Embracing the Future with Drupal: Introducing Long-Term Support for a Smoother Digital Journey
Introduction
The digital landscape demands agility and foresight. With Drupal's revised release and support plan1 , users now have a reliable framework to stay ahead of the curve. Unpredictable release schedules often created uncertainty and complexity in maintaining Drupal-powered websites. However, those days are now behind us. Drupal has introduced a significant shift in its release and support strategy, empowering its users to confidently plan for the future and address challenges with newfound clarity. Let's explore what this means for the Drupal community
A More Predictable and Extended Support Structure
Starting with Drupal 10, Drupal has adopted a more predictable and extended support structure, with new major versions slated for release every two years. This marks a significant departure from the previous release cycle, offering organizations that rely on Drupal for their digital presence a clear roadmap for future updates and upgrades.
Each major version of Drupal will not only receive active support for approximately two years but will also benefit from an additional two years of maintenance support and security coverage. This extended support timeline ensures that each version is maintained until two subsequent major versions have been released.
This predictability allows for better planning and resource allocation, enabling businesses to seamlessly integrate new features and enhancements into their digital strategies without disrupting their operations.
Drupal 11 on the Horizon
Slated for release in 2024, Drupal 11 is already creating a buzz. The release window is anticipated to be in either June, August, or December, depending on the completion of beta requirements. This allows developers and site owners to prepare for the transition, ensuring they can leverage the new features and improvements without disruption.
Long-Term Support for Drupal 10
The introduction of long-term support (LTS) for Drupal 10 marks a significant milestone. Following the release of Drupal 11.0.0, Drupal 10 will enter a long-term support phase, which includes maintenance minor updates every six months. These updates will incorporate selectively backported features from Drupal 11, ensuring that Drupal 10 remains robust and reliable.
Staying Up-to-Date with PHP
Alongside its new release strategy, Drupal emphasizes the importance of using PHP versions that are actively supported. This is a key part of ensuring that Drupal sites are secure and efficient. Supported PHP versions receive security updates and are more reliable, making them essential for the smooth operation of Drupal sites.
Older PHP versions, over time, stop receiving updates and become unsupported. For Drupal users, this means that if a PHP version becomes too old, it might lead to compatibility issues with Drupal's updates or its dependencies. For example, if a necessary update for Drupal no longer supports an old PHP version, sites using that PHP version might need to upgrade to a newer, supported version of PHP. This was evident with Drupal 9, which started with support for PHP 7.3 and later required an upgrade to PHP 7.4 due to dependencies.
Site owners should pay attention to warnings about their PHP version being 'too old' in their site status reports. These warnings indicate a potential risk for future support and security.
As Drupal continues to evolve, it will add support for the latest PHP versions. This means that to take full advantage of Drupal's features and long-term support, site owners need to ensure they are using PHP versions currently supported by the PHP core team. Staying updated with PHP improves site performance and ensures continued security and compatibility with future Drupal updates.
Community Involvement and Readiness
The strength of Drupal has always been its vibrant community. As Drupal 11's development progresses, the community is invited to participate in the #d11readiness channel on Drupal’s community Slack.
Conclusion
Drupal's new release and support cycle marks a significant step towards a more structured and predictable future for its users. By providing extended support for each major release and aligning with the PHP support cycle, Drupal ensures that organizations can confidently plan their digital strategy with a clear understanding of future updates and enhancements. As Drupal continues to evolve, it remains a powerful tool for creating versatile, secure, and future-proof digital experiences.
