Drupal CMS 1.0 launched in January with a fresh and simple installer, and user feedback was great! But even with these improvements, getting Drupal up and running is still harder than it should be. At DrupalCon Atlanta, Dries Buytaert shared a solution: a super simple desktop app. Instead of downloading and setting up Drupal manually, you can now install it with just a few clicks!
The Drupal CMS Launcher is already available for Mac (Windows is coming once we are able to sign the app). It has everything you need to run Drupal locally built-in—no extra software required! It comes with a web server and an SQLite database, so you can run Drupal right away. It also has Drush built-in, making it even easier to manage your site. Your Drupal files are stored in your Documents folder, so you can access them anytime.
This app is still new, and the team isn’t sure what’s next for it. But it’s already a big step toward making Drupal more accessible. Once you set it up, you can use Project Browser to add extensions to Drupal that are not yet installed.
To try it, download it now at new.drupal.org/drupal-cms/launcher. Provide feedback, check out the source code and contribute on Github, see https://github.com/drupal/cms-launcher/issues.
Exploring a marketplace for Drupal site templates
This blog has been re-posted and edited with permission from Dries Buytaert's blog.
This post looks at the idea of a Drupal Site Template marketplace and whether it should support both open source and commercial templates.
This is an unusual post for my blog, but I'm sharing it to start a broader conversation about an idea we're exploring: a marketplace for Drupal Site Templates. Both the Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association have discussed this concept, but no decision has been made. I'm posting to share our current thinking and invite feedback as we shape this together.
This post is being cross-posted here, and the comments are open. You're also welcome to join the conversation in the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel on Drupal Slack.
In my DrupalCon Atlanta keynote, I introduced the concept of Site Templates for Drupal. These templates provide pre-configured website starting points that combine Drupal recipes, themes, and default content.
If you haven't seen my keynote yet, I recommend watching it first. It provides helpful context for the rest of this post.
While Site Templates will help users launch websites faster, I also posed a bigger question: should we create a marketplace where users can discover and download or install these templates? And if so, should that marketplace offer only open source Site Templates, or should we also allow commercial templates?
What are Site Templates?
Site Templates combine Drupal recipes, a theme, design elements, and default content to give users a fully functional website right from the start. They solve one of Drupal's biggest challenges: the time it takes to build a site from scratch.
Unlike a bare Drupal installation, a Site Template provides all the components needed for a specific use case. A restaurant template might include menu management, reservation systems, and food photography. A nonprofit template could feature donation processing, event management, and impact reporting tools.
Why consider a marketplace?
A Drupal marketplace for Site Templates would:
Help new users launch a professional-looking site instantly
Showcase Drupal's full potential through high-quality starting points
Generate new revenue opportunities for Drupal agencies and developers
Support Drupal's long-term sustainability through a revenue-sharing model with the Drupal Association
Should we support both open source and commercial Site Templates?
Fully open source Site Templates align naturally with Drupal's values. They could function much like community-contributed modules and themes, and we hope that many contributors will take this approach.
A marketplace requires ongoing investment. The Drupal Association would need to maintain the platform, review submissions, provide support, and ensure templates meet high standards. Without dedicated resources, quality and sustainability would suffer.
This is why supporting both open source and commercial templates makes sense. Paid templates can create a sustainable revenue stream to fund infrastructure, quality control, and support.
Commercial incentives also give creators a reason to invest in polished, well-documented, and well-supported templates.
How can a template be commercial while respecting Drupal's open source values?
First, rest assured: Drupal modules will always be open source.
Drupal is licensed under the GNU General Public License, or GPL. We've always taken a conservative approach to interpreting the GPL. In practice, this means we treat any code that builds on or interacts closely with Drupal as subject to the GPL. This includes PHP, Twig templates, etc. If it relies on Drupal's APIs or is executed by Drupal, it must be GPL-licensed.
Some parts of a site template fall into a gray area. JavaScript is an example. If JavaScript code is integrated with Drupal, we treat it as GPL-covered. If JavaScript code is standalone, such as a self-contained React component, it may not be considered a derivative work. The same may apply to CSS or configuration files not tightly coupled with Drupal APIs. These cases aren't always clear, but our stance has been to treat all code that ships with and interacts with Drupal as GPL. This keeps things simple.
Other parts of a Site Template are likely not subject to the GPL. Assets like images, fonts and icons are not code and are not derived from Drupal. The same applies to demo content, such as placeholder text or sample articles. These elements are not integrated with Drupal in a technical sense and can use other licenses, including commercial ones.
So when we talk about a commercial Site Template, we mean one that combines open source code with separately licensed assets or is sold alongside value-added services like documentation, support, or updates.
What would people actually be paying for in a commercial template?
While the legal distinction clarifies which parts of a Site Template can be licensed commercially, it's only part of the picture. The real question is the value proposition: what are users actually paying for when they choose a commercial template?
When purchasing a commercial template, users wouldn't just be paying for code. They're potentially paying for:
Professional design assets and media
Time saved in configuration and setup
Documentation and support
Ongoing updates and maintenance
This approach aligns with the Free Software Foundation's stance (the organization that created the GPL), which has always supported commercial distribution of free software. Creating a commercial template means balancing open source code with separately licensed assets. However, the real commercial value often extends beyond just the files you can license differently.
A sustainable commercial strategy combines proper licensing with controlled distribution channels and value-added services, like support. This approach ensures the value of a site template isn't limited to easily copied assets, but includes expertise that can't be simply downloaded. This is how a template can be commercial while staying true to Drupal's open source values.
How would we maintain quality in the marketplace?
A marketplace filled with low-quality or abandoned templates would damage Drupal's reputation. To ensure quality we probably need:
Technical reviews of templates for security and performance
Standards for documentation and support
Processes to handle outdated or abandoned templates
Community ratings and reviews
Processes for resolving disputes
These quality assurance measures require ongoing time, effort, and funding. This is why including a commercial component makes sense. A revenue-sharing model with template creators could help fund platform maintenance, reviews, support, and other efforts needed to keep the marketplace high quality and trustworthy.
What pricing models might be available?
We don't know yet, but we've heard many good suggestions from the community.
