Starshot: Drupal’s New CMS Initiative

The Drupal community is excited about the Drupal Starshot project, which aims to update and improve the Drupal experience. The Drupal Starshot project seeks to create a new standard version of Drupal known as Drupal CMS. The beta version of Drupal CMS was recently launched, giving a sneak peek at what’s coming for Drupal.

This is a package based on Drupal core that adds improved features from contributed projects to provide an excellent user experience right away. Drupal CMS enhances its features by applying insights gained from recent projects such as Recipes, Project Browser, and Automatic Updates.

Drupal CMS is an adaptable Open Source tool that allows site builders without any previous experience in Drupal to quickly create and improve a new site using pre-made solutions, all through their web browser. It will help website developers create templates for regular tasks and new features that can be used right away in production.

This blog will explore the Drupal project Starshot and describe what is included in its prototype. We will also look into the beta release, examining its features and what it means for Drupal users. 

If you want to switch from your current content management system to Drupal, check out the migration services provided by OpenSense Labs before we start.

Migrate To Drupal Today!  

Now, let's get started!  

Drupal Starshot: What Is It?  

Drupal Starshot is a new project launched by Dries during DrupalCon Portland in May 2024. It will greatly enhance Drupal by introducing new features such as Recipes and Project Browser. The Drupal Starshot project aims to improve the user experience of Drupal, make development easier, and attract more users.

Drupal Starshot will showcase top-notch modules and themes. These integrations will enable organizations to begin building their websites immediately. Drupal CMS is an adaptable open-source platform that allows developers with no prior Drupal experience to easily build a new website. They can enhance it by using ready-made solutions, all through their web browsers.

The Drupal Starshot project is based on the core ideas of the Drupal CMS. It will assist users with limited knowledge of Drupal in easily building and improving their sites using ready-made templates. The aim is to help people quickly go from setting up to launching, attracting new users and contributors to Drupal and the Open Web.

1. Inside Drupal Project Starshot: Main Beta Features  

The main features of the Beta version of the Drupal Starshot project are:

• Automatic Updates: Making it easier to update Drupal core and contributed modules. 

• Improved UX: Focusing on a simpler and more user-friendly design.

• Experience Builder: Offering resources for simpler website creation and content management. 

• Project Browser: Simplifying the process of finding and installing added modules.

• Recipes: Providing ready-made sets of modules and configurations for specific use cases. 

• Trial Experience: Helping new users to easily explore Drupal.

• Marketing Resources: Increasing resources to support Drupal and showcase what it can do.

One main goal of the Drupal Starshot project is to simplify the process of setting up and configuring a Drupal site right from the start. Installing Drupal used to require using command-line interfaces, handling Composer dependencies, and facing configuration issues. The goal of the Drupal Starshot project is to eliminate these obstacles, allowing more people to access Drupal.

2. When Will Drupal Starshot Release?  

Dries Buytaert gave an in-depth talk about the Drupal CMS in his keynote at DrupalCon Barcelona 2024.

The last keynote at DrupalCon Barcelona featured track leaders from the Drupal project Starshot discussing their creative methods for user discovery and product development. The first version of Drupal Starshot is scheduled to launch on January 15, 2025.

It will combine the top features of Drupal with an improved user interface and experience. This update will be the biggest change for Drupal since it started using modern object-oriented PHP in Drupal 8. There are now two versions of Drupal: Drupal CMS, part of the Drupal Starshot project, and Drupal Core. The Drupal Association has decided to focus on promoting Drupal CMS instead of Drupal Core, but Drupal Core will remain available.

The Drupal Starshot project's leadership team is separate from the Drupal core team. Individuals in leadership and on the Drupal project Starshot Council are steering the overall direction.  

3. Creating Recipes Using Drupal CMS  

Drupal 10.3 and 11.0 bring new APIs that help with Recipes. Recipes are the steps to automatically build a website. They are made up of ready-to-use Drupal add-ons. Recipes can build on other recipes, allowing them to work together. They offer greater flexibility for the site compared to distributions. Drupal CMS will use Recipes to make it easier to use.  

The installer will connect the Project Browser to the Recipes. Users can choose and activate the Recipes during the CMS installation process. In some cases, the Recipes may include added modules. The primary aim is for Drupal Core to provide Recipes rather than installation profiles.

Recipes help us enhance the main features of Drupal by adding extensions from contributed projects, all while keeping the core system unchanged. This allows for faster innovation and keeps the Drupal core lean. Key features of the Drupal Starshot, like Experience Builder, might be included in the core system. 

Most other elements will remain as contributed projects. 

4. Creating Pages Using Drupal CMS  

A new initiative named Next Generation Page Builder was introduced at DrupalCon Lille. The goal was to enhance the current layout builder and simplify content creation for authors. This project will change Layout Builder into Experience Builder. Lauri Timmanee, the Product Lead for the Experience Builder project, explains that this project uses Drupal's strengths in handling structured data and content. 

Experience Builder separates data from design to improve Drupal's composability, allowing for more flexible and strong site structures. This will enhance the page-building process, enable theming directly in the browser, support single directory components, and let users design layouts without needing to write Twig code. The aim is to create an easy-to-use tool.

Also Check Out:  

1. Why is Drupal CMS the first choice for Government sites?   

2. Choosing The Right CMS for Your Business: Part 1  

3. Choosing the Right CMS for Your Business: Part 2  

4. CMS and Static Site Generators: Explained  

Drupal Starshot: Why Is It Needed?  

Drupal is used by 1 in 8 enterprise websites and 1 in 40 websites overall, as reported by Lullabot. The platform has experienced an increase in contributions. Drupal 11 will build on this progress and bring many new enhancements. 

So, what is the purpose of introducing a new product?

