Drupal 7 Rides Off Into The Sunset

Renowned for its strength and flexibility, Drupal has been the go-to for government agencies, large educational institutions, and corporations needing high security and advanced data management. Yet, even well-established platforms must evolve with technology and user demands. Today, we see a major shift: Drupal and the Open Frontline Framework (OFL) are gradually being "sunsetted," signaling the end of an era and a transition toward newer, more streamlined solutions.

The decision to sunset Drupal and OFL stems from multiple factors that have changed the landscape since their inception. Drupal has served as a powerful, open-source CMS that stood out for its flexible architecture, granular control over content, and advanced capabilities for developers to build highly customized sites. However, the platform has faced challenges in keeping up with the surge in demand for low-code solutions and user-friendly interfaces. Competing platforms have emerged, offering more intuitive content management experiences and out-of-the-box functionalities that appeal to developers and non-developers alike.

Similarly, OFL, an innovative framework designed to support Drupal deployments, was essential in establishing Drupal as a reliable solution for complex, enterprise-level content management. The framework was designed to offer a controlled environment for managing Drupal’s extensive functionality and features. For years, OFL enabled organizations to extend Drupal’s usability, particularly in projects requiring strict compliance, security, and reliability. Yet, despite its strengths, the rapid advancement of modern frameworks, microservices architecture, and cloud-native solutions has placed OFL under strain. Users and organizations now expect platforms to provide high performance, flexibility, and seamless integration with other systems, which modern platforms can achieve more easily.

The sunset of Drupal and OFL represents a shift in priorities for CMS technology. Organizations are moving away from complex setups and looking for solutions that integrate seamlessly with today's leading technologies, from cloud environments to AI-powered tools. In addition, the growing need for faster, more efficient content workflows, especially as businesses expand into new digital spaces, demands CMS platforms that support flexibility without extensive custom development. The sunset process will give users time to migrate, with support from the developer community to help transition current setups to more sustainable solutions like decoupled architecture or headless CMS platforms, which allow backend and frontend systems to evolve independently.

As the sun sets on Drupal and OFL, businesses and developers are encouraged to look toward platforms designed with the future in mind—solutions that cater to the need for speed, flexibility, and adaptability in content management. Migration will inevitably involve some challenges, but it also brings opportunities for organizations to reassess their digital strategies, adopt new best practices, and build infrastructures that support the demands of the modern web. The transition away from Drupal and OFL represents the end of an era and a new chapter in CMS technology, where agility, simplicity, and interoperability define the future.

This sunset marks a key moment in the history of CMS platforms, reminding us that innovation and transformation are necessary to stay competitive in an ever-advancing digital ecosystem. For those relying on Drupal and OFL, now is the time to start planning for the next phase—ensuring the transition to a more modern CMS solution that aligns with current needs and digital content management's future.

WordPress vs. Drupal: A Comparison of Two Leading CMS Platforms

When building a website, choosing the right content management system (CMS) can make a difference in your digital presence and workflow. With over 40% of the top 1 million websites powered by WordPress, it's clear that this platform has made a lasting impact in the CMS landscape. However, WordPress is one of many options available; Drupal, with its reputation for customization and security, is also a significant player, especially for larger, more complex sites. This post will walk you through the key differences between WordPress and Drupal, helping you decide which CMS best aligns with your business goals, technical capabilities, and long-term plans.

WordPress Overview

WordPress is a dominant force in the CMS world, known for its user-friendliness, extensive customization options, and open-source structure. With a market share of approximately 60%, WordPress has carved out a space as a CMS for everyone, from bloggers and small businesses to large enterprises.
User-friendly and accessible: WordPress is built with ease of use in mind, especially for non-technical users, making it an ideal choice for those new to web design.
Customization and flexibility: With thousands of themes and plugins, WordPress allows users to design their websites exactly how they envision.
Scalable for diverse applications: WordPress can scale effectively, supporting everything from tiny blogs to high-traffic, enterprise-level websites.

Drupal Overview

Though it holds only 2% of the CMS market, Drupal remains a preferred choice for organizations requiring significant customization and security. Drupal’s architecture is suited for large, data-intensive projects, often chosen by government agencies, educational institutions, and enterprises with advanced security needs.
Highly customizable: Drupal offers a high degree of customization, allowing developers to build unique, complex sites.
Enterprise-level security and scalability: Known for its robust security, Drupal is used by organizations with strict compliance requirements.
Ideal for data-heavy sites: Drupal’s structure supports websites with extensive content, multilingual capabilities, and intricate user permissions.