Ideas include one-time purchases for unlimited use, annual subscriptions with ongoing updates, and a marketplace membership model for template creators.
The marketplace could support multiple approaches, giving creators flexibility to choose what works best for their offerings.
Is it fair for template creators to profit while module contributors aren't paid?
When a site template is sold commercially, it raises an important question. What about the maintainers of the modules included in the template? The template builder receives payment. The Drupal Association may collect a revenue share. But the individual contributors who created the modules or core functionality do not receive direct compensation, even though their work is essential to the Site Template.
This may feel frustrating or unfair. Contributors often donate their time to improve Drupal for everyone. Seeing others earn money by building on that work without recognition can be disheartening, and could even discourage future contributions. It's an important concern, and one we plan to take seriously as we evaluate the marketplace model.
At the same time, this dynamic is not new. Agencies and developers already build paid Drupal sites using contributed modules without directly compensating the people who made the underlying code possible. This is both legal, expected, and common in open source.
A marketplace would not create this reality, but it would make it more visible. That visibility gives us a chance to confront a long-standing tension in open source: the gap between those who contribute foundational work and those who profit from it. As I wrote in Makers and Takers, sustaining open source requires a better balance between contribution and benefit. A marketplace could give us a way to explore new approaches to recognize, support, and sustain the people who make Drupal possible. Transparency alone won't solve the issue, but it opens the door to progress and experimentation.
When commercial activity happens off Drupal.org, there is no way to recognize the contributors who made it possible. When it happens on Drupal.org, we have an opportunity to do better. We can explore models for financial support, community recognition, and long-term sustainability.
Others could build marketplaces for Drupal templates, but these would likely focus on profit rather than community support. An official Drupal Association marketplace allows us to reinvest in the project and the people behind it. It keeps value within our ecosystem, and gives us a platform to explore more equitable ways to sustain open source contribution.
Would this hurt digital agencies?
Many organizations pay thousands of dollars to digital agencies as part of a custom Drupal build. If Site Templates are available at a much lower cost, will that undercut agencies?
I don't believe it will.
Organizations investing in a Drupal website are not paying for a theme alone. Agencies provide strategy, consulting, design, customization, user testing, performance optimization, and long-term support. A template offers a starting point, but doesn't replace tailored work or a trusted partnership.
Could templates help agencies grow?
A template marketplace could expand the Drupal ecosystem by lowering the barrier to entry, making Drupal accessible to smaller organizations. Some of these will grow and require custom solutions, creating more opportunities for agencies in the long run.
Templates can also serve as powerful demonstrations of an agency's capabilities, attracting clients who want similar but customized solutions. For agencies, templates become both a product and a marketing tool.
What revenue opportunities would digital agencies have?
A template marketplace offers two revenue streams for Drupal agencies and freelancers.
First, agencies would earn direct income from template sales through revenue-sharing with the Drupal Association. While this income might be modest, it could provide recurring revenue as the marketplace grows.
Second, templates could serve as a foundation for more comprehensive service packages, including hosting, maintenance, and customization services.
How would templates connect agencies with new clients?
A marketplace could connect end users directly with service providers. With proper consent, contact details from template purchases could be shared with creators, opening the door to professional service opportunities. Template listings could also include a built-in contact form, making it easy for users to request customization or support.
This lead generation benefits both sides. Users access trusted professionals who understand their implementation, while agencies connect with qualified prospects who have already invested in their work. A marketplace becomes a matchmaking platform connecting those who need Drupal expertise with those who provide it.
Why is now the right time for this initiative?
With Drupal CMS, we're focused on growth. To succeed, we need to address two long-standing challenges: the lack of ready-made themes and a steep learning curve. Some of our new tools (Recipes, Experience Builder, and Site Templates) allow us to address these longstanding issues.
The result? We can take Drupal's flexibility and make it more available across different markets and use cases.
What was the initial reaction at DrupalCon?
The day after my keynote, we organized a Birds of a Feather (BoF) session to discuss the marketplace concept. Approximately 75 people attended, representing a cross-section of our community.
The discussion was lively and constructive. Participants raised thoughtful concerns about quality control, licensing, and impact on module contributors. They also offered suggestions for implementation, pricing, and sustainability models.
At the session's conclusion, we informally polled the audience. We asked people to raise their hand showing 1 finger if they thought a marketplace was a terrible idea, and 5 if they considered it a very impactful idea. Most responses were 4, with some 5s. Very few people indicated less than 3.
This initial reaction is encouraging, though we recognize that much work remains to address the questions raised during the session.
We also opened the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel in Drupal Slack to continue the conversation with the wider community.
What are the next steps?
The Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association Innovation Working Group have been exploring this idea the past month.
We believe it could be one of our strongest opportunities to grow Drupal adoption, support our Maker community, and strengthen the Drupal Association. (As a disclaimer: I serve on both the Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association Board of Directors.)
To be clear, no decision has been made. We recognize this initiative would have a substantial impact on our community and ecosystem. Before moving forward, we need to assess:
Feasibility: Can we build and operate a marketplace efficiently?
Sustainability: How will we support ongoing operations?
Ecosystem impact: How would this affect contributors, agencies, and users?
Funding: How do we bootstrap this initiative when we don't have spare resources?
Values alignment: Does this approach honor Drupal's open source principles?
Governance: Who makes decisions about the marketplace and how?
We cannot and should not make these assessments in isolation. We need the Drupal community's involvement through:
Research into similar marketplaces and their impact
User experience design for the marketplace interface
Technical prototyping of the marketplace infrastructure
Financial analysis of various revenue models
Legal research on open source licensing considerations
Community input on governance structures
Our goal is to make a decision by DrupalCon Vienna, 6 months from now, or sooner if clarity emerges. We want that decision to reflect input from the CMS Leadership Team, the Drupal Association Board, Certified Drupal Partners, and the wider Drupal community.
We're chartering a Marketplace Working Group with stakeholders from across the Drupal ecosystem. I'm pleased to announce that Tiffany Farriss (Drupal Association Board Member) has agreed to lead this effort. Please join the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel on Drupal Slack to share your thoughts and follow the conversation.
Drupal's greatest strength has always been its community and adaptability. I believe that by thoughtfully exploring new ideas together, we can make Drupal more accessible and widely adopted while staying true to our core values.
