadership, the project continues to evolve, emphasizing community-driven progress and the agile expansion of Drupal’s capabilities.

The 37th Drupal Tech Talk will take place on September 5, 2024, at Spoorlaan 348 in Tilburg at 19:00 CEST. Hosted by Indicia and organized by Finalist, React Online, SWIS, and Synetic, this meetup promises insightful sessions, networking, and community building. Dutch Drupal developers will gather to share experiences, learn from experts, and enjoy food and drinks.

DrupalCon Singapore 2024 will be held from December 9 to 11, marking its return to Asia. The event features a comprehensive agenda with training sessions, contribution opportunities, and networking events, including the inaugural DrupalCon Splash Awards. The complete schedule is now available, allowing attendees to plan their experience for maximum benefit.

The Drupal.org website experienced a brief outage due to a primary server failure, with services restored after a swift manual fail-over to a secondary server. Key figures from the Drupal Association and Tag1 Consulting collaborated to resolve the issue. The cause of the primary server failure is still under investigation.

JAKALA, a leading data and AI company, has acquired FFW, a prominent digital experience solutions provider, marking the largest non-public digital agency deal in Europe for 2023. This acquisition expands JAKALA's global workforce to over 3,000 professionals and pushes its turnover beyond €500 million, enhancing its market position and service offerings. The merger strengthens JAKALA's technological capabilities and international presence, positioning it for future growth and innovation in the digital services industry.

James Abraham announced on LinkedIn the Alpha 6 update of the AI Module in Drupal, featuring core functionalities like AI CKEditor, AI Content, AI Translate, and AI Validations. Three instructional videos are available, with the first providing an overview and the second focusing on AI Automators, demonstrating AI-driven content creation from PDFs. Users are encouraged to participate in Issue Queues and use #ai in Drupal Slack for queries.

The Drupal community announces new contribution bonuses for the Starshot initiative, recognizing and rewarding significant contributions. Key updates include extra credits for high-impact improvements to Drupal core, with detailed incentives for both individual and organizational efforts.

With just 50 days until DrupalCon Barcelona 2024, now is the perfect time to secure your ticket at the regular rate. Save €135 by registering before 19 August 2024, 23:59 CEST, and gain access to all core conference activities. Group and student discounts are also available, making this event an unmissable opportunity for the Drupal community.

Jose Daniel Estrada introduces Dresktop, a desktop application simplifying Drupal project management. Inspired by Acquia and Pantheon workflows, this open-source tool supports MacOS, Linux, and soon Windows, leveraging Docker for local setups. Key features include deployment tools, PHP and Bash script execution, and database/file synchronization, with future updates enhancing its capabilities.

Alejandro Moreno Lopez has announced his candidacy for the Drupal Association Board Election 2024. Known for his extensive contributions, Alejandro aims to drive innovation and community engagement through initiatives like Starshot and the Bounty Program. His campaign focuses on attracting younger talent, improving documentation, and promoting Drupal globally to ensure its continued growth and success.