Often, only big companies choose Drupal because it can be tricky to create and manage websites with it. Getting started and setting everything up can be challenging if you lack experience with Drupal and some development skills. Startshot was designed to help small and medium-sized businesses. However, over time, Drupal has gained more positive reviews than other platforms.

But, it's time to move forward. Concentrating on adoption is important, listening to user feedback, and promoting new ideas is crucial. This task requires speed and adaptability, in contrast to the existing governance model that tends to slow down and stabilize Drupal's core development.

This is where the Drupal Starshot project becomes important! 

It seeks to reduce the costs and time required for building and maintaining websites. The Drupal Starshot project will improve the experience for marketers and website developers. This easier method might attract more small websites that typically prefer WordPress instead of Drupal.

The Drupal Starshot project is still in its early stages, and there are many questions to address, but it will be good for Drupal. This will assist service providers in creating solutions with Drupal and promote the future of the open web.

  

Drupal Starshot: What Is It’s Prototype?  

There is no code available for the Drupal Starshot project at this time. A prototype was created before DrupalCon Portland 2024 to explore the possibilities with Recipes. Drupal Starshot will be developed using insights gained from the prototype, but some elements will change, including the selected modules, default configurations, and sample content.

The Admin Toolbar Navigation has just been added to the Drupal Starshot website. This new experimental module in Drupal 10.3 provides a new method for managing Drupal, featuring better navigation choices and shortcuts. It also helps to change or switch the navigation blocks around.  

The coffee module enables quick teleportation to specific pages. The Linkit module simplifies the process of connecting and linking things together. It provides an easy-to-use interface for linking both internally and externally in WYSIWYG editors. The Linkit module has multiple updates, such as ready-made metatags, content scheduling, and automatic path aliases. 

Drupal Starshot updates will be released independently from Drupal core updates. This allows for new features to be added every month or even more often. Using contributed projects will help speed up innovation and enhancements.

OpenSense Labs is one of just 100 organizations globally that the Drupal Association has recognized as a partner. If you want to move your Drupal 7 site to Drupal 10, explore our services now.

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Drupal Starshot: Introducing Drupal CMS Beta Version  

Drupal CMS is a pre-packaged version of Drupal, born out of the Starshot project. It's designed to provide a more streamlined and ready-to-use experience. Think of it as an installation profile on steroids, leveraging the power of ‘Recipes’ to provide pre-configured functionality. 

Key features of the Drupal CMS Beta version include: 

• Pre-packaged Modules: Unlike a standard Drupal installation, Drupal CMS comes with a selection of commonly used contributed modules pre-installed. 

• Recipes: They act as enhanced installation profiles, allowing users to easily add specific functionalities to their sites. 

• Bundled Theme: Drupal CMS includes a default front-end theme (Olivero) and uses the Gin theme for the administrative interface. 

Also Check Out:  

1. When and how to choose a headless CMS?  

2. Is Backdrop CMS - the fork of Drupal 7 - a viable alternative to Drupal 8?  

3. A Beginner’s Guide to a Medical Device CMS  

4. The SIWECOS: German Government Sponsored CMS Security  

Drupal Starshot: Exploring The Drupal CMS Beta Version 

Here is an overview of the features available in the Beta version of Drupal CMS:

1. Installation And Setup: 

• You can install the beta version with DDEV, which is a Docker-based development environment for PHP. This makes the setup easier and provides a consistent environment. 

• There are 2 versions: a zip file that comes with all the necessary dependencies and a Git version for developers looking to contribute. 

2. Initial Experience: 

• The setup process involves a questionnaire about the site's objectives (like a blog, SEO tools, or forms), making the initial setup easier.

• The admin interface uses the Gin theme, offering a modern and easy-to-use experience.

• A dashboard with customizable sections provides personalized management options. 

Drupal Starshot CMS (Beta Version) Dashboard

3. Key Features And Modules: 

• Content Creation: Making simple pages and blog posts is easier with a user-friendly interface.

• Coffee Module: This module offers a search feature similar to Spotlight, simplifying navigation in the administrative interface.

• Default Modules: Drupal CMS comes with several helpful modules by default, including Simple XML Sitemap, Pathauto for URL aliases, Redirect, Webform, and Metatag, which has a slightly different setup.

• Project Browser: This feature is still being developed and will let users search for and install contributed modules right from the Drupal interface.

Drupal Starshot CMS (Beta Version) Project Browser

• Recipes: Recipes allow users to quickly add ready-made features, like an Events content type, to their websites.

• ECA (Events, Conditions, and Actions): This strong system enables users to customize different site features, such as duplicate functions and task buttons, without needing any custom code. It also enables the export of configurations as Recipes.

Drupal Starshot CMS (Beta Version) ECA (Events, Conditions, and Actions) Feature

• Trash Functionality: A built-in trash option lets users restore deleted items.

Drupal Starshot CMS (Beta Version) Trash Feature

The addition of popular modules ready to use is a big step forward, making it easier and quicker to set up a working Drupal site. Using Recipes offers a versatile and effective method to incorporate specific features. The emphasis on user experience is clear in the interface, which makes Drupal easier for users who are not very technical.

And finally, the Project Browser is still being developed, but it could make managing modules much easier. 

Key Takeaways  

1. Drupal Starshot is a new project launched by Dries at DrupalCon Portland in May 2024.  

2. According to Lullabot, Drupal powers 1 in 8 enterprise websites and 1 in 40 websites in total.  

3. Drupal Starshot currently has no code available but a prototype was made before DrupalCon Portland 2024 to see what can be done with Recipes.  

4. It aims to offer a smoother and more user-friendly experience. 

5. To install the beta version, use DDEV, a development environment for PHP that runs on Docker.