User Experience and Ease of Use

WordPress: Built for Accessibility and Simplicity One of WordPress’s strongest features is its ease of use. Thanks to its intuitive, user-friendly interface, nontechnical users can quickly learn the platform and start building with minimal training.

Gutenberg Editor: WordPress’s block-based editor, Gutenberg, allows users to create and organize content with a drag-and-drop interface. This WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) editor simplifies content creation without needing code.
Wide Range of Themes and Plugins: WordPress offers an extensive selection of themes and plugins, many of which can be installed and customized without any coding knowledge.
Streamlined Interface: WordPress’s dashboard is designed with the average user in mind, making it easy to manage content, organize media, and track site activity.
Drupal: A Developer-Centric Platform with a Learning Curve

Content Management Tools

The way a CMS handles content management can make or break its usability. Here’s how WordPress and Drupal compare in this area.

WordPress Content Management

WordPress has earned its popularity partly due to its easy-to-use content management tools. Its core features are designed to make content creation and publishing intuitive for all users.

Simple WYSIWYG Editor: WordPress’s editor allows users to create and format posts and pages without any coding knowledge. Categories, tags, and media management features help streamline content organization.
Gutenberg Block Editor: Introduced in WordPress 5.0, Gutenberg allows users to create dynamic page layouts through reusable blocks, reducing reliance on complex HTML.
Plugins for Enhanced Content Management: Plugins like Yoast SEO and WooCommerce bring advanced features to WordPress, from search engine optimization to eCommerce.

Drupal Content Management

Drupal’s content management approach fundamentally differs, prioritizing structured content over visual design flexibility.

Structured Content with Taxonomies and Tagging: Drupal manages complex content structures. Users can create detailed organizational structures for various content types with its built-in taxonomy system.
Content Relationships and Hierarchies: Drupal supports advanced content relationships, allowing users to build intricate data-driven websites. This is particularly useful for sites with various content types and interdependencies.
Limited Visual Flexibility: Drupal doesn’t focus on WYSIWYG editing as WordPress does. Instead, it emphasizes backend structure, which can be limiting for users looking for a visual, drag-and-drop editor.

Versatility and Adaptability

The flexibility of a CMS often determines how well it can serve different types of websites and applications.

WordPress Versatility

WordPress’s versatility is one of its biggest strengths, allowing users to build nearly any website.

Flexible for Different Needs: WordPress can be used for blogs, eCommerce, forums, portfolios, and more. Its wide array of themes and plugins make it adaptable to nearly any industry or purpose.
User-Friendly for Non-Developers: With its broad accessibility, WordPress allows non-technical users to make substantial site modifications without needing a developer.
Scalable for Enterprise: While it is highly adaptable for small businesses and individual users, WordPress can also be scaled to support enterprise-level sites with robust hosting.

Drupal Versatility

Drupal is built to support large, data-intensive sites that require complex customizations and features.
Ideal for High-Complexity Projects: Drupal shines in use cases where intricate data structures, multilingual capabilities, and user roles are required.
Customization Through Code: The platform offers extensive customization, which is often achieved through code, limiting its accessibility for non-technical users.
Preferred for Data-Heavy Websites: Drupal’s advanced taxonomy and content types make it perfect for large organizations needing structured, data-driven content, like government agencies or educational institutions.

Security

Security is crucial for any website but especially critical for businesses handling sensitive data. Both WordPress and Drupal offer distinct approaches to security.

WordPress Security

WordPress is known for its active developer community, which helps address vulnerabilities as they arise. However, due to its popularity, WordPress sites can be a target for attacks.
Importance of Regular Updates: Security for WordPress largely depends on keeping plugins, themes, and core files updated. Neglecting these updates can expose vulnerabilities.
Active Community Support: The WordPress community actively monitors security issues, providing timely patches and updates.
Managed Hosting Security Options: Many managed WordPress hosting providers offer added security features, like SOC 2 compliance, which enhances data security and privacy.

