News Roundup

The Drupal Association has partnered with CrowdSec to boost Drupal site security. A new contrib module detects suspicious behaviour and shares signals with a global defence network. Site maintainers are encouraged to test it, report findings, and strengthen collective web resilience.

Shefali Shetty of Specbee explains why Fortune 500 companies increasingly choose React. Its component architecture, Virtual DOM, and tools like Next.js deliver scalability and performance. Combined with Drupal, React enables decoupled platforms that balance innovation with stability.

Joe Fitzpatrick explains advanced usage of Composer Patches v2 for Drupal developers. He stresses avoiding auto-generated patches, instead using locked patch files with sha256 checksums. These new features improve patch security, stability, and long-term maintainability in Drupal projects.

Ala Batayneh of Vardot explores Dependency Injection in Drupal and why it matters. He shows how service containers replace static calls, improving flexibility, testability, and maintainability. From forms to blocks to controllers, DI helps developers write cleaner, extensible Drupal code.

Mike Herchel of Dripyard says premium Drupal themes are ready for a comeback. Thanks to Single Directory Components, vendors can now ship complete, styled, accessible theme libraries. This could lower costs and help Drupal compete with platforms like WordPress and Webflow.

Jeff Greenberg kicks off a six-part tutorial series on unmanaged files in Drupal. He explains when bypassing Drupal’s database makes sense, especially for high-volume image sets. This first part covers use cases, architecture, and setting up file structures for later steps.

Gilles Bailleux spotlights the Image Compare Accessible Slider module by Frank Mably. It delivers an accessible before/after slider integrated with Drupal’s responsive image system. The module also boosts SEO with structured data, enhancing discoverability in Google Images.

Ronald te Brake has released Surge, a tool to improve AI integration with Drupal. It compiles Drupal coding standards into formats AI tools and IDEs can understand. This helps streamline AI-driven development workflows while keeping Drupal practices consistent.

Maya Schaeffer will join the Drupal Association Board starting November 1, 2025. She’s known for leading EvolveDigital and EvolveDrupal, reconnecting the community post-pandemic. On the Board, she plans to expand Drupal’s reach, promote inclusivity, and amplify Promote Drupal.

Michael Anello from DrupalEasy shares a clean workflow for contrib modules with Composer dependencies. Instead of cloning directly into web/modules/contrib, he suggests using a top-level modules directory with a path repository. This method ensures dependencies install correctly and supports multiple contrib projects in one setup.

Ala Batayneh of Vardot shares ten practical Twig tricks for Drupal theming. From template suggestions to reusable components, the tips streamline workflows and support clean design. It’s a quick guide for themers looking to embrace Drupal’s component-based approach.

Seed EM has launched Drup & Drop, a production-ready platform built on Drupal CMS. It combines reusable templates, multisite support, and best practices to speed up digital delivery. Designed for flexibility and governance, it helps teams go live faster—without sacrificing Drupal’s power, writes María Fernanda Silva.

Volha Tsiamliak of Attico explains how DesignOps helps scale design teams strategically. The explainer focuses on four pillars: culture, people, workflows, and tools—solving UI inconsistencies and workflow gaps. It’s a useful read for any org making design a core business function.

Talking Drupal previews DrupalCon Vienna 2025 in their latest episode, joined by key community voices. They cover keynotes, the Splash Awards, the Driesnote, and social events happening October 14–17. Also featured: the Recipe Tracker module—built for logging site recipes and supporting extensibility via the Entity API.

DrupalPartners is hosting a free AI strategy webinar on September 18 for Drupal 10 and 11 sites. The session covers a 14-day sprint to improve UX, search, and personalization—plus a free AI audit. It’s limited to 25 seats and features real-world results like 45% engagement gains.

Drupal core contributor Alexander Varwijk has proposed a major architectural redesign to support async processing and modern PHP runtimes. His plan includes decoupling the kernel, adopting Symfony Runtime, and enabling Drupal to power real-time and background tasks. If implemented, this could reposition Drupal as a flexible PHP framework—not just a CMS.

