This blog has been re-posted and edited with permission from Dries Buytaert's blog.

This post looks at the idea of a Drupal Site Template marketplace and whether it should support both open source and commercial templates.

This is an unusual post for my blog, but I'm sharing it to start a broader conversation about an idea we're exploring: a marketplace for Drupal Site Templates. Both the Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association have discussed this concept, but no decision has been made. I'm posting to share our current thinking and invite feedback as we shape this together.

This post is being cross-posted here, and the comments are open. You're also welcome to join the conversation in the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel on Drupal Slack.

In my DrupalCon Atlanta keynote, I introduced the concept of Site Templates for Drupal. These templates provide pre-configured website starting points that combine Drupal recipes, themes, and default content.

If you haven't seen my keynote yet, I recommend watching it first. It provides helpful context for the rest of this post.

While Site Templates will help users launch websites faster, I also posed a bigger question: should we create a marketplace where users can discover and download or install these templates? And if so, should that marketplace offer only open source Site Templates, or should we also allow commercial templates?

What are Site Templates?

Site Templates combine Drupal recipes, a theme, design elements, and default content to give users a fully functional website right from the start. They solve one of Drupal's biggest challenges: the time it takes to build a site from scratch.

Unlike a bare Drupal installation, a Site Template provides all the components needed for a specific use case. A restaurant template might include menu management, reservation systems, and food photography. A nonprofit template could feature donation processing, event management, and impact reporting tools.

Why consider a marketplace?

A Drupal marketplace for Site Templates would:

1. Help new users launch a professional-looking site instantly
2. Showcase Drupal's full potential through high-quality starting points
3. Generate new revenue opportunities for Drupal agencies and developers
4. Support Drupal's long-term sustainability through a revenue-sharing model with the Drupal Association

Should we support both open source and commercial Site Templates?

Fully open source Site Templates align naturally with Drupal's values. They could function much like community-contributed modules and themes, and we hope that many contributors will take this approach.

A marketplace requires ongoing investment. The Drupal Association would need to maintain the platform, review submissions, provide support, and ensure templates meet high standards. Without dedicated resources, quality and sustainability would suffer.

This is why supporting both open source and commercial templates makes sense. Paid templates can create a sustainable revenue stream to fund infrastructure, quality control, and support.

Commercial incentives also give creators a reason to invest in polished, well-documented, and well-supported templates.

How can a template be commercial while respecting Drupal's open source values?

First, rest assured: Drupal modules will always be open source.

Drupal is licensed under the GNU General Public License, or GPL. We've always taken a conservative approach to interpreting the GPL. In practice, this means we treat any code that builds on or interacts closely with Drupal as subject to the GPL. This includes PHP, Twig templates, etc. If it relies on Drupal's APIs or is executed by Drupal, it must be GPL-licensed.

Some parts of a site template fall into a gray area. JavaScript is an example. If JavaScript code is integrated with Drupal, we treat it as GPL-covered. If JavaScript code is standalone, such as a self-contained React component, it may not be considered a derivative work. The same may apply to CSS or configuration files not tightly coupled with Drupal APIs. These cases aren't always clear, but our stance has been to treat all code that ships with and interacts with Drupal as GPL. This keeps things simple.

Other parts of a Site Template are likely not subject to the GPL. Assets like images, fonts and icons are not code and are not derived from Drupal. The same applies to demo content, such as placeholder text or sample articles. These elements are not integrated with Drupal in a technical sense and can use other licenses, including commercial ones.

So when we talk about a commercial Site Template, we mean one that combines open source code with separately licensed assets or is sold alongside value-added services like documentation, support, or updates.

What would people actually be paying for in a commercial template?

While the legal distinction clarifies which parts of a Site Template can be licensed commercially, it's only part of the picture. The real question is the value proposition: what are users actually paying for when they choose a commercial template?

When purchasing a commercial template, users wouldn't just be paying for code. They're potentially paying for:

• Professional design assets and media
• Time saved in configuration and setup
• Documentation and support
• Ongoing updates and maintenance

This approach aligns with the Free Software Foundation's stance (the organization that created the GPL), which has always supported commercial distribution of free software. Creating a commercial template means balancing open source code with separately licensed assets. However, the real commercial value often extends beyond just the files you can license differently.

A sustainable commercial strategy combines proper licensing with controlled distribution channels and value-added services, like support. This approach ensures the value of a site template isn't limited to easily copied assets, but includes expertise that can't be simply downloaded. This is how a template can be commercial while staying true to Drupal's open source values.

How would we maintain quality in the marketplace?

A marketplace filled with low-quality or abandoned templates would damage Drupal's reputation. To ensure quality we probably need:

• Technical reviews of templates for security and performance
• Standards for documentation and support
• Processes to handle outdated or abandoned templates
• Community ratings and reviews
• Processes for resolving disputes

These quality assurance measures require ongoing time, effort, and funding. This is why including a commercial component makes sense. A revenue-sharing model with template creators could help fund platform maintenance, reviews, support, and other efforts needed to keep the marketplace high quality and trustworthy.

What pricing models might be available?

We don't know yet, but we've heard many good suggestions from the community.

Ideas include one-time purchases for unlimited use, annual subscriptions with ongoing updates, and a marketplace membership model for template creators.

The marketplace could support multiple approaches, giving creators flexibility to choose what works best for their offerings.

Is it fair for template creators to profit while module contributors aren't paid?

When a site template is sold commercially, it raises an important question. What about the maintainers of the modules included in the template? The template builder receives payment. The Drupal Association may collect a revenue share. But the individual contributors who created the modules or core functionality do not receive direct compensation, even though their work is essential to the Site Template.

This may feel frustrating or unfair. Contributors often donate their time to improve Drupal for everyone. Seeing others earn money by building on that work without recognition can be disheartening, and could even discourage future contributions. It's an important concern, and one we plan to take seriously as we evaluate the marketplace model.

At the same time, this dynamic is not new. Agencies and developers already build paid Drupal sites using contributed modules without directly compensating the people who made the underlying code possible. This is both legal, expected, and common in open source.

A marketplace would not create this reality, but it would make it more visible. That visibility gives us a chance to confront a long-standing tension in open source: the gap between those who contribute foundational work and those who profit from it. As I wrote in Makers and Takers, sustaining open source requires a better balance between contribution and benefit. A marketplace could give us a way to explore new approaches to recognize, support, and sustain the people who make Drupal possible. Transparency alone won't solve the issue, but it opens the door to progress and experimentation.

When commercial activity happens off Drupal.org, there is no way to recognize the contributors who made it possible. When it happens on Drupal.org, we have an opportunity to do better. We can explore models for financial support, community recognition, and long-term sustainability.

Others could build marketplaces for Drupal templates, but these would likely focus on profit rather than community support. An official Drupal Association marketplace allows us to reinvest in the project and the people behind it. It keeps value within our ecosystem, and gives us a platform to explore more equitable ways to sustain open source contribution.

Would this hurt digital agencies?

Many organizations pay thousands of dollars to digital agencies as part of a custom Drupal build. If Site Templates are available at a much lower cost, will that undercut agencies?

I don't believe it will.

Organizations investing in a Drupal website are not paying for a theme alone. Agencies provide strategy, consulting, design, customization, user testing, performance optimization, and long-term support. A template offers a starting point, but doesn't replace tailored work or a trusted partnership.

Could templates help agencies grow?

A template marketplace could expand the Drupal ecosystem by lowering the barrier to entry, making Drupal accessible to smaller organizations. Some of these will grow and require custom solutions, creating more opportunities for agencies in the long run.

