Beyond End of Life Transforming Your Drupal Platform | LTIMindtree POV

PoV
Beyond End of Life:
Transforming Your
Drupal Platform through
Modernization

Introduction
The digital landscape is evolving continually as technology and business processes develop
swiftly to meet the changing needs of businesses and users. In terms of content
management systems (CMS), Drupal has consistently provided a viable option for companies
to build and manage dynamic websites. However, all software solutions have a lifecycle, and
Drupal 7's end of life (EOL) is January 5, 2025. After it reaches its end of life, challenges will
be inevitable. Hence, updating Drupal 7 is inescapable. In this point of view, we will discuss
the importance, challenges, benefits, and tactics of upgrading a Drupal 7 platform after its
support ends. The upgrade will create new opportunities and guarantee ongoing applicability
in the digital era.
The Drupal 7 legacy -
Strength and change
Due to its versatility, extensibility, and robust community support, Drupal 7 quickly gained
popularity after its introduction in 2011. It became a desired option for businesses seeking
flexibility and scalability because of its ecosystem's growth and prosperity. However, the
web ecosystem saw a lot of changes throughout time. The significance of mobile device
responsiveness, performance enhancements, accessibility requirements, and security best
practices grew considerably. Drupal 7 needed more advancement, which came in the later
versions, making Drupal 7 dated and now considered obsolete.
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The age of mortality -
Understanding the end
of life for Drupal 7
Both an end and a fresh beginning
were heralded by Drupal 7's end of
support. The Drupal community's
decision to discontinue official
security updates, feature releases,
and support for Drupal 7 had
far-reaching effects. Websites
running Drupal 7 will be more
vulnerable as technical debt and
security issues increase. Instead
of debating whether to transfer,
companies and organizations can
switch from the obsolete Drupal
7 edition to a more suitable option
and requirement-based structure.
Implications of EOL
Technical Debt
Adapting to Meet
Today's Demands
With the end of support for Drupal 7, the
community will cease offering security patches,
bug fixes, and new features. As a result,
websites will be more susceptible to security
flaws, compatibility problems, and out-of-date
technologies.
Due to a lack of maintenance, Drupal 7
websites will accrue technical debt, leading to
performance issues, poorer user experiences,
and more difficult maintenance issues.
Since Drupal 7's launch, the digital environment
has changed. Successful websites need to be
quick, responsive, and accessible on mobile.
Using an old CMS carries the risk of slipping
behind current industry norms.
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Moving ahead -
Options for modernization
Migrating to a more recent version of Drupal, such as Drupal 9 or Drupal 10, offers a
seamless path forward. These versions bring improved features, enhanced security,
and better performance.
While Drupal is a robust CMS, you might also consider migrating to a different CMS
platform that aligns better with your current needs and future goals. Popular
alternatives include WordPress, Joomla, and TYPO3. Evaluate each platform's features,
ease of use, and community support before deciding.
Migrate to the latest Drupal version
Migrate to another CMS
Transitioning to a headless CMS architecture lets you separate your content
management system from your presentation layer. This approach provides greater
flexibility in delivering content to various devices and channels, such as websites,
mobile apps, and IoT devices. You can use Drupal as a headless CMS or explore other
headless CMS options.
Headless CMS approach
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Maintaining a current and updated website is a journey. Modernizing a Drupal 7 website involves
considering diverse options. Here are some to explore.

Decoupled Drupal
Depending on your specific requirements, you might opt for custom development to
create a bespoke CMS that meets your unique needs. This approach offers complete
control over the features and functionalities of your website but requires significant
time, resources, and technical expertise.
Custom development
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Like a headless approach, decoupled Drupal allows you to use Drupal as a content
repository while using different front-end technologies to render the user interface.
This gives you the freedom to choose front-end frameworks like React, Angular, or
Vue.js to build dynamic and interactive interfaces.