Mike Herchel, co-creator of Drupal’s Olivero theme, has launched a new theme company called Dripyard. The company focuses on accessible, component-based themes built with Single Directory Components and no extra dependencies. Dripyard’s first themes debut in a live webinar on September 30—marking a fresh chapter for modern Drupal theming.

Drupal core maintainer Mike Herchel has published a practical ARIA guide for frontend themers. He explains how to use common attributes like aria-expanded and aria-label responsibly, and when to let HTML do the work. It’s a must-read for anyone aiming to build accessible, modern themes without overengineering.

Attico’s Yauhen Bayeu reframes Drupal theming as core frontend architecture, not just design. His strategic guide breaks down when to build from scratch and how to align themes with business goals. From performance to editor experience, theming is treated as a long-term investment—not a last-minute layer.

The Drop Times is looking for two volunteers to help cover DrupalCamp Pune 2025 on September 13 and 14. Roles include photography, videography, interviews, and short article writing—perfect for contributors wanting hands-on experience. Volunteers will also enter a draw to win free tickets to the event.

QED42's journey with Drupal began in 2009 at the first-ever DrupalCamp Pune. They’ve since sponsored and co-organized dozens of events, including DrupalCon Asia in 2016. As Gold Sponsors for DrupalCamp Pune 2025, they continue to invest in the community that shaped them.

The Drupal Association recently hosted a webinar on the Drupal AI Initiative. Survey data showed nearly 80 percent of respondents already use AI in daily work. Speakers stressed that Drupal’s open framework is well-suited for AI innovation, and they invited community contributions.

The Kitchener-Waterloo Linux User Group will spotlight Drupal at its September 9th meeting. Martin Anderson-Clutz and Megan McDermott will explore Drupal’s open-source roots and enterprise uses. It’s part of Waterloo Tech Week and free to join online or at the University of Waterloo.

Registration is open for DrupalSouth Community Day 2025, happening Thursday, 6 November in Canberra. The one-day event features two tracks of sessions for developers, designers, and project managers. Tickets are $80, with volunteer and speaker applications open through 21 September.

MetaPhase argues that Drupal is the fastest route to meet M-23-22 mandates for federal websites. They highlight Drupal’s USWDS-native themes, JSON:API, and Section 508 tools as key compliance drivers. With 80% of .gov traffic hitting just 50 sites, standardizing on Drupal scales CX, security, and governance gains fast.

DrupalCamp Italy 2025 is back and early bird tickets are now available. The one-day conference takes place on November 14th in Rome, with sessions on Drupal 10/11, AI, security, and more. It’s a great chance to learn, network, and reconnect with the Italian Drupal community.

An on-demand webinar from amazee.ai shows how to deploy private AI in Drupal. It walks developers through installation, integration, and real-world privacy-first use cases. The session is now streaming, complete with a Q&A and a 30-day free trial.

Drupal expert Rick Hawkins will present on using Drupal Recipes at the PNW Summit this October. The session teaches beginners how to build faster with reusable, team-friendly site components. It’s part of a two-day event near Portland that brings the Pacific Northwest Drupal community together.

miniOrange is expanding its Drupal engagement—from local Pune meetups to sponsoring global DrupalCons. They’re reinvesting product revenue into open-source work, ensuring sustained contributions to the Drupal project. It’s a model of strategic collaboration that supports community growth and long-term innovation, reports Kazima Abbas for The Drop Times.

Akansha Saxena of Acquia is rallying the Drupal community in Bengaluru to restart monthly meetups. The DropTimes is helping spread the word to rebuild developer connections and momentum. This grassroots effort invites volunteers, speakers, and hosts to help reignite local engagement.

Mark Conroy delivers a beginner-friendly guide to key Drupal concepts like nodes, blocks, and Views. It’s part of his training series aimed at helping new developers understand content structure and config management. Great for anyone starting their Drupal development journey.

The week of September 8–14 brings a full slate of Drupal events worldwide. From a Swiss AI Hackathon to meetups in Boston, Pune, Nakuru, and more, the calendar is packed. It’s a great week to connect, learn, and contribute—whatever your skill level or time zone.

Michael Anello shares a smart fix for DDEV users running out of Docker space—especially with Rancher Desktop. Use [ddev mutagen reset] to clear cache files without deleting projects, and [ddev delete images] to free up even more. These tips help keep your dev environment clean and efficient.