Templates can also serve as powerful demonstrations of an agency's capabilities, attracting clients who want similar but customized solutions. For agencies, templates become both a product and a marketing tool.

What revenue opportunities would digital agencies have?

A template marketplace offers two revenue streams for Drupal agencies and freelancers.

First, agencies would earn direct income from template sales through revenue-sharing with the Drupal Association. While this income might be modest, it could provide recurring revenue as the marketplace grows.

Second, templates could serve as a foundation for more comprehensive service packages, including hosting, maintenance, and customization services.

How would templates connect agencies with new clients?

A marketplace could connect end users directly with service providers. With proper consent, contact details from template purchases could be shared with creators, opening the door to professional service opportunities. Template listings could also include a built-in contact form, making it easy for users to request customization or support.

This lead generation benefits both sides. Users access trusted professionals who understand their implementation, while agencies connect with qualified prospects who have already invested in their work. A marketplace becomes a matchmaking platform connecting those who need Drupal expertise with those who provide it.

Why is now the right time for this initiative?

With Drupal CMS, we're focused on growth. To succeed, we need to address two long-standing challenges: the lack of ready-made themes and a steep learning curve. Some of our new tools (Recipes, Experience Builder, and Site Templates) allow us to address these longstanding issues.

The result? We can take Drupal's flexibility and make it more available across different markets and use cases.

What was the initial reaction at DrupalCon?

The day after my keynote, we organized a Birds of a Feather (BoF) session to discuss the marketplace concept. Approximately 75 people attended, representing a cross-section of our community.

The discussion was lively and constructive. Participants raised thoughtful concerns about quality control, licensing, and impact on module contributors. They also offered suggestions for implementation, pricing, and sustainability models.

At the session's conclusion, we informally polled the audience. We asked people to raise their hand showing 1 finger if they thought a marketplace was a terrible idea, and 5 if they considered it a very impactful idea. Most responses were 4, with some 5s. Very few people indicated less than 3.

This initial reaction is encouraging, though we recognize that much work remains to address the questions raised during the session.

We also opened the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel in Drupal Slack to continue the conversation with the wider community.

What are the next steps?

The Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association Innovation Working Group have been exploring this idea the past month.

We believe it could be one of our strongest opportunities to grow Drupal adoption, support our Maker community, and strengthen the Drupal Association. (As a disclaimer: I serve on both the Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association Board of Directors.)

To be clear, no decision has been made. We recognize this initiative would have a substantial impact on our community and ecosystem. Before moving forward, we need to assess:

• Feasibility: Can we build and operate a marketplace efficiently?
• Sustainability: How will we support ongoing operations?
• Ecosystem impact: How would this affect contributors, agencies, and users?
• Funding: How do we bootstrap this initiative when we don't have spare resources?
• Values alignment: Does this approach honor Drupal's open source principles?
• Governance: Who makes decisions about the marketplace and how?

We cannot and should not make these assessments in isolation. We need the Drupal community's involvement through:

• Research into similar marketplaces and their impact
• User experience design for the marketplace interface
• Technical prototyping of the marketplace infrastructure
• Financial analysis of various revenue models
• Legal research on open source licensing considerations
• Community input on governance structures

Our goal is to make a decision by DrupalCon Vienna, 6 months from now, or sooner if clarity emerges. We want that decision to reflect input from the CMS Leadership Team, the Drupal Association Board, Certified Drupal Partners, and the wider Drupal community.

We're chartering a Marketplace Working Group with stakeholders from across the Drupal ecosystem. I'm pleased to announce that Tiffany Farriss (Drupal Association Board Member) has agreed to lead this effort. Please join the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel on Drupal Slack to share your thoughts and follow the conversation.

Drupal's greatest strength has always been its community and adaptability. I believe that by thoughtfully exploring new ideas together, we can make Drupal more accessible and widely adopted while staying true to our core values.

Thank you to everyone on the Drupal Association Innovation Working Group and the Drupal CMS Leadership Team who took the time to review this post and share thoughtful feedback. I really appreciate your input.

This blog has been re-posted and edited with permission from Dries Buytaert's blog.

This post looks at the idea of a Drupal Site Template marketplace and whether it should support both open source and commercial templates.

This is an unusual post for my blog, but I'm sharing it to start a broader conversation about an idea we're exploring: a marketplace for Drupal Site Templates. Both the Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association have discussed this concept, but no decision has been made. I'm posting to share our current thinking and invite feedback as we shape this together.

This post is being cross-posted here, and the comments are open. You're also welcome to join the conversation in the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel on Drupal Slack.

In my DrupalCon Atlanta keynote, I introduced the concept of Site Templates for Drupal. These templates provide pre-configured website starting points that combine Drupal recipes, themes, and default content.

If you haven't seen my keynote yet, I recommend watching it first. It provides helpful context for the rest of this post.

While Site Templates will help users launch websites faster, I also posed a bigger question: should we create a marketplace where users can discover and download or install these templates? And if so, should that marketplace offer only open source Site Templates, or should we also allow commercial templates?

What are Site Templates?

Site Templates combine Drupal recipes, a theme, design elements, and default content to give users a fully functional website right from the start. They solve one of Drupal's biggest challenges: the time it takes to build a site from scratch.

Unlike a bare Drupal installation, a Site Template provides all the components needed for a specific use case. A restaurant template might include menu management, reservation systems, and food photography. A nonprofit template could feature donation processing, event management, and impact reporting tools.

Why consider a marketplace?

A Drupal marketplace for Site Templates would:

1. Help new users launch a professional-looking site instantly
2. Showcase Drupal's full potential through high-quality starting points
3. Generate new revenue opportunities for Drupal agencies and developers
4. Support Drupal's long-term sustainability through a revenue-sharing model with the Drupal Association

Should we support both open source and commercial Site Templates?

Fully open source Site Templates align naturally with Drupal's values. They could function much like community-contributed modules and themes, and we hope that many contributors will take this approach.

A marketplace requires ongoing investment. The Drupal Association would need to maintain the platform, review submissions, provide support, and ensure templates meet high standards. Without dedicated resources, quality and sustainability would suffer.

This is why supporting both open source and commercial templates makes sense. Paid templates can create a sustainable revenue stream to fund infrastructure, quality control, and support.

Commercial incentives also give creators a reason to invest in polished, well-documented, and well-supported templates.

How can a template be commercial while respecting Drupal's open source values?

First, rest assured: Drupal modules will always be open source.

Drupal is licensed under the GNU General Public License, or GPL. We've always taken a conservative approach to interpreting the GPL. In practice, this means we treat any code that builds on or interacts closely with Drupal as subject to the GPL. This includes PHP, Twig templates, etc. If it relies on Drupal's APIs or is executed by Drupal, it must be GPL-licensed.

Some parts of a site template fall into a gray area. JavaScript is an example. If JavaScript code is integrated with Drupal, we treat it as GPL-covered. If JavaScript code is standalone, such as a self-contained React component, it may not be considered a derivative work. The same may apply to CSS or configuration files not tightly coupled with Drupal APIs. These cases aren't always clear, but our stance has been to treat all code that ships with and interacts with Drupal as GPL. This keeps things simple.

Other parts of a Site Template are likely not subject to the GPL. Assets like images, fonts and icons are not code and are not derived from Drupal. The same applies to demo content, such as placeholder text or sample articles. These elements are not integrated with Drupal in a technical sense and can use other licenses, including commercial ones.