Drupal Security

Drupal has a reputation for being one of the most secure CMS options available, making it a preferred choice for government institutions and organizations with strict security needs.
Built-In Security Features: Drupal includes native security tools, like two-factor authentication, SSL, and comprehensive security reporting.
Dedicated Security Team: Drupal’s security team actively monitors and addresses vulnerabilities, ensuring the platform remains secure.
Regular Maintenance Required: Like WordPress, Drupal requires regular maintenance, but these security updates often require technical expertise.

Scalability

WordPress and Drupal offer scalability but achieve it in different ways.

WordPress Scalability

WordPress can scale to support high-traffic sites and complex applications, especially when paired with a robust hosting provider.
Enterprise-Level Sites Supported: WordPress powers major sites, including whitehouse.gov and Sony, showcasing its capability to handle high-traffic environments.
Flexible Growth Options: Users can start with a simple setup and scale up as their needs grow, making WordPress suitable for businesses of all sizes.
Hosting-Dependent Scalability: To fully support enterprise-level scalability, a strong hosting solution, such as managed WordPress hosting, is essential.

Drupal Scalability

Drupal’s scalability is well-suited for sites with extensive data and high-traffic requirements, making it a preferred choice for enterprise and government sites.

Robust Data Management: Drupal can handle a large amount of data, with advanced options for organizing and displaying it.
Long-Term Static Architectures: Drupal’s architecture is ideal for websites that need stability over time and can accommodate significant customization needs.
Technical Expertise Required: Scaling a Drupal site effectively often requires a team of experienced developers, which can add to costs.

Integrations

Integrating with third-party services is critical for any CMS, especially as businesses look to streamline operations and improve user experiences.

WordPress Integrations

WordPress is known for its extensive plugin ecosystem, making connecting with almost any third-party tool easy.
Wide Range of Integrations: WordPress supports integrations with popular CRM systems, email marketing platforms, analytics tools, and eCommerce systems.
Headless WordPress for Omnichannel Experiences: WordPress can function as a headless CMS, enabling API connections for faster, personalized content delivery across different platforms.
Simple Integration with Major Platforms: WordPress integrates easily with platforms like Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and other enterprise tools.

Drupal Integrations

Drupal also supports third-party integrations but often requires more developer input to implement.
Modules for Advanced Integrations: Drupal’s module system allows integration with many external tools, though setup can be complex for non-technical users.
Developer-Centric Headless CMS Deployments: Drupal is also a popular choice for headless CMS configurations, though these require extensive technical expertise.
Suitable for Complex Integrations: Drupal’s flexible architecture is ideal for projects needing custom API implementations and integrations.

Migrations

Migrating from one CMS to another can be complex, especially for websites with large content or custom configurations.

Migrating to WordPress

WordPress offers tools and plugins that make migrating from other CMS platforms easier, including closed-source solutions.
Ease of Migration from Other CMSs: With plugins like FG Drupal to WordPress, the migration process is streamlined and accessible.
Availability of Migration Specialists: Many agencies specialize in migrating to WordPress, helping ensure compatibility and functionality during the transition.
Extensive Community Resources: The WordPress community offers numerous resources, including forums and guides, to help with migration.

Migrating to Drupal

Migrating to Drupal can be more challenging, particularly for complex sites with unique content structures.
Complex Migration Process: Migrating to Drupal often requires detailed planning and familiarity with its content structures.
Challenges with Custom Fields and Taxonomies: Custom data structures in Drupal can complicate the migration process, especially for non-developers.
Ideal for High-Complexity Projects: Despite the complexity, Drupal is an excellent choice for projects that need advanced data handling post-migration.

Maintenance and Support

WordPress and Drupal require ongoing maintenance, but the ease and level of support differ.

WordPress Maintenance

WordPress maintenance is relatively straightforward, with extensive community support and options for managed hosting.
Regular Updates Required: To ensure performance and security, users need to keep themes, plugins, and core files up-to-date.
Community and Managed Support: WordPress’s large community and numerous managed hosting providers offer support from troubleshooting to optimization.
Professional Maintenance Services Available: Many agencies provide specialized maintenance services for WordPress, handling updates, backups, and performance tuning.

Drupal Maintenance

Drupal maintenance can be more demanding and requires more technical knowledge.
Complex Maintenance Requirements: Drupal sites require tasks like cache management and Cron jobs, which can be challenging for non-technical users.
Support Through Specialized Providers: Drupal has dedicated providers, like Acquia, that offer managed hosting and support.
Best for Organizations with Technical Resources: Due to the complexity of maintenance, Drupal is best suited for teams with in-house technical expertise or dedicated support services.