Thank you to everyone on the Drupal Association Innovation Working Group and the Drupal CMS Leadership Team who took the time to review this post and share thoughtful feedback. I really appreciate your input.
This post looks at the idea of a Drupal Site Template marketplace and whether it should support both open source and commercial templates.
This is an unusual post for my blog, but I'm sharing it to start a broader conversation about an idea we're exploring: a marketplace for Drupal Site Templates. Both the Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association have discussed this concept, but no decision has been made. I'm posting to share our current thinking and invite feedback as we shape this together.
This post is being cross-posted here, and the comments are open. You're also welcome to join the conversation in the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel on Drupal Slack.
In my DrupalCon Atlanta keynote, I introduced the concept of Site Templates for Drupal. These templates provide pre-configured website starting points that combine Drupal recipes, themes, and default content.
If you haven't seen my keynote yet, I recommend watching it first. It provides helpful context for the rest of this post.
While Site Templates will help users launch websites faster, I also posed a bigger question: should we create a marketplace where users can discover and download or install these templates? And if so, should that marketplace offer only open source Site Templates, or should we also allow commercial templates?
What are Site Templates?
Site Templates combine Drupal recipes, a theme, design elements, and default content to give users a fully functional website right from the start. They solve one of Drupal's biggest challenges: the time it takes to build a site from scratch.
Unlike a bare Drupal installation, a Site Template provides all the components needed for a specific use case. A restaurant template might include menu management, reservation systems, and food photography. A nonprofit template could feature donation processing, event management, and impact reporting tools.
Why consider a marketplace?
A Drupal marketplace for Site Templates would:
Help new users launch a professional-looking site instantly
Showcase Drupal's full potential through high-quality starting points
Generate new revenue opportunities for Drupal agencies and developers
Support Drupal's long-term sustainability through a revenue-sharing model with the Drupal Association
Should we support both open source and commercial Site Templates?
Fully open source Site Templates align naturally with Drupal's values. They could function much like community-contributed modules and themes, and we hope that many contributors will take this approach.
A marketplace requires ongoing investment. The Drupal Association would need to maintain the platform, review submissions, provide support, and ensure templates meet high standards. Without dedicated resources, quality and sustainability would suffer.
This is why supporting both open source and commercial templates makes sense. Paid templates can create a sustainable revenue stream to fund infrastructure, quality control, and support.
Commercial incentives also give creators a reason to invest in polished, well-documented, and well-supported templates.
How can a template be commercial while respecting Drupal's open source values?
First, rest assured: Drupal modules will always be open source.
Drupal is licensed under the GNU General Public License, or GPL. We've always taken a conservative approach to interpreting the GPL. In practice, this means we treat any code that builds on or interacts closely with Drupal as subject to the GPL. This includes PHP, Twig templates, etc. If it relies on Drupal's APIs or is executed by Drupal, it must be GPL-licensed.
Some parts of a site template fall into a gray area. JavaScript is an example. If JavaScript code is integrated with Drupal, we treat it as GPL-covered. If JavaScript code is standalone, such as a self-contained React component, it may not be considered a derivative work. The same may apply to CSS or configuration files not tightly coupled with Drupal APIs. These cases aren't always clear, but our stance has been to treat all code that ships with and interacts with Drupal as GPL. This keeps things simple.
Other parts of a Site Template are likely not subject to the GPL. Assets like images, fonts and icons are not code and are not derived from Drupal. The same applies to demo content, such as placeholder text or sample articles. These elements are not integrated with Drupal in a technical sense and can use other licenses, including commercial ones.
So when we talk about a commercial Site Template, we mean one that combines open source code with separately licensed assets or is sold alongside value-added services like documentation, support, or updates.
What would people actually be paying for in a commercial template?
While the legal distinction clarifies which parts of a Site Template can be licensed commercially, it's only part of the picture. The real question is the value proposition: what are users actually paying for when they choose a commercial template?
When purchasing a commercial template, users wouldn't just be paying for code. They're potentially paying for:
Professional design assets and media
Time saved in configuration and setup
Documentation and support
Ongoing updates and maintenance
This approach aligns with the Free Software Foundation's stance (the organization that created the GPL), which has always supported commercial distribution of free software. Creating a commercial template means balancing open source code with separately licensed assets. However, the real commercial value often extends beyond just the files you can license differently.
A sustainable commercial strategy combines proper licensing with controlled distribution channels and value-added services, like support. This approach ensures the value of a site template isn't limited to easily copied assets, but includes expertise that can't be simply downloaded. This is how a template can be commercial while staying true to Drupal's open source values.
How would we maintain quality in the marketplace?
A marketplace filled with low-quality or abandoned templates would damage Drupal's reputation. To ensure quality we probably need:
Technical reviews of templates for security and performance
Standards for documentation and support
Processes to handle outdated or abandoned templates
Community ratings and reviews
Processes for resolving disputes
These quality assurance measures require ongoing time, effort, and funding. This is why including a commercial component makes sense. A revenue-sharing model with template creators could help fund platform maintenance, reviews, support, and other efforts needed to keep the marketplace high quality and trustworthy.
What pricing models might be available?
We don't know yet, but we've heard many good suggestions from the community.
Ideas include one-time purchases for unlimited use, annual subscriptions with ongoing updates, and a marketplace membership model for template creators.
The marketplace could support multiple approaches, giving creators flexibility to choose what works best for their offerings.
Is it fair for template creators to profit while module contributors aren't paid?
When a site template is sold commercially, it raises an important question. What about the maintainers of the modules included in the template? The template builder receives payment. The Drupal Association may collect a revenue share. But the individual contributors who created the modules or core functionality do not receive direct compensation, even though their work is essential to the Site Template.
This may feel frustrating or unfair. Contributors often donate their time to improve Drupal for everyone. Seeing others earn money by building on that work without recognition can be disheartening, and could even discourage future contributions. It's an important concern, and one we plan to take seriously as we evaluate the marketplace model.
At the same time, this dynamic is not new. Agencies and developers already build paid Drupal sites using contributed modules without directly compensating the people who made the underlying code possible. This is both legal, expected, and common in open source.