So when we talk about a commercial Site Template, we mean one that combines open source code with separately licensed assets or is sold alongside value-added services like documentation, support, or updates.

What would people actually be paying for in a commercial template?

While the legal distinction clarifies which parts of a Site Template can be licensed commercially, it's only part of the picture. The real question is the value proposition: what are users actually paying for when they choose a commercial template?

When purchasing a commercial template, users wouldn't just be paying for code. They're potentially paying for:

• Professional design assets and media
• Time saved in configuration and setup
• Documentation and support
• Ongoing updates and maintenance

This approach aligns with the Free Software Foundation's stance (the organization that created the GPL), which has always supported commercial distribution of free software. Creating a commercial template means balancing open source code with separately licensed assets. However, the real commercial value often extends beyond just the files you can license differently.

A sustainable commercial strategy combines proper licensing with controlled distribution channels and value-added services, like support. This approach ensures the value of a site template isn't limited to easily copied assets, but includes expertise that can't be simply downloaded. This is how a template can be commercial while staying true to Drupal's open source values.

How would we maintain quality in the marketplace?

A marketplace filled with low-quality or abandoned templates would damage Drupal's reputation. To ensure quality we probably need:

• Technical reviews of templates for security and performance
• Standards for documentation and support
• Processes to handle outdated or abandoned templates
• Community ratings and reviews
• Processes for resolving disputes

These quality assurance measures require ongoing time, effort, and funding. This is why including a commercial component makes sense. A revenue-sharing model with template creators could help fund platform maintenance, reviews, support, and other efforts needed to keep the marketplace high quality and trustworthy.

What pricing models might be available?

We don't know yet, but we've heard many good suggestions from the community.

Ideas include one-time purchases for unlimited use, annual subscriptions with ongoing updates, and a marketplace membership model for template creators.

The marketplace could support multiple approaches, giving creators flexibility to choose what works best for their offerings.

Is it fair for template creators to profit while module contributors aren't paid?

When a site template is sold commercially, it raises an important question. What about the maintainers of the modules included in the template? The template builder receives payment. The Drupal Association may collect a revenue share. But the individual contributors who created the modules or core functionality do not receive direct compensation, even though their work is essential to the Site Template.

This may feel frustrating or unfair. Contributors often donate their time to improve Drupal for everyone. Seeing others earn money by building on that work without recognition can be disheartening, and could even discourage future contributions. It's an important concern, and one we plan to take seriously as we evaluate the marketplace model.

At the same time, this dynamic is not new. Agencies and developers already build paid Drupal sites using contributed modules without directly compensating the people who made the underlying code possible. This is both legal, expected, and common in open source.

A marketplace would not create this reality, but it would make it more visible. That visibility gives us a chance to confront a long-standing tension in open source: the gap between those who contribute foundational work and those who profit from it. As I wrote in Makers and Takers, sustaining open source requires a better balance between contribution and benefit. A marketplace could give us a way to explore new approaches to recognize, support, and sustain the people who make Drupal possible. Transparency alone won't solve the issue, but it opens the door to progress and experimentation.

When commercial activity happens off Drupal.org, there is no way to recognize the contributors who made it possible. When it happens on Drupal.org, we have an opportunity to do better. We can explore models for financial support, community recognition, and long-term sustainability.

Others could build marketplaces for Drupal templates, but these would likely focus on profit rather than community support. An official Drupal Association marketplace allows us to reinvest in the project and the people behind it. It keeps value within our ecosystem, and gives us a platform to explore more equitable ways to sustain open source contribution.

Would this hurt digital agencies?

Many organizations pay thousands of dollars to digital agencies as part of a custom Drupal build. If Site Templates are available at a much lower cost, will that undercut agencies?

I don't believe it will.

Organizations investing in a Drupal website are not paying for a theme alone. Agencies provide strategy, consulting, design, customization, user testing, performance optimization, and long-term support. A template offers a starting point, but doesn't replace tailored work or a trusted partnership.

Could templates help agencies grow?

A template marketplace could expand the Drupal ecosystem by lowering the barrier to entry, making Drupal accessible to smaller organizations. Some of these will grow and require custom solutions, creating more opportunities for agencies in the long run.

Templates can also serve as powerful demonstrations of an agency's capabilities, attracting clients who want similar but customized solutions. For agencies, templates become both a product and a marketing tool.

What revenue opportunities would digital agencies have?

A template marketplace offers two revenue streams for Drupal agencies and freelancers.

First, agencies would earn direct income from template sales through revenue-sharing with the Drupal Association. While this income might be modest, it could provide recurring revenue as the marketplace grows.

Second, templates could serve as a foundation for more comprehensive service packages, including hosting, maintenance, and customization services.

How would templates connect agencies with new clients?

A marketplace could connect end users directly with service providers. With proper consent, contact details from template purchases could be shared with creators, opening the door to professional service opportunities. Template listings could also include a built-in contact form, making it easy for users to request customization or support.

This lead generation benefits both sides. Users access trusted professionals who understand their implementation, while agencies connect with qualified prospects who have already invested in their work. A marketplace becomes a matchmaking platform connecting those who need Drupal expertise with those who provide it.

Why is now the right time for this initiative?

With Drupal CMS, we're focused on growth. To succeed, we need to address two long-standing challenges: the lack of ready-made themes and a steep learning curve. Some of our new tools (Recipes, Experience Builder, and Site Templates) allow us to address these longstanding issues.

The result? We can take Drupal's flexibility and make it more available across different markets and use cases.

What was the initial reaction at DrupalCon?

The day after my keynote, we organized a Birds of a Feather (BoF) session to discuss the marketplace concept. Approximately 75 people attended, representing a cross-section of our community.

The discussion was lively and constructive. Participants raised thoughtful concerns about quality control, licensing, and impact on module contributors. They also offered suggestions for implementation, pricing, and sustainability models.

At the session's conclusion, we informally polled the audience. We asked people to raise their hand showing 1 finger if they thought a marketplace was a terrible idea, and 5 if they considered it a very impactful idea. Most responses were 4, with some 5s. Very few people indicated less than 3.

This initial reaction is encouraging, though we recognize that much work remains to address the questions raised during the session.

We also opened the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel in Drupal Slack to continue the conversation with the wider community.

What are the next steps?

The Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association Innovation Working Group have been exploring this idea the past month.

We believe it could be one of our strongest opportunities to grow Drupal adoption, support our Maker community, and strengthen the Drupal Association. (As a disclaimer: I serve on both the Drupal CMS Leadership Team and the Drupal Association Board of Directors.)

To be clear, no decision has been made. We recognize this initiative would have a substantial impact on our community and ecosystem. Before moving forward, we need to assess:

• Feasibility: Can we build and operate a marketplace efficiently?
• Sustainability: How will we support ongoing operations?
• Ecosystem impact: How would this affect contributors, agencies, and users?
• Funding: How do we bootstrap this initiative when we don't have spare resources?
• Values alignment: Does this approach honor Drupal's open source principles?
• Governance: Who makes decisions about the marketplace and how?

We cannot and should not make these assessments in isolation. We need the Drupal community's involvement through:

• Research into similar marketplaces and their impact
• User experience design for the marketplace interface
• Technical prototyping of the marketplace infrastructure
• Financial analysis of various revenue models
• Legal research on open source licensing considerations
• Community input on governance structures

Our goal is to make a decision by DrupalCon Vienna, 6 months from now, or sooner if clarity emerges. We want that decision to reflect input from the CMS Leadership Team, the Drupal Association Board, Certified Drupal Partners, and the wider Drupal community.

