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Understanding Drupal: The Basics

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Drupal is a robust open source content management system that allows for rapid development of large scale applications and websites. In this article we will explore the basics surrounding Drupal, covering topics such as what it is, the benefits of using Drupal over another open source content management system, and how to get started using Drupal on your next web project.

We will also discuss various resources you can utilize to learn more about Drupal and its ability to help you develop a dynamic large scale website that is easy to scale and designed for performance.

What is Drupal?

Drupal is a content management system designed for rapidly deploying large scale websites. It is designed to allow easy flexibility and scalability for any website, thus allowing your online presence to grow with you. Many people automatically associate Drupal with WordPress and assume that they function in a similar manner. Now although WordPress is a very powerful open source platform for websites, it is not a full blown CMS. In fact, WordPress was developed as a blogging engine, which is why it has become widely popular for individuals and businesses seeking a dynamic blogging website.

Drupal on the other hand was built as a CMS. It provides functionality and performance for tasks that WordPress at times struggles with, for instance the Content Construction Kit (aka CCK), allows for the rapid development of new types of content within your Drupal powered website. Here is an example. Let’s say I have a website with a custom slider on my home page that rotates. In WordPress or various other publishing platforms, I may have to create a plugin or extend the core functionality, with Drupal I can quickly and easily create a new content type and add my content. The Content Construction Kit allows you to add custom fields to nodes using a web browser.

Why use Drupal?

Although the administration area of Drupal can seem a little overwhelming, once you understand how to maneuver your way around in Drupal, it becomes like second nature. Since Drupal was designed as a CMS, it assumes that there will be many types of users with various levels of control who are administering the website. This is great because it adds a level of distinction and control in your website and provides users with more flexibility. This means that the system can support many different features, from basic websites to ecommerce solutions, to even large scale social networks. Drupal provides a solid foundation that allows you to create anything you can imagine.

Here are top reasons why Drupal is a great solution for your project:

  • Advanced URL Control — Drupal gives you complete control over URL structure. Each item of content in Drupal (called a node) can be given a custom URL (called a URL alias).
  • Custom Content Types and Views — You can use the Content Construction Kit (CCK) and Views Modules to create new content types and create advanced custom views for them without writing any code.
  • Revision Control — Drupal allows you to save a new version of your pages every time you edit them.
  • Taxonomy — Drupal has a powerful taxonomy (category) system that allows you to organize and tag content. Your blog could allow free tagging much like WordPress while your news section may be more structured.
  • User Management — Drupal was designed for communities. This means that your website can have custom user roles and access levels for extended functionality. This is better on team blogging and management.
  • Better Page Titles and Meta Tags - You can easily create your page titles and meta tags in Druapl. You have complete control.
  • Great Documentation - Drupal’s community is huge and solid and their documentation is widespread. You can find anything from theming guides to advanced modules.
  • PHP Template - Drupal uses the PHP Template theme engine and theming in Drupal can be easier than theming in WordPress and at times doesn’t necessarily require any PHP knowledge. Drupal’s Theme Developer Guide is a great resource.
  • Large Friendly Community - Drupal’s community is very large and friendly. Many people offering assistance and help to those in need. If you have a question, just ask and we’ll be more than happy to help. Drupal is also known for its meetups and gatherings!

Getting Started with Drupal

If you are like us, when we started learning the benefits behind Drupal, we were excited and ready to get started. But now what, where do you learn Drupal development or how do start deploying a Drupal website? Not to worry, we had the same questions and that’s why we are providing you with some great resources to get you on your way to become a Drupal guru.

  • Drupal.org - Drupal is a great place to start when it comes to Drupal development. They have great documentation that will help you understand the basic principles and fundamentals of Drupal development. It’s also a great place to learn about installing Drupal for the first time and the process to get a Drupal installation live online.
  • NetTuts - Nettuts is another great resource, packed full of tutorials designed from beginners to experts. You can learn a lot here on web development principles.
  • Level Ten Design - Level Ten Design is premiere Drupal development agency offering great resources for Drupal tutorials and documentation.

Conclusion

Overall, Drupal may not be the only solution to a website project, but if you are looking for a robust CMS with dynamic features designed for scalability and flexibility, then using Drupal on your next web project is a solid choice. We love Drupal and have been using it more and more. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us, we’re here to help!


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