A marketplace would not create this reality, but it would make it more visible. That visibility gives us a chance to confront a long-standing tension in open source: the gap between those who contribute foundational work and those who profit from it. As I wrote in Makers and Takers, sustaining open source requires a better balance between contribution and benefit. A marketplace could give us a way to explore new approaches to recognize, support, and sustain the people who make Drupal possible. Transparency alone won't solve the issue, but it opens the door to progress and experimentation.
When commercial activity happens off Drupal.org, there is no way to recognize the contributors who made it possible. When it happens on Drupal.org, we have an opportunity to do better. We can explore models for financial support, community recognition, and long-term sustainability.
Others could build marketplaces for Drupal templates, but these would likely focus on profit rather than community support. An official Drupal Association marketplace allows us to reinvest in the project and the people behind it. It keeps value within our ecosystem, and gives us a platform to explore more equitable ways to sustain open source contribution.
Would this hurt digital agencies?
Many organizations pay thousands of dollars to digital agencies as part of a custom Drupal build. If Site Templates are available at a much lower cost, will that undercut agencies?
I don't believe it will.
Organizations investing in a Drupal website are not paying for a theme alone. Agencies provide strategy, consulting, design, customization, user testing, performance optimization, and long-term support. A template offers a starting point, but doesn't replace tailored work or a trusted partnership.
Could templates help agencies grow?
A template marketplace could expand the Drupal ecosystem by lowering the barrier to entry, making Drupal accessible to smaller organizations. Some of these will grow and require custom solutions, creating more opportunities for agencies in the long run.
Templates can also serve as powerful demonstrations of an agency's capabilities, attracting clients who want similar but customized solutions. For agencies, templates become both a product and a marketing tool.
What revenue opportunities would digital agencies have?
A template marketplace offers two revenue streams for Drupal agencies and freelancers.
First, agencies would earn direct income from template sales through revenue-sharing with the Drupal Association. While this income might be modest, it could provide recurring revenue as the marketplace grows.
Second, templates could serve as a foundation for more comprehensive service packages, including hosting, maintenance, and customization services.
How would templates connect agencies with new clients?
A marketplace could connect end users directly with service providers. With proper consent, contact details from template purchases could be shared with creators, opening the door to professional service opportunities. Template listings could also include a built-in contact form, making it easy for users to request customization or support.
This lead generation benefits both sides. Users access trusted professionals who understand their implementation, while agencies connect with qualified prospects who have already invested in their work. A marketplace becomes a matchmaking platform connecting those who need Drupal expertise with those who provide it.
Why is now the right time for this initiative?
With Drupal CMS, we're focused on growth. To succeed, we need to address two long-standing challenges: the lack of ready-made themes and a steep learning curve. Some of our new tools (Recipes, Experience Builder, and Site Templates) allow us to address these longstanding issues.
The result? We can take Drupal's flexibility and make it more available across different markets and use cases.
What was the initial reaction at DrupalCon?
The day after my keynote, we organized a Birds of a Feather (BoF) session to discuss the marketplace concept. Approximately 75 people attended, representing a cross-section of our community.
The discussion was lively and constructive. Participants raised thoughtful concerns about quality control, licensing, and impact on module contributors. They also offered suggestions for implementation, pricing, and sustainability models.
At the session's conclusion, we informally polled the audience. We asked people to raise their hand showing 1 finger if they thought a marketplace was a terrible idea, and 5 if they considered it a very impactful idea. Most responses were 4, with some 5s. Very few people indicated less than 3.
This initial reaction is encouraging, though we recognize that much work remains to address the questions raised during the session.
We also opened the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel in Drupal Slack to continue the conversation with the wider community.
What are the next steps?
The Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association Innovation Working Group have been exploring this idea the past month.
We believe it could be one of our strongest opportunities to grow Drupal adoption, support our Maker community, and strengthen the Drupal Association. (As a disclaimer: I serve on both the Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association Board of Directors.)
To be clear, no decision has been made. We recognize this initiative would have a substantial impact on our community and ecosystem. Before moving forward, we need to assess:
Feasibility: Can we build and operate a marketplace efficiently?
Sustainability: How will we support ongoing operations?
Ecosystem impact: How would this affect contributors, agencies, and users?
Funding: How do we bootstrap this initiative when we don't have spare resources?
Values alignment: Does this approach honor Drupal's open source principles?
Governance: Who makes decisions about the marketplace and how?
We cannot and should not make these assessments in isolation. We need the Drupal community's involvement through:
Research into similar marketplaces and their impact
User experience design for the marketplace interface
Technical prototyping of the marketplace infrastructure
Financial analysis of various revenue models
Legal research on open source licensing considerations
Community input on governance structures
Our goal is to make a decision by DrupalCon Vienna, 6 months from now, or sooner if clarity emerges. We want that decision to reflect input from the CMS Leadership Team, the Drupal Association Board, Certified Drupal Partners, and the wider Drupal community.
We're chartering a Marketplace Working Group with stakeholders from across the Drupal ecosystem. I'm pleased to announce that Tiffany Farriss (Drupal Association Board Member) has agreed to lead this effort. Please join the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel on Drupal Slack to share your thoughts and follow the conversation.
Drupal's greatest strength has always been its community and adaptability. I believe that by thoughtfully exploring new ideas together, we can make Drupal more accessible and widely adopted while staying true to our core values.
Thank you to everyone on the Drupal Association Innovation Working Group and the Drupal CMS Leadership Team who took the time to review this post and share thoughtful feedback. I really appreciate your input.
State of Drupal presentation (March 2025)
This blog has been re-posted and edited with permission from Dries Buytaert's blog.
DrupalCon North America 2025 Driesnote presentation
Three months ago, we launched Drupal CMS 1.0, our biggest step forward in years. Our goal is ambitious: to reimagine Drupal as both radically easier to use and a platform for faster innovation.
In my DrupalCon Atlanta keynote last week, I reflected on the journey so far, but mostly talked about the work ahead. If you missed the keynote, you can watch the video below, or download my slides (56 MB).
If you want to try Drupal CMS, you can explore the trial experience, use the new desktop launcher, or install it with DDEV. If you're curious about what we're working on next, keep reading.