We're chartering a Marketplace Working Group with stakeholders from across the Drupal ecosystem. I'm pleased to announce that Tiffany Farriss (Drupal Association Board Member) has agreed to lead this effort. Please join the #drupal-cms-marketplace channel on Drupal Slack to share your thoughts and follow the conversation.

Drupal's greatest strength has always been its community and adaptability. I believe that by thoughtfully exploring new ideas together, we can make Drupal more accessible and widely adopted while staying true to our core values.

Thank you to everyone on the Drupal Association Innovation Working Group and the Drupal CMS Leadership Team who took the time to review this post and share thoughtful feedback. I really appreciate your input.

This blog has been re-posted and edited with permission from Dries Buytaert's blog.

DrupalCon North America 2025 Driesnote presentation

Three months ago, we launched Drupal CMS 1.0, our biggest step forward in years. Our goal is ambitious: to reimagine Drupal as both radically easier to use and a platform for faster innovation.

In my DrupalCon Atlanta keynote last week, I reflected on the journey so far, but mostly talked about the work ahead. If you missed the keynote, you can watch the video below, or download my slides (56 MB).

If you want to try Drupal CMS, you can explore the trial experience, use the new desktop launcher, or install it with DDEV. If you're curious about what we're working on next, keep reading.

1. Experience Builder

Some of the most common requests from Drupal users and digital agencies is a better page-building experience, simpler theming, and high-quality themes out of the box.

At DrupalCon Atlanta, I shared our progress on Experience Builder. The keynote recording includes two demos: one highlighting new site building features, and another showing how to create and design components directly in the browser.

I also demonstrated how Drupal's AI agents can generate Experience Builder components. While this was an early design experiment, it offered a glimpse into how AI could make site building faster and more intuitive. You can watch that demo in the keynote video as well.

We still have work to do, but we're aiming to release Experience Builder 1.0, the first stable version, by DrupalCon Vienna. In the meantime, try our demo release.

2. Drupal Site Templates

One of the biggest opportunities for Drupal CMS is making it faster and easier to launch a complete website. The introduction of Recipes was a big step forward. I covered Recipes in detail in my DrupalCon Barcelona 2024 keynote. But there is still more we can do.

Imagine quickly creating a campaign or fundraising site for a nonprofit, a departmental website for a university, a portfolio site for a creative agency, or even a travel-focused ecommerce site selling tours, like the one Sarah needed in the DrupalCon Barcelona demo.

This is why we are introducing Site Templates: ready-made starting points for common use cases. They help users go from a fresh install to a fully functional site with minimal setup or configuration.

Site Templates are made possible by Recipes and Experience Builder. Recipes provide higher-level building blocks, while Experience Builder introduces a new way to design and create themes. Site Templates will bring everything together into more complete, ready-to-use solutions.

If successful, Site Templates could replace Drupal distributions, a concept that has been part of Drupal for nearly 20 years. The key advantage is that Site Templates are much easier to build and maintain.

3. A marketplace discussion

The first Site Templates may be included directly in Drupal CMS 2.0 itself. Over time, we hope to offer hundreds of site templates through a marketplace on Drupal.org.

At DrupalCon Atlanta, I announced that we'll be exploring a marketplace for Site Templates, including the option for Commercial Site Templates. We believe it's an idea worth evaluating because it could bring several benefits to the Drupal project:

1. Help new users launch a professional-looking site instantly
2. Showcase Drupal's full potential through high-quality examples
3. Generate new revenue opportunities for Drupal agencies and developers
4. Support Drupal's sustainability through a revenue-sharing model with the Drupal Association

You can watch the keynote recording to learn more. I also plan to publish a detailed blog post in the next few days. If you're interested, consider subscribing to my blog.

Looking ahead

Drupal CMS has brought a lot of fresh momentum to the Drupal project, but we're not done yet! The rest of this year, we'll keep building on this foundation with a clear set of priorities:

• Launching Experience Builder 1.0
• Releasing our first Site Templates
• Expanding our marketing efforts
• Exploring the launch of a Site Template marketplace
• Building out our AI framework and AI agents

If you have time and interest, please consider getting involved. Every contribution makes a difference. Not sure where to begin? Join us on Drupal Slack. We're always happy to welcome new faces. Key channels include #drupal-cms-development, #ai, #experience-builder, #drupal-cms-templates, and #drupal-cms-marketplace.

As I said in the keynote: "We have all the pieces, now we just need to bring them together!"

This blog has been re-posted and edited with permission from Dries Buytaert's blog.

DrupalCon North America 2025 Driesnote presentation

Three months ago, we launched Drupal CMS 1.0, our biggest step forward in years. Our goal is ambitious: to reimagine Drupal as both radically easier to use and a platform for faster innovation.

In my DrupalCon Atlanta keynote last week, I reflected on the journey so far, but mostly talked about the work ahead. If you missed the keynote, you can watch the video below, or download my slides (56 MB).

If you want to try Drupal CMS, you can explore the trial experience, use the new desktop launcher, or install it with DDEV. If you're curious about what we're working on next, keep reading.

1. Experience Builder

Some of the most common requests from Drupal users and digital agencies is a better page-building experience, simpler theming, and high-quality themes out of the box.

At DrupalCon Atlanta, I shared our progress on Experience Builder. The keynote recording includes two demos: one highlighting new site building features, and another showing how to create and design components directly in the browser.

I also demonstrated how Drupal's AI agents can generate Experience Builder components. While this was an early design experiment, it offered a glimpse into how AI could make site building faster and more intuitive. You can watch that demo in the keynote video as well.

We still have work to do, but we're aiming to release Experience Builder 1.0, the first stable version, by DrupalCon Vienna. In the meantime, try our demo release.

2. Drupal Site Templates

One of the biggest opportunities for Drupal CMS is making it faster and easier to launch a complete website. The introduction of Recipes was a big step forward. I covered Recipes in detail in my DrupalCon Barcelona 2024 keynote. But there is still more we can do.

Imagine quickly creating a campaign or fundraising site for a nonprofit, a departmental website for a university, a portfolio site for a creative agency, or even a travel-focused ecommerce site selling tours, like the one Sarah needed in the DrupalCon Barcelona demo.

This is why we are introducing Site Templates: ready-made starting points for common use cases. They help users go from a fresh install to a fully functional site with minimal setup or configuration.

Site Templates are made possible by Recipes and Experience Builder. Recipes provide higher-level building blocks, while Experience Builder introduces a new way to design and create themes. Site Templates will bring everything together into more complete, ready-to-use solutions.

If successful, Site Templates could replace Drupal distributions, a concept that has been part of Drupal for nearly 20 years. The key advantage is that Site Templates are much easier to build and maintain.

3. A marketplace discussion

The first Site Templates may be included directly in Drupal CMS 2.0 itself. Over time, we hope to offer hundreds of site templates through a marketplace on Drupal.org.

At DrupalCon Atlanta, I announced that we'll be exploring a marketplace for Site Templates, including the option for Commercial Site Templates. We believe it's an idea worth evaluating because it could bring several benefits to the Drupal project:

1. Help new users launch a professional-looking site instantly
2. Showcase Drupal's full potential through high-quality examples
3. Generate new revenue opportunities for Drupal agencies and developers
4. Support Drupal's sustainability through a revenue-sharing model with the Drupal Association

You can watch the keynote recording to learn more. I also plan to publish a detailed blog post in the next few days. If you're interested, consider subscribing to my blog.