Benefits of modernizing to an
advanced CMS platform:
Upgrading websites can improve security, performance, user experience, and functionality. With
professional guidance, choosing the best option based on your needs for successful modernization
is easy.
SEO and
accessibility
Enhanced
security
Performance
optimization
Advanced
content
management
Rich
ecosystem
Extensive
integrations
User-friendly
editing
Wide
range of
templates
Simplified
updates
Mobile
responsiveness
API-first
approach
Diverse
functionality
Fresh user
experience
Scalability
Support
and
Training
Managed
Hosting
Upgraded
editing
experience
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Enhanced
security
The new version of Drupal comes
with improved security features
and robustness. Regular security
updates ensure the website remains
protected against emerging threats,
reducing the risk of data breaches
and vulnerabilities.
Performance
optimization
The advanced CMS is designed
for better performance.
Improved caching mechanisms,
optimized loading times, and
enhanced page rendering
contribute to a faster and
smoother user experience.
Advanced
content
management
The CMS offers a more intuitive
content management experience.
Including the Drupal Paragraphs
module enables flexible content
structuring, making it easier to
create diverse layouts and
presentations.
Mobile
responsiveness
It prioritizes mobile-first
design principles, ensuring
the website looks and
functions seamlessly across
various devices, from
smartphones to tablets.
Upgraded
editing
experience
The built-in CKEditor in Drupal 8
and above provides a modernized
content editing experience. The
improved administration interface
simplifies tasks for content
creators and administrators.
SEO and
accessibility
It offers improved SEO features
and more rigorous accessibility
standards. This enhances the
website's search engine
visibility and makes it more
inclusive for all users.
API-first
approach
The platform emphasizes an
API-first architecture, making
integrating with third-party
services, mobile apps, and
other digital platforms easier.
Rich
ecosystem
The Drupal community continuously
develops modules and themes for
newer versions, expanding options
for adding new functionalities and
designs to the website.
Fresh user
experience
Advanced CMS platforms often
come with modern interfaces
and intuitive workflows,
enhancing the user experience
for content editors and visitors.

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Simplified
updates
Advanced CMS platforms
typically provide automatic
updates and security patches,
reducing the manual effort
required to keep the website
up to date.
User-friendly
editing
Advanced CMS platforms often
prioritize user-friendly content
editing interfaces, making it
easier for non-technical users to
manage and update content.
Managed
Hosting
Some advanced CMS platforms
offer managed hosting services for
server maintenance, security, and
performance optimization.
Support and
Training
Many advanced CMS platforms
provide robust support resources,
including documentation,
tutorials, and customer support.
Diverse
functionality
Some advanced CMS platforms
offer specialized functionalities
tailored to specific industries or
use cases, giving you access to
tools that may not be available
in Drupal.
Extensive
integrations
offer seamless integrations with
popular third-party services,
tools, and plugins, allowing you
to expand your website's
capabilities easily.
Wide range
of templates
offer a wide selection of
templates and themes, helping
create visually appealing websites
without extensive design work.
Scalability
Depending on the platform,
you might find better scalability
options for handling increased
traffic, content growth, and
additional functionalities.

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Practical implementation
While moving from legacy CMS to Drupal CMS, organizations look forward to staying on trend, minimizing
risks, and optimizing costs. An agile-based implementation approach with a minimal viable product (MVP)
strategy makes for a seamless transition. Cost-effective maintenance support after the “go-live” helps better
understanding and ensures smooth functioning. This makes the website more efficient, reliable, flexible, and
highly scalable. Such a website offers easy editing and publishing of content, and redesign with reduced costs.
Another approach is implementing a cloud strategy to migrate content from legacy systems and building a
CMS from scratch. Consolidating different content management systems offers a unified experience using
Drupal 8 on Acquia Cloud and a fresh UX design. It improves the experience for end users and content
admins managing UX, Search, SEO, etc.

Embracing
transformation -
The path forward
A considerable change was brought about by Drupal 7's termination of support, but it
also heralded the beginning of something new. A modern Drupal platform upgrade
involves more than just complying with regulations. It presents an opportunity for
development and change. Upgrading to a current CMS platform is a proactive step in
maintaining an influential, safe, and pertinent online presence. With a Strategic approach,
the transition from Drupal 7's end of support to a transformational update has the
potential to reframe the website's goals, improve user interactions, and spur corporate
growth in the digital world.
to know how LTIMindtree can help you!
Contact Us
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LTIMindtree is a global technology consulting and digital solutions company that enables enterprises across industries to
reimagine business models, accelerate innovation, and maximize growth by harnessing digital technologies. As a digital
transformation partner to more than 700 clients, LTIMindtree brings extensive domain and technology expertise to help drive
superior competitive differentiation, customer experiences, and business outcomes in a converging world. Powered by 81,000+
talented and entrepreneurial professionals across more than 30 countries, LTIMindtree — a Larsen & Toubro Group company —
combines the industry-acclaimed strengths of erstwhile Larsen and Toubro Infotech and Mindtree in solving the most complex
business challenges and delivering transformation at scale. For more information, please visit www.ltimindtree.com.
About the author
Afrin Shaikh, Advisory Lead-Interactive is a specialist and part of the Interactive
Advisory Group at LTIMindtree. She is passionate and dedicated to orchestrating
seamless experience delivery for many personas, including customers, partners,
the enterprise, and employees. With a relentless commitment to creating a total
experience that leaves a lasting impact, she thrives on bridging gaps and innovating
in interactive advisory. She helps organizations transform digital strategies into a
more engaging and holistic experience.
Afrin Shaikh
Industry Advisory Specialist

Beyond End of Life Transforming Your Drupal Platform | LTIMindtree POV

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