Mark Conroy shared his LocalGov Drupal updates for August, with a spotlight on version 3.0.0 of localgov_microsites_base. This release integrates a new grid system and includes accessibility fixes like better ARIA labels and mobile UX improvements. A new Replicate submodule also reached RC1, giving site builders more flexibility for managing Microsites.

DrupalCon Vienna 2025 is packed with technical depth, from Canvas site-building to HTTP/3 performance tuning. Sessions cover security-first DevOps, AI workflows, and scalable design systems for enterprise. With hands-on workshops and over 100 sessions, it's a must for any serious Drupal pro.

Joachim’s latest blog demystifies converting Drupal plugins from annotations to attributes ahead of Drupal 12. Using Module Builder’s new “Adopt” feature and Drupal Rector, devs can prep their code with clean automation. This shift improves IDE support, translation clarity, and aligns with Drupal’s evolving plugin architecture.

Priyanka Phukan from Specbee highlights seven contrib modules to supercharge Drupal site performance. From Redis and Memcache for caching to WebP and AdvAgg for frontend speed, each offers real impact. With config tips included, it’s a practical guide for any performance-focused Drupal project.

Alka Elizabeth, Sub-Editor at The DropTimes, reports that Drupal is entering a new era—where AI is no longer experimental, but foundational. Her roundup of 30 contrib modules shows how Drupal is becoming a powerful orchestrator of AI services and LLM models. These tools let site builders automate content, run local models, and build intelligent, adaptive experiences.

Vienna’s Acolono GmbH has launched a focused WCAG 2.2 Level AA audit package for Drupal sites, delivering a five‑page review within 14 days for €1,950. They offer a 20 % discount for Drupal Association members—with a $200 donation to Drupal groups per audit. It’s a fast, practical way for Drupal teams to improve accessibility, user experience, and legal readiness.

Ricardo Sanz of Metadrop details how to upgrade Drupal sites from MySQL 5.7 to 8. The guide stresses compatibility testing with real data, especially for contrib modules and custom code. Tools like DDEV’s Aljibe and Acquia’s driver module are highlighted for safe, automated migrations.

George Bonnici outlines five strategies for using Claude Code, Anthropic’s CLI AI tool, in Drupal development. The post emphasizes supplying full project context, using Drush and Drupal Console, and following coding standards. It offers a framework for integrating AI responsibly without compromising Drupal site stability.

On Talking Drupal episode 518, Lauri Timmanee from Acquia shares new updates on Drupal Canvas—formerly Experience Builder. The React-based page builder is headed for beta in October, with a 1.0 release before DrupalCon Vienna. Canvas is already powering Acquia Source and aims to improve usability for site builders and developers alike.

Alithya is hosting a PHP Meetup for Drupal developers on September 30th in Montréal, organized by Yannick Ménard. The event will feature two technical talks: one by Dany AK on securing Drush commands, and another by Philippe M. and Amssa K. on migrating to Asymmetric Translations for better multilingual management. It’s a focused chance for developers to explore practical tools and trends shaping Drupal workflows.

Mark Conroy has launched a new Drupal training series, starting with DDEV setup and basics. Part 1 guides users through local development with Docker, Composer, and Drush—focused on LocalGov Drupal. It's a solid onboarding tool for new developers and site builders.

The Drupal Colombia Association is hosting a free hybrid workshop on September 19th in Bogotá, introducing Drupal and AI integration to students and developers across Latin America. The four-hour session requires no experience and aims to expand Drupal adoption in educational spaces throughout the region.

DrupalCamp Italy 2025 has opened its call for speakers ahead of the November 14 event in Rome. Organizers are seeking sessions on Drupal 10 and 11, migrations, AI, performance, and accessibility. Proposals close October 10, marking a key opportunity for the Italian Drupal community to connect in person.

Ronald te Brake is proposing a unified AI coding starter kit for the Drupal ecosystem, inspired by Laravel Boost. His idea combines Drupal-specific coding guidelines, semantic documentation access, and safe developer tools into one Composer package. If adopted, it could streamline AI-assisted development and bring consistency to how Drupal developers use AI.