Looking ahead

Drupal CMS has brought a lot of fresh momentum to the Drupal project, but we're not done yet! The rest of this year, we'll keep building on this foundation with a clear set of priorities:

• Launching Experience Builder 1.0
• Releasing our first Site Templates
• Expanding our marketing efforts
• Exploring the launch of a Site Template marketplace
• Building out our AI framework and AI agents

If you have time and interest, please consider getting involved. Every contribution makes a difference. Not sure where to begin? Join us on Drupal Slack. We're always happy to welcome new faces. Key channels include #drupal-cms-development, #ai, #experience-builder, #drupal-cms-templates, and #drupal-cms-marketplace.

As I said in the keynote: "We have all the pieces, now we just need to bring them together!"

At DrupalCon Portland 2025, the Drupal Community Working Group announced Kristen Pol as this year’s recipient of the Aaron Winborn Award. Named after long-time contributor Aaron Winborn, this award recognizes someone who embodies kindness, integrity, and an above and beyond commitment to the Drupal community.

About Kristen Pol

Kristen has been a huge part of the Drupal community for years, making an impact through her work in accessibility, knowledge sharing, mentorship, and community support. She’s the track lead for the Experience Builder demo design system and helps shape how people will interact with the DrupalCMS project.

Kristen has a long history of being a proactive contributor in the community. She took on big challenges as one of the Drupal 8 Multilingual Initiative leaders, and more recently as a lead in major version contrib porting efforts (organizing data tracking and porting events) as well as in Drupal CMS (as lead of the demo design system). ~ Devoted Community Member

If you’ve been to a Drupal event, chances are you’ve seen Kristen, either on a stage or in a hallway, always helping someone. And she does it with a level of professionalism that sets the bar for all of us. She authored the Drupal 7 multilingual book, which has helped countless people navigate one of the trickier aspects of Drupal site building.

The CWG reached out to all nominees, shared the community nominations, and thanked them for their contributions to the community.

About the Aaron Winborn Award

Named in honor of Aaron Winborn, a dedicated Drupal contributor who lost his battle with ALS in 2015, this award recognizes someone who, like Aaron, has made a lasting impact on the community.

Previous winners include Cathy Theys, Gabór Hojtsy, Nikki Stevens, Kevin Thull, Leslie Glynn, Baddý Breidert, AmyJune Hineline, Angie Byron, Randy Fay, and Mike Anello. The CWG Conflict Resolution Team and past winners select the recipient based on nominations from the community. 

Nominations for next year’s Aaron Winborn Award will open in early 2026. Until then, let’s take a moment to celebrate Kristen Pol and everything she does for Drupal.

Congratulations, Kristen!

At DrupalCon Portland 2025, the Drupal Community Working Group announced Kristen Pol as this year’s recipient of the Aaron Winborn Award. Named after long-time contributor Aaron Winborn, this award recognizes someone who embodies kindness, integrity, and an above and beyond commitment to the Drupal community.

About Kristen Pol

Kristen has been a huge part of the Drupal community for years, making an impact through her work in accessibility, knowledge sharing, mentorship, and community support. She’s the track lead for the Experience Builder demo design system and helps shape how people will interact with the DrupalCMS project.

Kristen has a long history of being a proactive contributor in the community. She took on big challenges as one of the Drupal 8 Multilingual Initiative leaders, and more recently as a lead in major version contrib porting efforts (organizing data tracking and porting events) as well as in Drupal CMS (as lead of the demo design system).

If you’ve been to a Drupal event, chances are you’ve seen Kristen, either on a stage or in a hallway, always helping someone. And she does it with a level of professionalism that sets the bar for all of us. She authored the Drupal 7 multilingual book, which has helped countless people navigate one of the trickier aspects of Drupal site building.

The CWG reached out to all nominees, shared the community nominations, and thanked them for their contributions to the community.

About the Aaron Winborn Award

Named in honor of Aaron Winborn, a dedicated Drupal contributor who lost his battle with ALS in 2015, this award recognizes someone who, like Aaron, has made a lasting impact on the community.

Previous winners include Cathy Theys, Gabór Hojtsy, Nikki Stevens, Kevin Thull, Leslie Glynn, Baddý Breidert, AmyJune Hineline, Angie Byron, Randy Fay, and Mike Anello. The CWG Conflict Resolution Team and past winners select the recipient based on nominations from the community. 

Nominations for next year’s Aaron Winborn Award will open in early 2026. Until then, let’s take a moment to celebrate Kristen Pol and everything she does for Drupal.

Congratulations, Kristen!

Drupal 7 EOL Has Passed, But Many Sites Remain

It has been over two months since Drupal 7 reached end-of-life (EOL) on 5 January 2025. Official support and security updates have ceased, yet thousands of organizations, businesses, and government agencies continue to rely on Drupal 7 to power critical websites.

For many, the transition to a newer platform has been delayed due to budget constraints, resource limitations, or the complexity of migrating custom-built Drupal 7 applications. With no further security updates, the urgency to find a solution is growing.

The Current Landscape for Drupal 7 Sites

The end of official Drupal 7 support means:

• No more security patches – Any future vulnerabilities discovered will not be addressed by the Drupal Security Team.
• Compliance challenges – Organizations subject to HIPAA, PCI-DSS, FedRAMP, and other regulatory frameworks may struggle to maintain compliance.
• Third-party module risks – All contributed modules depended on by Drupal 7 sites are also no longer supported, increasing the potential for security gaps.

What Are the Options for Drupal 7 Users?

Organizations still running Drupal 7 have a few paths forward:

1. Migrate to a New Platform

Migrating to Drupal 10 is the ideal long-term solution. However, for many organizations, this is a complex and time-intensive process that cannot happen overnight.

2. Lock Down and Minimize Risk

Some organizations attempt to reduce attack surfaces by limiting access to their Drupal 7 sites, disabling unnecessary features, or moving behind firewalls. However, this does not eliminate security risks, particularly for sites that remain publicly accessible.

3. Extend Drupal 7 Support with HeroDevs

For organizations that cannot migrate immediately but need continued security updates and compliance assurances, HeroDevs’ Drupal 7 Never-Ending Support (NES) provides an effective solution.

How HeroDevs' Drupal 7 NES Keeps Sites Secure

HeroDevs offers ongoing security updates for Drupal 7, ensuring that critical vulnerabilities are patched—even though official support has ended. With Drupal 7 NES, organizations can:

• Receive security updates for newly discovered vulnerabilities.
• Maintain compliance with security frameworks such as HIPAA and PCI-DSS.
• Avoid rushed migrations and plan transitions on their own timeline.
• Ensure stability without disrupting existing functionality.

Next Steps for Drupal 7 Users

The EOL deadline has passed, and unsupported Drupal 7 sites face growing security and compliance risks. If your organization is still running Drupal 7, it is time to take action.

HeroDevs’ Drupal 7 NES provides a seamless, secure solution while you plan your migration. Don’t leave your site vulnerable—contact us today to learn how we can help.

Drupal 7 EOL Has Passed, But Many Sites Remain

It has been over two months since Drupal 7 reached end-of-life (EOL) on 5 January 2025. Official support and security updates have ceased, yet thousands of organizations, businesses, and government agencies continue to rely on Drupal 7 to power critical websites.

For many, the transition to a newer platform has been delayed due to budget constraints, resource limitations, or the complexity of migrating custom-built Drupal 7 applications. With no further security updates, the urgency to find a solution is growing.