1. Experience Builder
Some of the most common requests from Drupal users and digital agencies is a better page-building experience, simpler theming, and high-quality themes out of the box.
At DrupalCon Atlanta, I shared our progress on Experience Builder. The keynote recording includes two demos: one highlighting new site building features, and another showing how to create and design components directly in the browser.
I also demonstrated how Drupal's AI agents can generate Experience Builder components. While this was an early design experiment, it offered a glimpse into how AI could make site building faster and more intuitive. You can watch that demo in the keynote video as well.
We still have work to do, but we're aiming to release Experience Builder 1.0, the first stable version, by DrupalCon Vienna. In the meantime, try our demo release.
2. Drupal Site Templates
One of the biggest opportunities for Drupal CMS is making it faster and easier to launch a complete website. The introduction of Recipes was a big step forward. I covered Recipes in detail in my DrupalCon Barcelona 2024 keynote. But there is still more we can do.
Imagine quickly creating a campaign or fundraising site for a nonprofit, a departmental website for a university, a portfolio site for a creative agency, or even a travel-focused ecommerce site selling tours, like the one Sarah needed in the DrupalCon Barcelona demo.
This is why we are introducing Site Templates: ready-made starting points for common use cases. They help users go from a fresh install to a fully functional site with minimal setup or configuration.
Site Templates are made possible by Recipes and Experience Builder. Recipes provide higher-level building blocks, while Experience Builder introduces a new way to design and create themes. Site Templates will bring everything together into more complete, ready-to-use solutions.
If successful, Site Templates could replace Drupal distributions, a concept that has been part of Drupal for nearly 20 years. The key advantage is that Site Templates are much easier to build and maintain.
3. A marketplace discussion
The first Site Templates may be included directly in Drupal CMS 2.0 itself. Over time, we hope to offer hundreds of site templates through a marketplace on Drupal.org.
At DrupalCon Atlanta, I announced that we'll be exploring a marketplace for Site Templates, including the option for Commercial Site Templates. We believe it's an idea worth evaluating because it could bring several benefits to the Drupal project:
Help new users launch a professional-looking site instantly
Showcase Drupal's full potential through high-quality examples
Generate new revenue opportunities for Drupal agencies and developers
Support Drupal's sustainability through a revenue-sharing model with the Drupal Association
You can watch the keynote recording to learn more. I also plan to publish a detailed blog post in the next few days. If you're interested, consider subscribing to my blog.
Looking ahead
Drupal CMS has brought a lot of fresh momentum to the Drupal project, but we're not done yet! The rest of this year, we'll keep building on this foundation with a clear set of priorities:
Launching Experience Builder 1.0
Releasing our first Site Templates
Expanding our marketing efforts
Exploring the launch of a Site Template marketplace
Building out our AI framework and AI agents
If you have time and interest, please consider getting involved. Every contribution makes a difference. Not sure where to begin? Join us on Drupal Slack. We're always happy to welcome new faces. Key channels include #drupal-cms-development, #ai, #experience-builder, #drupal-cms-templates, and #drupal-cms-marketplace.
As I said in the keynote: "We have all the pieces, now we just need to bring them together!"
DrupalCon North America 2025 Driesnote presentation
Three months ago, we launched Drupal CMS 1.0, our biggest step forward in years. Our goal is ambitious: to reimagine Drupal as both radically easier to use and a platform for faster innovation.
In my DrupalCon Atlanta keynote last week, I reflected on the journey so far, but mostly talked about the work ahead. If you missed the keynote, you can watch the video below, or download my slides (56 MB).
If you want to try Drupal CMS, you can explore the trial experience, use the new desktop launcher, or install it with DDEV. If you're curious about what we're working on next, keep reading.
1. Experience Builder
Some of the most common requests from Drupal users and digital agencies is a better page-building experience, simpler theming, and high-quality themes out of the box.
At DrupalCon Atlanta, I shared our progress on Experience Builder. The keynote recording includes two demos: one highlighting new site building features, and another showing how to create and design components directly in the browser.
I also demonstrated how Drupal's AI agents can generate Experience Builder components. While this was an early design experiment, it offered a glimpse into how AI could make site building faster and more intuitive. You can watch that demo in the keynote video as well.
We still have work to do, but we're aiming to release Experience Builder 1.0, the first stable version, by DrupalCon Vienna. In the meantime, try our demo release.
2. Drupal Site Templates
One of the biggest opportunities for Drupal CMS is making it faster and easier to launch a complete website. The introduction of Recipes was a big step forward. I covered Recipes in detail in my DrupalCon Barcelona 2024 keynote. But there is still more we can do.
Imagine quickly creating a campaign or fundraising site for a nonprofit, a departmental website for a university, a portfolio site for a creative agency, or even a travel-focused ecommerce site selling tours, like the one Sarah needed in the DrupalCon Barcelona demo.
This is why we are introducing Site Templates: ready-made starting points for common use cases. They help users go from a fresh install to a fully functional site with minimal setup or configuration.
Site Templates are made possible by Recipes and Experience Builder. Recipes provide higher-level building blocks, while Experience Builder introduces a new way to design and create themes. Site Templates will bring everything together into more complete, ready-to-use solutions.
If successful, Site Templates could replace Drupal distributions, a concept that has been part of Drupal for nearly 20 years. The key advantage is that Site Templates are much easier to build and maintain.
3. A marketplace discussion
The first Site Templates may be included directly in Drupal CMS 2.0 itself. Over time, we hope to offer hundreds of site templates through a marketplace on Drupal.org.
At DrupalCon Atlanta, I announced that we'll be exploring a marketplace for Site Templates, including the option for Commercial Site Templates. We believe it's an idea worth evaluating because it could bring several benefits to the Drupal project:
Help new users launch a professional-looking site instantly
Showcase Drupal's full potential through high-quality examples
Generate new revenue opportunities for Drupal agencies and developers
Support Drupal's sustainability through a revenue-sharing model with the Drupal Association
You can watch the keynote recording to learn more. I also plan to publish a detailed blog post in the next few days. If you're interested, consider subscribing to my blog.
