Why should you make the move from Drupal 6 to 8?
As we all know, the official support from Drupal.org for Drupal 6 is going to cease and the security updates will no longer be available. However, there is no reason to get upset; in fact, there is nothing in the code that will cause Drupal 6 site to stop functioning after February 24th, 2016. If you choose to keep running the code, it will run as long as your hosting company allows to do so. Then, why would anybody want their website to be migrated to Drupal 8 ? The answer is quite simple, nobody wants to stay behind. It's actually a step forward.
Is it easy to migrate to Drupal 8?
Your existing Drupal 6 site could be a complex one with a lot of customization in it, or the site may have already been very successful as a commerce entity with tens of thousands of records, or you may be running a great literary site in a regional language which you think is impossible to migrate. Well, nothing is impossible. Drupal 8 core comes with a migrate module with an import API which will take care of most of the upgrading stuff. However, you should always have an expert with you to troubleshoot, if your site is a more complex one.
Advantages of migrating to Drupal 8
Improved content editing/authoring: Managing content becomes more flexible, efficient and enjoyable with Drupal 8. As a webmaster, you will find a fast and user-friendly experience with the ‘in-line’ editing feature in Drupal 8. It provides new built-in WYSIWYG editor that will allow you to edit your content directly at the front-end. Unlike Drupal 6, you need not go to the back-end of the website for each minor modification. Also, you'll be able to see how it will translate visually into the final site content. In addition, you also have a much improved content creation page and options for better handling of images for responsive websites. Since, Drupal 8 is fully responsive, all these changes can be made from your smartphone or tablet, too.
Mobile-first & Responsive website: In addition to better site administration experience, you will have better front-end performance in Drupal 8 across all devices. Your customers will be delighted with the experience that your site offers. Efficient way of caching of entities, smarter javascript loading techniques, and responsive images are some of the features that will serve up pages faster in Drupal 8.
Better for multilingual sites: The multilingual features and enhancements in Drupal 8 will help you go global, and that too, with absolute ease. Now on, you will not require too many contributed modules to make your multi-language site work. Adding translation will no longer be a mess as before. Manage your content in a more centralized way, with the effective tools and processes in place. Drupal 8 will help you to manage additions and changes accurately and efficiently as possible.
Be it a simple Drupal 6 website or a website which has dozens of pages, Drupal 8 will probably be the best choice, as it has a lot of out-of-the-box features; so the best part is that you don't need extra modules. At Zyxware, we have a talented and experienced team of developers, designers, and technical experts who will help you make a smooth transition to Drupal 8. Call us today for more information on our Drupal development services. So, what are you waiting for? Upgrade to Drupal 8 to give your business a competitive edge!