The Current Landscape for Drupal 7 Sites

The end of official Drupal 7 support means:

• No more security patches – Any future vulnerabilities discovered will not be addressed by the Drupal Security Team.
• Compliance challenges – Organizations subject to HIPAA, PCI-DSS, FedRAMP, and other regulatory frameworks may struggle to maintain compliance.
• Third-party module risks – All contributed modules depended on by Drupal 7 sites are also no longer supported, increasing the potential for security gaps.

What Are the Options for Drupal 7 Users?

Organizations still running Drupal 7 have a few paths forward:

1. Migrate to a New Platform

Migrating to Drupal 10 is the ideal long-term solution. However, for many organizations, this is a complex and time-intensive process that cannot happen overnight.

2. Lock Down and Minimize Risk

Some organizations attempt to reduce attack surfaces by limiting access to their Drupal 7 sites, disabling unnecessary features, or moving behind firewalls. However, this does not eliminate security risks, particularly for sites that remain publicly accessible.

3. Extend Drupal 7 Support with HeroDevs

For organizations that cannot migrate immediately but need continued security updates and compliance assurances, HeroDevs’ Drupal 7 Never-Ending Support (NES) provides an effective solution.

How HeroDevs' Drupal 7 NES Keeps Sites Secure

HeroDevs offers ongoing security updates for Drupal 7, ensuring that critical vulnerabilities are patched—even though official support has ended. With Drupal 7 NES, organizations can:

• Receive security updates for newly discovered vulnerabilities.
• Maintain compliance with security frameworks such as HIPAA and PCI-DSS.
• Avoid rushed migrations and plan transitions on their own timeline.
• Ensure stability without disrupting existing functionality.

Next Steps for Drupal 7 Users

The EOL deadline has passed, and unsupported Drupal 7 sites face growing security and compliance risks. If your organization is still running Drupal 7, it is time to take action.

HeroDevs’ Drupal 7 NES provides a seamless, secure solution while you plan your migration. Don’t leave your site vulnerable—contact us today to learn how we can help.

We have updated the Releases section of project pages on Drupal.org, like Webform. We are phasing out “recommended by the project’s maintainer.”  The green/yellow color scheme which had been based on that is now replaced with blue/grey. Stable releases have a blue background; alpha/beta/rc have a grey background.

This simplification results from Drupal’s move to semantic versioning and Composer. Composer has never used the “recommended” label. Drupal itself phased it out while gaining support for semantically-versioned modules and themes with Drupal 8.1. With semantic versioning, project maintainers “recommend” releases by making them stable.

With this design update, we also had an opportunity to use a little bit of Drupal.org’s new brand identity.

Follow #3509485: Remove “recommended” status for releases? for more details on the underlying changes.

We have updated the Releases section of project pages on Drupal.org, like Webform. We are phasing out “recommended by the project’s maintainer.”  The green/yellow color scheme which had been based on that is now replaced with blue/grey. Stable releases have a blue background; alpha/beta/rc have a grey background.

This simplification results from Drupal’s move to semantic versioning and Composer. Composer has never used the “recommended” label. Drupal itself phased it out while gaining support for semantically-versioned modules and themes with Drupal 8.1. With semantic versioning, project maintainers “recommend” releases by making them stable.

With this design update, we also had an opportunity to use a little bit of Drupal.org’s new brand identity.

Follow #3509485: Remove “recommended” status for releases? for more details on the underlying changes.

The Drupal community thrives on collaboration and innovation. As DrupalCon evolves as the premier gathering for Drupalists, the Drupal Association recognized the opportunity to rebrand the DrupalCon visual identity to better reflect the energy, ambition, and future of our global community. That’s why we teamed up with SixEleven to reimagine the DrupalCon brand, delivering a new logo, city icon, brand book, and visual identity that will shape the future looks of our flagship events.

Based in Turin, Italy, SixEleven is a digital creative agency, and long time collaborator and design partner for the Drupal Association. For SixEleven, innovation comes first and that is why their methodology is based on a growth hacking approach: they always find new creative, innovative, and analytical ways to hack the system and improve brands. Since 2009, SixEleven has specialized in reimagining brands from hospitality, luxury design, institutional/non-profit, corporate, education, and Public Administration sectors.

The Opportunity for Change

The recent rebranding of DrupalCon was a monumental effort driven by staff and community, resulting in an updated logo, font, and color palette that now define DrupalCon’s visual identity and aligns with the recent Drupal rebranding. This evolution helps make sure our brand reflects not only where we are today but also where we’re headed.

A Thoughtful and Collaborative Process

Our partnership with SixEleven was anchored in a shared commitment to creativity, clarity, and community values. The process began with an in-depth exploration of what DrupalCon represents: an intersection of opportunity, innovation, and connection. Through information-gathering sessions, creative exploration, and collaborative feedback, SixEleven worked closely with our leadership team to develop concepts that better capture the spirit of DrupalCon.

The Outcome 

A refreshed DrupalCon identity that balances Drupal’s heritage with a modern, future-focused aesthetic. The new logo and visual identity are designed to be bold, flexible, and instantly recognizable, ensuring that DrupalCon continues to stand out in the open-source and tech conference landscape.

Looking Ahead

The rebrand will be unveiled in future DrupalCon, starting with Vienna 2025 and Nara 2025 with the logo debut and changes in event signage, marketing materials, and digital platforms, providing a unified and engaging experience for attendees, speakers, and sponsors alike.

The Drupal Association remains committed to evolving with our community and ensuring that our brand reflects the passion, innovation, and ambition that drive Drupal forward. We can't wait for you to see the new DrupalCon identity in action!

The Drupal community thrives on collaboration and innovation. As DrupalCon evolves as the premier gathering for Drupalists, the Drupal Association recognized the opportunity to rebrand the DrupalCon visual identity to better reflect the energy, ambition, and future of our global community. That’s why we teamed up with SixEleven to reimagine the DrupalCon brand, delivering a new logo, city icon, brand book, and visual identity that will shape the future looks of our flagship events.

Based in Turin, Italy, SixEleven is a digital creative agency, and long time collaborator and design partner for the Drupal Association. For SixEleven, innovation comes first and that is why their methodology is based on a growth hacking approach: they always find new creative, innovative, and analytical ways to hack the system and improve brands. Since 2009, SixEleven has specialized in reimagining brands from hospitality, luxury design, institutional/non-profit, corporate, education, and Public Administration sectors.

The Opportunity for Change

The recent rebranding of DrupalCon was a monumental effort driven by staff and community, resulting in an updated logo, font, and color palette that now define DrupalCon’s visual identity and aligns with the recent Drupal rebranding. This evolution helps make sure our brand reflects not only where we are today but also where we’re headed.

A Thoughtful and Collaborative Process

Our partnership with SixEleven was anchored in a shared commitment to creativity, clarity, and community values. The process began with an in-depth exploration of what DrupalCon represents: an intersection of opportunity, innovation, and connection. Through information-gathering sessions, creative exploration, and collaborative feedback, SixEleven worked closely with our leadership team to develop concepts that better capture the spirit of DrupalCon.

The Outcome 

A refreshed DrupalCon identity that balances Drupal’s heritage with a modern, future-focused aesthetic. The new logo and visual identity are designed to be bold, flexible, and instantly recognizable, ensuring that DrupalCon continues to stand out in the open-source and tech conference landscape.

Looking Ahead

The rebrand will be unveiled in future DrupalCon, starting with Vienna 2025 and Nara 2025 with the logo debut and changes in event signage, marketing materials, and digital platforms, providing a unified and engaging experience for attendees, speakers, and sponsors alike.