Looking ahead
Drupal CMS has brought a lot of fresh momentum to the Drupal project, but we're not done yet! The rest of this year, we'll keep building on this foundation with a clear set of priorities:
Launching Experience Builder 1.0
Releasing our first Site Templates
Expanding our marketing efforts
Exploring the launch of a Site Template marketplace
Building out our AI framework and AI agents
If you have time and interest, please consider getting involved. Every contribution makes a difference. Not sure where to begin? Join us on Drupal Slack. We're always happy to welcome new faces. Key channels include #drupal-cms-development, #ai, #experience-builder, #drupal-cms-templates, and #drupal-cms-marketplace.
As I said in the keynote: "We have all the pieces, now we just need to bring them together!"
Kristen Pol Wins the 2025 Aaron Winborn Award
At DrupalCon Portland 2025, the Drupal Community Working Group announced Kristen Pol as this year’s recipient of the Aaron Winborn Award. Named after long-time contributor Aaron Winborn, this award recognizes someone who embodies kindness, integrity, and an above and beyond commitment to the Drupal community.
About Kristen Pol
Kristen has been a huge part of the Drupal community for years, making an impact through her work in accessibility, knowledge sharing, mentorship, and community support. She’s the track lead for the Experience Builder demo design system and helps shape how people will interact with the DrupalCMS project.
Kristen has a long history of being a proactive contributor in the community. She took on big challenges as one of the Drupal 8 Multilingual Initiative leaders, and more recently as a lead in major version contrib porting efforts (organizing data tracking and porting events) as well as in Drupal CMS (as lead of the demo design system).
If you’ve been to a Drupal event, chances are you’ve seen Kristen, either on a stage or in a hallway, always helping someone. And she does it with a level of professionalism that sets the bar for all of us. She authored the Drupal 7 multilingual book, which has helped countless people navigate one of the trickier aspects of Drupal site building.
The CWG reached out to all nominees, shared the community nominations, and thanked them for their contributions to the community.
About the Aaron Winborn Award
Named in honor of Aaron Winborn, a dedicated Drupal contributor who lost his battle with ALS in 2015, this award recognizes someone who, like Aaron, has made a lasting impact on the community.
Previous winners include Cathy Theys, Gabór Hojtsy, Nikki Stevens, Kevin Thull, Leslie Glynn, Baddý Breidert, AmyJune Hineline, Angie Byron, Randy Fay, and Mike Anello. The CWG Conflict Resolution Team and past winners select the recipient based on nominations from the community.
Nominations for next year’s Aaron Winborn Award will open in early 2026. Until then, let’s take a moment to celebrate Kristen Pol and everything she does for Drupal.
Congratulations, Kristen!File attachments: Kristen_Pol_AaronWinbornAward.jpg
About Kristen Pol
Kristen has been a huge part of the Drupal community for years, making an impact through her work in accessibility, knowledge sharing, mentorship, and community support. She’s the track lead for the Experience Builder demo design system and helps shape how people will interact with the DrupalCMS project.
Kristen has a long history of being a proactive contributor in the community. She took on big challenges as one of the Drupal 8 Multilingual Initiative leaders, and more recently as a lead in major version contrib porting efforts (organizing data tracking and porting events) as well as in Drupal CMS (as lead of the demo design system).
If you’ve been to a Drupal event, chances are you’ve seen Kristen, either on a stage or in a hallway, always helping someone. And she does it with a level of professionalism that sets the bar for all of us. She authored the Drupal 7 multilingual book, which has helped countless people navigate one of the trickier aspects of Drupal site building.
The CWG reached out to all nominees, shared the community nominations, and thanked them for their contributions to the community.
About the Aaron Winborn Award
Named in honor of Aaron Winborn, a dedicated Drupal contributor who lost his battle with ALS in 2015, this award recognizes someone who, like Aaron, has made a lasting impact on the community.
Previous winners include Cathy Theys, Gabór Hojtsy, Nikki Stevens, Kevin Thull, Leslie Glynn, Baddý Breidert, AmyJune Hineline, Angie Byron, Randy Fay, and Mike Anello. The CWG Conflict Resolution Team and past winners select the recipient based on nominations from the community.
Nominations for next year’s Aaron Winborn Award will open in early 2026. Until then, let’s take a moment to celebrate Kristen Pol and everything she does for Drupal.
Congratulations, Kristen!File attachments: Kristen_Pol_AaronWinbornAward.jpg
Two Months After Drupal 7 EOL: Where Are We Now?
Drupal 7 EOL Has Passed, But Many Sites Remain
It has been over two months since Drupal 7 reached end-of-life (EOL) on 5 January 2025. Official support and security updates have ceased, yet thousands of organizations, businesses, and government agencies continue to rely on Drupal 7 to power critical websites.
For many, the transition to a newer platform has been delayed due to budget constraints, resource limitations, or the complexity of migrating custom-built Drupal 7 applications. With no further security updates, the urgency to find a solution is growing.
The Current Landscape for Drupal 7 Sites
The end of official Drupal 7 support means:
No more security patches – Any future vulnerabilities discovered will not be addressed by the Drupal Security Team.
Compliance challenges – Organizations subject to HIPAA, PCI-DSS, FedRAMP, and other regulatory frameworks may struggle to maintain compliance.
Third-party module risks – All contributed modules depended on by Drupal 7 sites are also no longer supported, increasing the potential for security gaps.
What Are the Options for Drupal 7 Users?
Organizations still running Drupal 7 have a few paths forward:
1. Migrate to a New Platform
Migrating to Drupal 10 is the ideal long-term solution. However, for many organizations, this is a complex and time-intensive process that cannot happen overnight.
2. Lock Down and Minimize Risk
Some organizations attempt to reduce attack surfaces by limiting access to their Drupal 7 sites, disabling unnecessary features, or moving behind firewalls. However, this does not eliminate security risks, particularly for sites that remain publicly accessible.
3. Extend Drupal 7 Support with HeroDevs
For organizations that cannot migrate immediately but need continued security updates and compliance assurances, HeroDevs’ Drupal 7 Never-Ending Support (NES) provides an effective solution.
How HeroDevs' Drupal 7 NES Keeps Sites Secure
HeroDevs offers ongoing security updates for Drupal 7, ensuring that critical vulnerabilities are patched—even though official support has ended. With Drupal 7 NES, organizations can:
Receive security updates for newly discovered vulnerabilities.
