The Drupal 11 release is imminent
As of June this year, the release of a new version of Drupal is imminent - Drupal 11. The transition to a newer version of the content management system may seem intimidating at first glance. However, with the right preparation, the switch is not that complicated, and Drupal agencies are experts in this field.
Here is an overview of the most important questions and answers:
When will Drupal 11 be released?
There are three planned release dates for Drupal 11. The first versions of Drupal 11 are planned for the week of June 17, 2024, the week of July 29, 2024 and the week of December 9, 2024.
Why are there three different dates?
Drupal is a CMS with a large community and many developers. The release depends on how quickly the Drupal community finalizes the last details of Drupal 11.
I have a website with Drupal - do I have to switch to Drupal 11 immediately?
The upgrade to Drupal 11 should ideally take place by November 2025. This does not mean that the websites will no longer work - however, security updates for Drupal 9 will no longer be available from this date.
Upgrade from Drupal 9 to 11
Upgrading from Drupal 9 to Drupal 11 is an important step. In contrast to upgrading from Drupal 8 to Drupal 11, the process is somewhat simpler as fewer fundamental changes are required. Various tools are available to identify outdated code and prepare for the upgrade to Drupal 11 at an early stage.
Details can be found on the Drupal website: Tools to review and fix outdated code for upgrading to Drupal 11.
The Upgrade Status module is also listed here and will help you check the Drupal 11 compatibility of installed modules to see where work is still needed before you can upgrade your Drupal to the latest version.
Drupal 9 will reach end-of-life status in November 2025. This means that security updates will no longer be provided for the system from this date.
What's new in Drupal 11?
Drupal 11 essentially does not bring any drastic changes compared to the previous version. The new version is mainly aimed at removing obsolete code and updating third-party dependencies. With Drupal 11, for example, the Symfony framework used is updated from Symfony 4.4 to Symfony 5.
To ensure the security and future viability of Drupal, the PHP version will also be raised to 7.4 or even 8.0, which will enable many components to be upgraded.
The Drupal community is also working on new features, such as a new admin and frontend theme, to enable improvements in the presentation and content workflow.
Tips for the switch
Depending on the size of the website, moving the website may not be so easy - even from Drupal 9 to 11. When moving, it helps enormously to plan the new site architecture of the website carefully. This is because the analysis may reveal that some paths can be saved. Some modules may no longer be required for the new website. It will also become clear which functions are to be transferred.
It is possible that some modules are no longer available in Drupal 11. The community is constantly working on this and looking for alternatives. However, it is still important to think about this at an early stage.
Website with new site architecture
As a professional Drupal agency, we analyze our clients' websites and create a roadmap to ensure a smooth transition. We look for outdated code in the modules and themes used and advise on possible measures. The upgrade can then either be carried out independently or we will be happy to do it for you.
Contact us - we will be happy to advise you free of charge.