The Drupal Association remains committed to evolving with our community and ensuring that our brand reflects the passion, innovation, and ambition that drive Drupal forward. We can't wait for you to see the new DrupalCon identity in action!

As we gear up for the upcoming DrupalCon Atlanta, we are recruiting volunteers to serve as mentors during Mentored Contribution Day: Thursday, March 27th. Mentors play a crucial role in making newcomers feel welcomed and confident, assisting them in setting up their environments, finding tasks, and navigating the contribution process. 

Not an experienced programmer? No problem! — You can still be a valuable mentor! At DrupalCon, we are looking for mentors from diverse backgrounds, skill levels, and regions to help support new contributors. Mentors guide new contributors on how to find information and act as friendly resources.  Mentors and contributors often collaborate in pairs or teams to find solutions and understand their role in the larger context.

Even experienced developers can find the Drupal issue queue daunting, especially if unfamiliar with the full issue resolution lifecycle. Mentor Orientation sessions prepare mentors for working with new contributors. Meanwhile, the mentor coordination team holds workshops for new contributors, and identifies novice issues in advance, to help first-time mentors and contributors succeed.

You could become a Drupal core contributor!

All core mentoring-related workshops will result in contribution credits for both mentors and contributors who attend. These credits acknowledge and reward your efforts in strengthening the Drupal ecosystem. By participating, you not only enhance your skills but also receive official recognition for your contributions. This valuable acknowledgment can boost your professional profile and credibility in the Drupal community. We encourage all potential mentors and contributors to take advantage of this opportunity and ensure their involvement is recognized!

Why Become a Mentor?

• Confidence booster: When you explain a concept to someone else, you not only deepen your understanding but also enhance your confidence in that subject.
• Learn from top developers: Mentorship is a two-way street. Gain insights from experienced contributors and deepen your Drupal knowledge.
• Foster growth: Play a crucial role in the professional and personal growth of new community members.
• Build connections: Network with other mentors and mentees, creating lasting relationships within the Drupal community.
• Give back: Contribute to the success and sustainability of the Drupal project by nurturing the next generation of contributors.
   

How to Get Involved?

For more information and to get involved, visit the DrupalCon Atlanta Contribution Page.

Get connected, visit Drupal Slack to join:

• Join the first time contributions conversation: #first-contribution
• To become a mentor: #mentoring-team-coordination

Your mentorship definitely can make a difference!

Yes! You can join our vibrant community of contributors. Whether you're new to Drupal or an experienced developer, your unique skills and perspectives are invaluable.

We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and skill levels to engage in various tasks, including designing user interfaces, translating text, writing documentation, reviewing contributions, identifying bugs, and of course: coding. Mentors are available to guide newcomers as well as anyone who would just like some guidance, ensuring an inclusive environment for everyone. By contributing, not only are you actively learning new skills, but you also play a vital role in Drupal's growth and receive recognition through the issue credit system.

Why Contribute?

• Skill development: Engage in real-world projects to enhance your technical abilities and problem-solving skills.
• Community engagement: Collaborate with a global network of professionals, expanding your connections within the Drupal ecosystem.
• Professional recognition: Earn contribution credits for yourself and your organization that acknowledge your efforts, boosting your professional profile.

How to Get Started

• Watch the video playlist at bit.ly/drupal-contribute and read the Contributor Guide.
• Find a task: Visit the Contributor Guide's Find a Task page to discover tasks that match your interests and skills.
• Connect with other contributors on Slack in the #contribute or #first-contribution channels to find other ways to contribute.
• Attend an event: Participate in contribution events at DrupalCon Atlanta to collaborate with others and make meaningful contributions.
• Connect with mentors: At DrupalCon Atlanta, mentors are ready to help you make your first contribution. You can attend a “First-Time Contribution Workshop”, and follow guidance from experienced contributors and mentors.

Add to Your Calendar

• Tuesday, March 25, 2025 - 09:00 to 09:50
• Wednesday, March 26, 2025 - 13:30 to 14:20
• Thursday, March 27, 2025 - 09:00 to 10:00

Your contributions play a crucial role in the growth and longevity of the Drupal project. We look forward to welcoming you to our community and working together to build something remarkable.

For more information and to get involved, visit the DrupalCon Atlanta Contribution Page.

Get connected, visit Drupal Slack to join:

• Join the first time contributions conversation: #first-contribution
• To become a mentor: #mentoring-team-coordination

Join us THURSDAY, March 20 at 1pm ET / 10am PT, for our regularly scheduled call to chat about all things Drupal and nonprofits. (Convert to your local time zone.)

We don't have anything specific on the agenda this month, so we'll have plenty of time to discuss anything that's on our minds at the intersection of Drupal and nonprofits.  Got something specific you want to talk about? Feel free to share ahead of time in our collaborative Google doc: https://nten.org/drupal/notes!

All nonprofit Drupal devs and users, regardless of experience level, are always welcome on this call.

This free call is sponsored by NTEN.org and open to everyone. 

• Join the call: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81817469653

  • Meeting ID: 818 1746 9653
    Passcode: 551681

  • One tap mobile:
    +16699006833,,81817469653# US (San Jose)
    +13462487799,,81817469653# US (Houston)

  • Dial by your location:
    +1 669 900 6833 US (San Jose)
    +1 346 248 7799 US (Houston)
    +1 253 215 8782 US (Tacoma)
    +1 929 205 6099 US (New York)
    +1 301 715 8592 US (Washington DC)
    +1 312 626 6799 US (Chicago)

  • Find your local number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kpV1o65N

• Follow along on Google Docs: https://nten.org/drupal/notes

View notes of previous months' calls.

Taking your first steps with Drupal? No matter your professional role, your journey with Drupal will be full of exciting discoveries. One of them is an outstanding community of passionate, fun, and brilliant people who love sharing their expertise. Once you experience how it feels to be part of it, you’ll never want to seek a different platform.  

This community is gathering soon for the biggest Drupal event of the year. Mark your calendar for 24-27 March and prepare to immerse yourself in the vibrant Drupal universe in Atlanta, Georgia. You’ll make new friends, hear about the latest Drupal trends from top Drupal creators, and find answers to your questions. With beginner-friendly sessions, hands-on workshops, and a welcoming atmosphere, you’ll gain the needed confidence and knowledge. 

Need some tips for preparing for the event and maximizing your experience? Check out “A First Time Attendees Guide to DrupalCon Atlanta 2025” which includes plenty of them. Once you’ve got the essentials covered, it’s time to plan your schedule. DrupalCon’s program is packed with insightful sessions. In this article, we’ll spotlight the best ones to help you kick off your Drupal experience.

Top sessions for newcomers at DrupalCon Atlanta 2025

New Member + Local Drupal Community Meetups and Meeting Spaces

It’s no surprise that the open and welcoming Drupal community offers special events for new members. They serve two key purposes: bringing in new people and strengthening local Drupal communities.

• New Member + Local Drupal Community Meeting Space is designed for new Drupal community members (that’s you) to meet their local Drupal camps, associations, and community groups. With designated ambassadors leading the way, this creates a welcoming and collaborative environment. The space is open 8.00-17.00 Monday through Thursday. Meet new friends and enjoy DrupalCon together!
• New Member + Local Drupal Community Meet Up is a casual and friendly gathering, meant to break the ice before the Welcome Party and other sessions. Several instances of these meetups are already in the schedule, and there may be more to come.