Maintain compliance with security frameworks such as HIPAA and PCI-DSS.
Avoid rushed migrations and plan transitions on their own timeline.
Ensure stability without disrupting existing functionality.
Next Steps for Drupal 7 Users
The EOL deadline has passed, and unsupported Drupal 7 sites face growing security and compliance risks. If your organization is still running Drupal 7, it is time to take action.
HeroDevs’ Drupal 7 NES provides a seamless, secure solution while you plan your migration. Don’t leave your site vulnerable—contact us today to learn how we can help.
It has been over two months since Drupal 7 reached end-of-life (EOL) on 5 January 2025. Official support and security updates have ceased, yet thousands of organizations, businesses, and government agencies continue to rely on Drupal 7 to power critical websites.
For many, the transition to a newer platform has been delayed due to budget constraints, resource limitations, or the complexity of migrating custom-built Drupal 7 applications. With no further security updates, the urgency to find a solution is growing.
The Current Landscape for Drupal 7 Sites
The end of official Drupal 7 support means:
No more security patches – Any future vulnerabilities discovered will not be addressed by the Drupal Security Team.
Compliance challenges – Organizations subject to HIPAA, PCI-DSS, FedRAMP, and other regulatory frameworks may struggle to maintain compliance.
Third-party module risks – All contributed modules depended on by Drupal 7 sites are also no longer supported, increasing the potential for security gaps.
What Are the Options for Drupal 7 Users?
Organizations still running Drupal 7 have a few paths forward:
1. Migrate to a New Platform
Migrating to Drupal 10 is the ideal long-term solution. However, for many organizations, this is a complex and time-intensive process that cannot happen overnight.
2. Lock Down and Minimize Risk
Some organizations attempt to reduce attack surfaces by limiting access to their Drupal 7 sites, disabling unnecessary features, or moving behind firewalls. However, this does not eliminate security risks, particularly for sites that remain publicly accessible.
3. Extend Drupal 7 Support with HeroDevs
For organizations that cannot migrate immediately but need continued security updates and compliance assurances, HeroDevs’ Drupal 7 Never-Ending Support (NES) provides an effective solution.
How HeroDevs' Drupal 7 NES Keeps Sites Secure
HeroDevs offers ongoing security updates for Drupal 7, ensuring that critical vulnerabilities are patched—even though official support has ended. With Drupal 7 NES, organizations can:
Receive security updates for newly discovered vulnerabilities.
Maintain compliance with security frameworks such as HIPAA and PCI-DSS.
Avoid rushed migrations and plan transitions on their own timeline.
Ensure stability without disrupting existing functionality.
Next Steps for Drupal 7 Users
The EOL deadline has passed, and unsupported Drupal 7 sites face growing security and compliance risks. If your organization is still running Drupal 7, it is time to take action.
HeroDevs’ Drupal 7 NES provides a seamless, secure solution while you plan your migration. Don’t leave your site vulnerable—contact us today to learn how we can help.
Update to releases on project pages
We have updated the Releases section of project pages on Drupal.org, like Webform. We are phasing out “recommended by the project’s maintainer.” The green/yellow color scheme which had been based on that is now replaced with blue/grey. Stable releases have a blue background; alpha/beta/rc have a grey background.
This simplification results from Drupal’s move to semantic versioning and Composer. Composer has never used the “recommended” label. Drupal itself phased it out while gaining support for semantically-versioned modules and themes with Drupal 8.1. With semantic versioning, project maintainers “recommend” releases by making them stable.
With this design update, we also had an opportunity to use a little bit of Drupal.org’s new brand identity.
Follow #3509485: Remove “recommended” status for releases? for more details on the underlying changes.
This simplification results from Drupal’s move to semantic versioning and Composer. Composer has never used the “recommended” label. Drupal itself phased it out while gaining support for semantically-versioned modules and themes with Drupal 8.1. With semantic versioning, project maintainers “recommend” releases by making them stable.
With this design update, we also had an opportunity to use a little bit of Drupal.org’s new brand identity.
Follow #3509485: Remove “recommended” status for releases? for more details on the underlying changes.
DrupalCon Unveils a Bold New Look in Collaboration with SixEleven
The Drupal community thrives on collaboration and innovation. As DrupalCon evolves as the premier gathering for Drupalists, the Drupal Association recognized the opportunity to rebrand the DrupalCon visual identity to better reflect the energy, ambition, and future of our global community. That’s why we teamed up with SixEleven to reimagine the DrupalCon brand, delivering a new logo, city icon, brand book, and visual identity that will shape the future looks of our flagship events.
Based in Turin, Italy, SixEleven is a digital creative agency, and long time collaborator and design partner for the Drupal Association. For SixEleven, innovation comes first and that is why their methodology is based on a growth hacking approach: they always find new creative, innovative, and analytical ways to hack the system and improve brands. Since 2009, SixEleven has specialized in reimagining brands from hospitality, luxury design, institutional/non-profit, corporate, education, and Public Administration sectors.
The Opportunity for Change
The recent rebranding of DrupalCon was a monumental effort driven by staff and community, resulting in an updated logo, font, and color palette that now define DrupalCon’s visual identity and aligns with the recent Drupal rebranding. This evolution helps make sure our brand reflects not only where we are today but also where we’re headed.
A Thoughtful and Collaborative Process
Our partnership with SixEleven was anchored in a shared commitment to creativity, clarity, and community values. The process began with an in-depth exploration of what DrupalCon represents: an intersection of opportunity, innovation, and connection. Through information-gathering sessions, creative exploration, and collaborative feedback, SixEleven worked closely with our leadership team to develop concepts that better capture the spirit of DrupalCon.
The Outcome
A refreshed DrupalCon identity that balances Drupal’s heritage with a modern, future-focused aesthetic. The new logo and visual identity are designed to be bold, flexible, and instantly recognizable, ensuring that DrupalCon continues to stand out in the open-source and tech conference landscape.
Looking Ahead
The rebrand will be unveiled in future DrupalCon, starting with Vienna 2025 and Nara 2025 with the logo debut and changes in event signage, marketing materials, and digital platforms, providing a unified and engaging experience for attendees, speakers, and sponsors alike.
