Drupal 11: Key Features And Enhancements You Need To Know

Introduction

Drupal 11 was released on 2nd August 2024. It builds on the strengths of Drupal 10 while introducing new tools and workflows designed to simplify development, boost performance, and make content management easier. 

Drupal 11 brings several enhancements, like improvements to CKEditor integration, a revamp of the Field UI, performance improvements, and revisions for taxonomy terms.

Introduction To Drupal 11

Drupal 11 is the newest major release of the Drupal Content Management System. Drupal 11 enhances the developer experience, improves performance, and offers more powedrupalrful tools for content creators. With a focus on modern technologies and best practices, Drupal 11 makes sites more efficient, scalable, and easier to maintain.

Key Features And Enhancements

The major features and enhancements of Drupal 11 are mentioned below. 

1. Recipes: Streamlining Development With Pre-Configured Solutions

One of the standout features of Drupal 11 is the introduction of Recipes. Recipes are pre-configured bundles of functionality. It allows developers to quickly set up common features without having to manually configure every detail.

Whether it's creating a blog, setting up an e-commerce site, or implementing a forum, Recipes provides a shortcut to getting started with the right set of modules, configurations, and templates. This feature will also be available with Drupal starshot.

Read more about the Drupal Starshot initiative and how Axelerant is actively contributing to it. 

To use Drupal recipes, follow the steps given below. 

• Step 1: Choose a recipe from the available options.
• Step 2: Apply the recipe to the Drupal installation.
• Step 3: Customize the pre-configured settings to match the project requirements.

For example, If an organization wants to set up a blog, the blog recipe will automatically install and configure the necessary modules, create content types, and set up views for blog posts.

The following table shows the possible use cases for some of the most common Drupal recipes.

2. Single Directory Components (SDC): Simplifying Component-Based Development

Drupal 11 introduces Single Directory Components (SDC), a powerful feature that allows developers to package all related files (Twig templates, JavaScript, CSS, etc.) for each component into a single directory. This modular approach makes it easier to manage, reuse, and share components across projects.

The implementation of SDC will benefit the developers in the following ways. 

• Organized File Structure: All files related to a component can be stored in one directory, making it easier to locate and manage them.
• Reusability: Components can be easily reused across different parts of a site or even across different projects.
• Improved Collaboration: Developers can work on individual components without affecting other parts of the project.

For example, if an organization creates a component for a custom slider, all the necessary files (slider.html.twig, slider.js, slider.css) would be stored in one directory, making it simple to maintain and update.

3. Improved Performance And Scalability

Performance improvements are always a key focus in Drupal releases, and Drupal 11 is no exception. This version introduces several enhancements that make sites faster and more scalable, including better caching mechanisms, optimized database queries, and improvements in JavaScript and CSS handling.

A few major performance optimizations in Drupal 11 are:

• Enhanced Caching: Drupal 11 introduces more efficient caching strategies that reduce the load on servers and improve page load times.
• Optimized Database Queries: Improvements in query performance for faster data retrieval and processing.
• JavaScript And CSS Optimization: Better handling of JavaScript and CSS files allows faster page rendering and improved user experience.

4. Enhanced Content Moderation

The new and improved moderation workflows are more intuitive and easier to manage, allowing content creators to review, edit, and publish content with greater efficiency.

• Simplified Workflows: The new moderation interface is designed for ease of use, reducing the complexity of managing content states.
• Customizable States: Drupal 11 allows developers to define custom moderation states to better fit the content approval processes.

Drupal 11 Vs Drupal 10

Drupal 11 introduces several enhancements over Drupal 10 and earlier versions, making it a more powerful and efficient platform.

Drupal 11 Requirements

The system requirements to run Drupal 11 are given below.

PHP

Organizations need PHP 8.3 for Drupal 11. Future Drupal 11 minor releases may increase the PHP requirement in line with PHP maintainers’ support.

Database

The following Database versions are supported by Drupal 11. 

• MySQL: 8.0+
• MariaDB: 10.6+
• PostgreSQL: 16+
• SQLite: 3.45
  
  

Web Server

The support for Windows is removed for production environments. Other web server requirements remain unchanged.

Composer

The organizations need Composer 2.7.0 or newer. It is mandatory due to a security fix in February 2024.

Browsers 

There is no change in browser support policy. Drupal continues to support modern browsers.

PHP & JavaScript Dependencies

Drupal 11 supports the following JavaScript and PHP dependencies. 

• Symfony: Version 7
• PHPUnit: Version 10
• jQuery: Version 4

What’s Removed From Drupal 11

With the release of Drupal 11, several modules were removed from Drupal Core and moved to the Contributions Space. This move aims to reduce the Core's size and maintenance burden. 

• Actions UI: Provides an interface to manage and execute automated tasks or "actions" in response to specific events within the Drupal website.
• Book: Allows users to create and organize content into hierarchical, structured books, ideal for creating manuals, guides, or documentation.
• Tracker: Keeps track of the most recent posts on the website, providing a central location for users to see the latest content updates.
• Forum: Enables the creation and management of discussion forums on the website, allowing users to engage in threaded conversations.
• Statistics: Collects and displays website usage data, including popular pages, referrers, and user activity, to help monitor the website's performance.
• Tour: Provides a guided tour feature that helps users navigate and understand different sections of the Drupal website, improving the onboarding process and the overall digital experience.

Drupal 10 Support

Drupal 10 long-term support is expected till mid-late 2026 until the release of Drupal 12. This is part of a new, two-year release cycle for Drupal, where each major version is supported for at least four years until two more major versions are released.

After the initial support period, Drupal 10 will receive maintenance support and security coverage for an additional two years. 

How Axelerant Can Provide Drupal 10 Continuous Support For Your Business

Keeping your Drupal 10 website secure, updated, and high-performing can be a challenge. With over a decade of experience in the Drupal ecosystem, Axelerant’s Continuous Support services are designed to keep your platform secure, optimized, and ready to scale. 

With Axelerant’s Continuous Support, you receive:

• Expert Support: With 120+ dedicated Drupal support experts and ongoing contributions to 100+ Drupal.org projects, Axelerant will ensure your website’s maintenance and development.
• Tailored Support Plans: Axelerant’s flexible subscription plans, Sustain, Elevate, and Thrive, are designed to meet your specific needs. These plans offer everything from core CMS and contrib module security updates to dedicated project management and technical strategy consultations.
• Comprehensive Care: Axelerant offers a holistic suite of services, including 24x7 monitoring, SLA-based application support, and infrastructure maintenance, all designed to ensure your Drupal 10 site operates with maximum efficiency and reliability. 

Need a more customized solution? Our Drupal experts are ready to craft a plan that fits your unique needs.

What’s Coming Next?

Lots of updates are currently in the works for Drupal 11.1. Expect improvements in Recipes, Project Browser, and Automatic Updates, along with the release of the first version of Experience Builder.

You can also reach out to Axelerant’s experts, who have been contributing to the Drupal community for over a decade, to know more about Drupal 11.