By attending, you get a fantastic chance to ease into the experience, meet new people, and build relationships that will make your time at the conference especially enjoyable. What’s more, these connections could extend beyond the event itself.

Getting to know your local Drupal community offers yet another fantastic benefit: it may motivate you to attend local events in the future. While smaller than DrupalCon, these gatherings are still incredibly valuable for both learning and networking.

“Finding Your Path to Drupal: How Three Unique Journeys Led to Meaningful Careers in Web Development” — by Nagat Ahmed, Lynda Santiago, Amani Mansour

It’s amazing how different paths can all lead to Drupal. Want to discover some inspiring stories about people from diverse backgrounds finding their way into the Drupal world? Then the following panel discussion by Nagat Ahmed (nagatahmed), Lynda Santiago (lyndasantiago), and Amani Mansour (amani.mansour92) is for you.

It brings together three developers who took very different roads into web development — one started as a stay-at-home parent, another worked in the conflict resolution sphere, and the third attended a coding bootcamp. Despite their different starting points, they all built successful careers in Drupal.

The speakers will cover the obstacles they faced, the skills they developed along the way, and how Drupal opened doors to exciting opportunities. But it’s not just about learning to code — each panelist will also share how their previous experiences gave them unique perspectives and non-technical skills that made them successful developers on their teams.

This session will show you that there’s no single path to success in web development. No matter where you come from, there’s a place for you in Drupal. And if you’ve ever struggled with self-doubt or imposter syndrome, this talk may help you overcome those barriers and take the next step in your Drupal journey.

Networking Area for Drupal Attendees

Networking is a key component of every Drupal event, and it’s especially valuable for new members. That’s why DrupalCon offers so many opportunities to connect. The Networking Area for Drupal Attendees is the perfect space to meet and engage with fellow Drupal enthusiasts.

This space is designed to help you participate in meaningful conversations in a relaxed setting. Chat with developers, project managers, designers, and community leaders, share your experiences, and maybe even find your next collaboration opportunity or a mentor to support you as you grow in Drupal.

The Drupal community thrives on connection and knowledge-sharing. Don’t hesitate to stop by, introduce yourself, expand your network, and who knows — this might be the start of something great.

“Drupal CMS now and beyond” — by Pamela Barone and Cristina Chumillas

If you’re new to the Drupal world, you absolutely need to learn about one topic you’ll hear a lot about: Drupal CMS (also known as Starshot). This exciting new version of Drupal is changing the way websites are built and managed, making it easier for non-technical users to create powerful website functionalities without needing to write any code. It is built on top of traditional Drupal core and exists alongside it.

Drupal CMS 1.0 made its debut on January 15, Drupal’s 24th birthday, and the community is now buzzing with excitement about what’s next. Here is a session to discover the details. It will be led by Pamela Barone (pameeela) and Cristina Chumillas (ckrina), top Drupal contributors and part of the amazing team of Drupal CMS creators.

The speakers will dive into the ongoing development of Drupal CMS. You’ll be introduced to the plans for future versions, the features currently in progress, what has been built so far, what lessons have been learned, and how the strategy defines the roadmap.

This session will also offer you a chance to appreciate the strength of the Drupal community, as the speakers share how it united to build Drupal CMS. You’ll get to know how anyone, including newcomers, can contribute, as all types of contributions are welcome.

“Recipes: It's About Time!” — by Martin Anderson-Clutz

Another exciting Drupal innovation that makes website creation faster and more efficient is Recipes. With Recipes, even non-technical users can add feature sets — like blog functionality, event management, and SEO capabilities — simply by clicking a button. For developers, Recipes offer a way to package features following best practices.

In this session by Martin Anderson-Clutz (mandclu), a leading Drupal contributor, will demonstrate how Recipes work, focusing on the Events recipe. This pre-packaged solution allows you to instantly add event functionality to your site. It includes everything you need: a content type for events, fields for start and end dates, duration, location with integrated Google Maps, and more. You’ll see the Events recipe and its add-ons in action during the session.

Recipes are one of the key building blocks of the earlier-mentioned Drupal CMS (Starshot). Martin will show the built-in capabilities and the options to extend them. However, Recipes are not limited to Drupal CMS but are also available in traditional Drupal core, so Martin will explain how to add the same features to “classic” Drupal websites as well.

If you're a fan of live demos, this session is for you — by the end, you'll know exactly how to enhance your website with features from the Events recipe or other Recipes.

“Experience Builder is coming. Are you ready?” — by Lauri Timmanee

Be sure to catch a session on yet another gem in Drupal’s growing collection of innovations. While Drupal has seen many page layout tools over the years, a next-generation page builder is now in the works — one that promises to redefine the process.

Experience Builder is designed to bring together best practices while introducing game-changing capabilities. It will make creating and customizing pages easier and more efficient than ever before.

With Experience Builder, marketing teams can design and theme entire websites directly in their browser, without needing advanced technical skills beyond basic HTML, CSS, and templating markup. Content creators will have more freedom, too — they’ll be able to compose and edit content anywhere on the page, without waiting for developer support.

In this session, initiative leader Lauri Timmanee (lauriii) will walk you through how Experience Builder works. You’ll see this exciting tool in action with a live demo, with a step-by-step walkthrough of how websites will be built with it. Plus, you’ll also get a sneak peek at what’s coming next, beyond the initial release. 

Driesnote by Dries Buytaert

While there are so many sessions around exciting features and great practices, there is one you absolutely cannot miss. In just one keynote, you’ll get a front-row seat to the best of Drupal — its core values, the latest developments like Experience Builder, Recipes, and AI-powered tools, and an exclusive look at what’s ahead. Driesnote often unveils game-changing innovations and future plans before they’re shared anywhere else.

But Driesnote is more than just a session packed with insights — it’s where you truly feel the heartbeat of Drupal. Dries Buytaert, the founder of Drupal, has a unique way of inspiring the audience, making everyone proud of Drupal’s progress and excited to be part of its thriving community. He’ll likely highlight the people driving Drupal forward.

You’ll leave with a deeper understanding of how Drupal is evolving and how you can be part of its future, no matter your background or experience level.

Contribution workshops for beginners

One of the greatest strengths of open-source communities is that anyone can contribute to the platform. In Drupal, contributions are not only rewarding but also recognized — contributors earn credits on drupal.org and respect from the community.

Even if you're new to Drupal, you can make an impact alongside seasoned experts. No contribution is too small, and there’s a wide range of tasks for every skill level. Plus, contribution isn’t just about coding — there are plenty of ways to get involved as a designer, QA specialist, marketer, content editor, and so on.

At DrupalCon, you’ll have the perfect opportunity to kick off your contribution experience in a welcoming and supportive environment. Special sessions are designed to guide you through the process:

• 1st Time Contribution Workshop is ideal for those who have never contributed to Drupal before. You’ll get a step-by-step introduction to the contribution process, including how to navigate drupal.org, find beginner-friendly tasks, and collaborate with the community. There are several instances of this workshop.
• Mentored Contribution session is open to everyone — whether you’re brand new or already a little familiar with contributing. You’ll join experienced contributors and maintainers to work on real issues, ask questions, and gain hands-on experience while making a meaningful contribution to Drupal.

Final thoughts

Let DrupalCon 2025 give a great start to your exciting path in the Drupal world — one where learning, growth, and opportunity await at every turn. The warm embrace of the Drupal community, paired with beginner-oriented sessions, will give you the foundation you need to feel confident, supported, inspired, and energized. Who knows — one day, you might find yourself on stage at the biggest Drupal event, inspiring others!