The Drupal Association remains committed to evolving with our community and ensuring that our brand reflects the passion, innovation, and ambition that drive Drupal forward. We can't wait for you to see the new DrupalCon identity in action!
Based in Turin, Italy, SixEleven is a digital creative agency, and long time collaborator and design partner for the Drupal Association. For SixEleven, innovation comes first and that is why their methodology is based on a growth hacking approach: they always find new creative, innovative, and analytical ways to hack the system and improve brands. Since 2009, SixEleven has specialized in reimagining brands from hospitality, luxury design, institutional/non-profit, corporate, education, and Public Administration sectors.
The Opportunity for Change
The recent rebranding of DrupalCon was a monumental effort driven by staff and community, resulting in an updated logo, font, and color palette that now define DrupalCon’s visual identity and aligns with the recent Drupal rebranding. This evolution helps make sure our brand reflects not only where we are today but also where we’re headed.
A Thoughtful and Collaborative Process
Our partnership with SixEleven was anchored in a shared commitment to creativity, clarity, and community values. The process began with an in-depth exploration of what DrupalCon represents: an intersection of opportunity, innovation, and connection. Through information-gathering sessions, creative exploration, and collaborative feedback, SixEleven worked closely with our leadership team to develop concepts that better capture the spirit of DrupalCon.
The Outcome
A refreshed DrupalCon identity that balances Drupal’s heritage with a modern, future-focused aesthetic. The new logo and visual identity are designed to be bold, flexible, and instantly recognizable, ensuring that DrupalCon continues to stand out in the open-source and tech conference landscape.
Looking Ahead
The rebrand will be unveiled in future DrupalCon, starting with Vienna 2025 and Nara 2025 with the logo debut and changes in event signage, marketing materials, and digital platforms, providing a unified and engaging experience for attendees, speakers, and sponsors alike.
The Drupal Association remains committed to evolving with our community and ensuring that our brand reflects the passion, innovation, and ambition that drive Drupal forward. We can't wait for you to see the new DrupalCon identity in action!
Become a Mentor at DrupalCon!
As we gear up for the upcoming DrupalCon Atlanta, we are recruiting volunteers to serve as mentors during Mentored Contribution Day: Thursday, March 27th. Mentors play a crucial role in making newcomers feel welcomed and confident, assisting them in setting up their environments, finding tasks, and navigating the contribution process.
Not an experienced programmer? No problem! — You can still be a valuable mentor! At DrupalCon, we are looking for mentors from diverse backgrounds, skill levels, and regions to help support new contributors. Mentors guide new contributors on how to find information and act as friendly resources. Mentors and contributors often collaborate in pairs or teams to find solutions and understand their role in the larger context.
Even experienced developers can find the Drupal issue queue daunting, especially if unfamiliar with the full issue resolution lifecycle. Mentor Orientation sessions prepare mentors for working with new contributors. Meanwhile, the mentor coordination team holds workshops for new contributors, and identifies novice issues in advance, to help first-time mentors and contributors succeed.
You could become a Drupal core contributor!
All core mentoring-related workshops will result in contribution credits for both mentors and contributors who attend. These credits acknowledge and reward your efforts in strengthening the Drupal ecosystem. By participating, you not only enhance your skills but also receive official recognition for your contributions. This valuable acknowledgment can boost your professional profile and credibility in the Drupal community. We encourage all potential mentors and contributors to take advantage of this opportunity and ensure their involvement is recognized!
Why Become a Mentor?
Confidence booster: When you explain a concept to someone else, you not only deepen your understanding but also enhance your confidence in that subject.
Learn from top developers: Mentorship is a two-way street. Gain insights from experienced contributors and deepen your Drupal knowledge.
Foster growth: Play a crucial role in the professional and personal growth of new community members.
Build connections: Network with other mentors and mentees, creating lasting relationships within the Drupal community.
Give back: Contribute to the success and sustainability of the Drupal project by nurturing the next generation of contributors.
How to Get Involved?
For more information and to get involved, visit the DrupalCon Atlanta Contribution Page.
Get connected, visit Drupal Slack to join:
Join the first time contributions conversation: #first-contribution
To become a mentor: #mentoring-team-coordination
Your mentorship definitely can make a difference!
Not an experienced programmer? No problem! — You can still be a valuable mentor! At DrupalCon, we are looking for mentors from diverse backgrounds, skill levels, and regions to help support new contributors. Mentors guide new contributors on how to find information and act as friendly resources. Mentors and contributors often collaborate in pairs or teams to find solutions and understand their role in the larger context.
Even experienced developers can find the Drupal issue queue daunting, especially if unfamiliar with the full issue resolution lifecycle. Mentor Orientation sessions prepare mentors for working with new contributors. Meanwhile, the mentor coordination team holds workshops for new contributors, and identifies novice issues in advance, to help first-time mentors and contributors succeed.
You could become a Drupal core contributor!
All core mentoring-related workshops will result in contribution credits for both mentors and contributors who attend. These credits acknowledge and reward your efforts in strengthening the Drupal ecosystem. By participating, you not only enhance your skills but also receive official recognition for your contributions. This valuable acknowledgment can boost your professional profile and credibility in the Drupal community. We encourage all potential mentors and contributors to take advantage of this opportunity and ensure their involvement is recognized!
Why Become a Mentor?
Confidence booster: When you explain a concept to someone else, you not only deepen your understanding but also enhance your confidence in that subject.
Learn from top developers: Mentorship is a two-way street. Gain insights from experienced contributors and deepen your Drupal knowledge.
Foster growth: Play a crucial role in the professional and personal growth of new community members.
Build connections: Network with other mentors and mentees, creating lasting relationships within the Drupal community.
Give back: Contribute to the success and sustainability of the Drupal project by nurturing the next generation of contributors.
How to Get Involved?
For more information and to get involved, visit the DrupalCon Atlanta Contribution Page.
Get connected, visit Drupal Slack to join:
Join the first time contributions conversation: #first-contribution
To become a mentor: #mentoring-team-coordination
Your mentorship definitely can make a difference!
