Drupal has long been a trusted content management system (CMS) for developers and enterprises seeking flexibility, scalability, and power. However, Drupal 7, released in 2011, has reached its end of life, and support is rapidly declining. Drupal 10, the latest version, offers a more modern architecture, improved performance, and future-proof features. But many organizations still hesitate to make the leap. If you're among them, it may be time to reevaluate your strategy.
Understanding the Challenges of Staying on Drupal 7
While Drupal 7 has served the community well for over a decade, continuing to rely on it poses increasing risks. Without regular updates, your website becomes more vulnerable to security threats, performance issues, and integration limitations. Partnering with a professional drupal migration company can help you assess your current setup, minimize risks, and create a structured migration plan tailored to your website’s unique needs.
What’s New in Drupal 10?
Drupal 10 is not just an upgrade—it’s a reinvention. With Symfony 6 at its core, a new front-end theme (Claro), and an enhanced admin experience, Drupal 10 provides faster load times, better code structure, and improved usability. Key features include:
-
CKEditor 5 Integration: A modern content editing experience with better support for media embedding and rich text.
-
Automatic Updates (in development): Future support for automatic updates aims to make site maintenance easier.
-
Decoupled Readiness: Drupal 10 is API-first, making it easier to use with front-end frameworks like React and Vue.
-
Enhanced Security: Built-in support for modern PHP and updated third-party libraries improves stability and security.
These improvements make Drupal 10 a solid foundation for building and scaling enterprise-grade applications.
How to Prepare for the Migration
Before jumping into migration, a full site audit is necessary. This includes reviewing your content types, custom modules, user roles, and any legacy code that may not be compatible with Drupal 10. Many contributed modules used in Drupal 7 have either been deprecated or significantly reworked for newer versions.
Also, plan for front-end adjustments, since themes built for Drupal 7 will not be compatible with Drupal 10’s architecture. This is a great time to redesign or optimize your site’s UI/UX to align with current best practices.
Steps in Migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10
Migrating between these versions is not a simple update—it’s a rebuild and replatforming effort. The typical steps include:
-
Environment Setup: Create a clean Drupal 10 installation for development and testing.
-
Content Strategy: Clean up outdated or irrelevant content. Define which content types, fields, and taxonomies will be migrated.
-
Custom Code Review: Audit and rewrite any custom modules to ensure compatibility with Drupal 10.
-
Use of Migrate API: Leverage Drupal’s Migrate API to move content and configurations.
-
Theme Redevelopment: Design a new theme or rebuild your existing one based on modern standards and accessibility.
-
Testing and Validation: Perform comprehensive testing to ensure functionality, data integrity, and performance.
When Is the Right Time to Migrate?
The best time to migrate is now. With Drupal 7 reaching the end of official support, every day you delay increases the risk of performance degradation and security breaches. Planning ahead and initiating the migration process early gives your team ample time to test, validate, and optimize the new platform without pressure.
Organizations with complex data structures, e-commerce functionality, or third-party integrations should begin the migration process as soon as possible. The longer you wait, the harder it becomes to transfer legacy features and data effectively.
Future-Proof Your Website with Drupal 10
Migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10 is more than a version upgrade—it’s a strategic shift that ensures long-term growth, security, and user satisfaction. While the process can be complex, working with a trusted drupal migration company ensures a smooth transition, preserves data integrity, and unlocks the full potential of Drupal’s latest capabilities. If you're still on Drupal 7, it's time to make the move and embrace the future of digital experience management.