The new version of the popular open source content management system was announced in September 2018 and has been available since the beginning of June 2020. Drupal 8 having been released in 2015, it's fair to say that this new version was eagerly awaited by programmers and e-tailers alike. When you consider that almost 4% of sites worldwide are powered by Drupal, this impatience is not surprising.
Have you also chosen the Drupal CMS for your ecosystem? What does upgrading to Drupal 9 mean for you, and what's in it for you? Let's take stock together.
What does this version of Drupal consist of overall?
With a view to a smooth transition, Drupal offers a new version somewhat similar to the old one. In fact, Drupal 9 and Drupal 8.9 are very similar. The only difference is that Drupal 9 uses Symfony 4.0, while Drupal 8.9 uses Symfony 3.4. This new version also aims to ensure the security of the Drupal platform and keep its code up to date: Symfony is updated, but so is Twig, which is upgraded to Twig 2. Subsequently, we had database updates, community code updates and cache flushing.
This release therefore consolidates what already existed in Drupal 8.9 and lays the foundations for future versions.
What's the point of migrating to Drupal 9?
Switching to Drupal 9 gives you the greatest security offered by the CMS. What's more, having the latest version of a CMS or software by extension gives you access to support, fixes and updates. The community has matured when it comes to migrations, and the whole process is now well documented.
During the last major upgrades, huge modifications were sometimes necessary, even to the point of site redesign. Upgrades have become simpler starting with Drupal 8.
Experience feedback
At Parker and Parker, we made the decision to wait for the Drupal ecosystem to consolidate on Drupal 9 before upgrading. At first, add-ons were not yet compatible with the new version.
More generally, the transition was rapid. The code has been updated and certain functionalities added. Unlike the abrupt transition from Drupal 7 to Drupal 8, a complete overhaul of our customers' sites was not necessary.
The majority of Drupal users applauded an easier transition compared to previous version upgrades. In most cases, upgrading to Drupal 9 should take no more than a few hours.
Drupal also includes a module for e-shops, Drupal Commerce. We explain how it works and why you should choose it in our article.
Are you looking for an agency that specializes in site redesigns and site factories on Drupal? Would you like to present your project to us? Don't hesitate to contact us to discuss your Drupal issues.