Cost

WordPress and Drupal are open-source and free to use, but the total cost of ownership depends on additional factors like development, hosting, and maintenance.

WordPress Cost

WordPress offers a low barrier to entry, making it cost-effective for small businesses and larger organizations.
Free to Use: WordPress is open-source and free, although hosting, themes, and plugins may incur costs.
Lower Development Costs: Development costs for WordPress are generally lower, especially for basic setups, thanks to its extensive plugin ecosystem.
High ROI Potential: WordPress’s flexibility and low maintenance requirements contribute to many businesses' high return on investment.

Drupal Cost

While also free, Drupal often requires higher costs for setup, customization, and ongoing maintenance.

Higher Initial Setup Costs: Building a Drupal site typically requires a more significant upfront investment due to its complexity.
Maintenance Costs for Long-Term Projects: Ongoing support and maintenance for Drupal can be costly due to the need for specialized expertise.
Best for Large Budgets: Given the technical requirements, Drupal is most suitable for organizations with larger budgets and in-house technical resources.

Choosing the Right CRM

Choosing a CMS is more than just popularity; it's about finding a platform that aligns with your needs and resources. While WordPress shines with its ease of use, extensive plugin options, and suitability for all business sizes, Drupal offers customization and control that appeals to highly specialized or large-scale projects. WordPress and Drupal have unique strengths, making them valuable tools for different scenarios. Whether aiming for simplicity and scalability or depth and flexibility, understanding what each CMS brings to the table is the first step toward building a site that supports your goals now and in the future.

Not sure which CMS platform will best support your business goals? Let SP Marketing Experts guide you through the options. With our deep industry knowledge, we'll help you weigh the essential factors and make the choice that fits your needs perfectly. Visit SP Marketing Experts to get started with a free consultation today!

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In order to stay competitive as a business you have to be regularly posting on social media. However, I own a small business and managing my own social media while I’m trying to run a company isn’t really productive. Thankfully, I found SP Marketing. They have been great. They do all of our social posts for us so that I don’t have to worry about it. It’s really helped the business grow. They are very professional and very easy to work with. I don’t know what I did without them.
Angela Tolbert

Kenneth Robinson
I use SP Marketing for a number of things but I have to mention how useful it’s been having them help with Google Pay per click management. This company is fantastic at what they do. They are on top of everything and they are always so professional. I really don’t know what I would do without them. If you need any kind of digital marketing help this is the first place I would recommend. They put a lot of emphasis on customer care and they have really helped my business grow.
Joseph Qrtiz
We hired SP Marketing to run online and social media ads for our company. I wasn’t really sure what to expect but decided it was worth a shot. The uptick in sales has been wonderful. These guys really know what they’re doing and their ads have brought us so many new customers. I’m so thankful. I highly recommend them.
Cherry Peterson
I just love SP Marketing Experts. I needed some major help with link and citation building and these guys were able to handle everything for me. Their services have been so useful. I can't remember the last time I worked with a company that had such great customer service. If you're looking for any kind of digital marketing help for your company this is the first and only company I would recommend.
Harry Warner
SP Marketing helped us completely redo our website. The old one was such a mess and we needed so much help. The end result was modern, easy to read, and very user friendly. I couldn’t be happier with their services. They did such a great job for us. I would 100% recommend them to anyone who has a business and needs website or marketing help. They do a fantastic job. They really delivered for us.
Angela Tolbert
In order to stay competitive as a business you have to be regularly posting on social media. However, I own a small business and managing my own social media while I’m trying to run a company isn’t really productive. Thankfully, I found SP Marketing. They have been great. They do all of our social posts for us so that I don’t have to worry about it. It’s really helped the business grow. They are very professional and very easy to work with. I don’t know what I did without them.

Statistical Performance Marketing

Statistical Performance Marketing is a full service digital marketing agency and web design firm located in Scottsdale, Arizona.

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Statistical Performance Marketing
www.spmarketingexperts.com
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Statistical Performance Marketing is a digital marketing agency and web design firm specializing in a variety of online marketing channels. Since our founding in 1999, it has been our goal to help all businesses run more efficiently and effectively online with outreach and remarketing campaigns. Combined, our team of designers, developers, and marketing experts have over 40 years of experience and an ever-growing drive for success.