Drupal background, basics, and discussion of when to use. Presented at Open Source Bridge 2009.

1. Drupal huh yeah,
what is it good for?
1

2. • Drupal basics and history
• Strengths
• Weaknesses
• What it’s good for
• And what it’s not
2

3. Origins
• Project started by Dries Buytaert in
2000 at the University of Antwerp
• The name originates from “dorp”,
Dutch for village.
• First came to prominence during the
2004 Dean campaign
3

4. Coming of Age
• Recognition
• Community, online and off
• Downloads
• Usage
4

5. #!$!!!"
%!$!!!"
&!$!!!"
'!$!!!"
(!!$!!!"
(#!$!!!"
(%!$!!!"
(&!$!!!"
('!$!!!"
!"
)*+,"##+-"
)*+,"#./0"
)*12"&/0"
)*12"(3/0"
)*12"#!/0"
)*12"#4/0"
5*6*7/"38-"
5*6*7/"(!/0"
5*6*7/"(4/0"
5*6*7/"#%/0"
5*6*7/"3(7/"
9,:/,;<,8"4/0"
9,:/,;<,8"(%/0"
9,:/,;<,8"#(7/"
9,:/,;<,8"#'/0"
=>/?<,8"@/0"
=>/?<,8"(#/0"
=>/?<,8"(./0"
=>/?<,8"#&/0"
A?B,;<,8"#+-"
A?B,;<,8"./0"
A?B,;<,8"(&/0"
A?B,;<,8"#38-"
A?B,;<,8"3!/0"
C,>,;<,8"4/0"
C,>,;<,8"(%/0"
C,>,;<,8"#(7/"
Source: http://drupal.org/project/usage/drupal
C,>,;<,8"#'/0"
)D+*D82"%/0"
)D+*D82"((/0"
)D+*D82"('/0"
)D+*D82"#@/0"
E,<8*D82"(7/"
E,<8*D82"'/0"
E,<8*D82"(@/0"
E,<8*D82"##+-"
FD8>0"(7/"
FD8>0"'/0"
FD8>0"(@/0"
FD8>0"##+-"
FD8>0"#./0"
5:8G1"@/0"
5:8G1"(#/0"
5:8G1"(./0"
5:8G1"#&/0"
FD2"38-"
FD2"(!/0"
FD2"(4/0"
FD2"#%/0"
FD2"3(7/"
)*+,"4/0"
&HI"
4HI"
@HI"
Source: http://buytaert.net/drupal-download-statistics-2008
5

6. What is Drupal?
• Core
• Modules (core,
contrib, custom)
• Themes
(PHPTemplate)
• Community
source: James Walker, 2007 Fsoss Drupal Under The Hood
6

7. 7

8. System Spectrum
credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ruthhb/3408333830/
custom code -> frameworks -> Drupal -> plug and play
8

9. custom
code
flexible / powerful
closed
source
ease of use / rapid dev
9

10. Strengths
Developer: extensibility, theming, filters, security, jquery
End user: SEO, taxonomy, users / permissions, content
management
Both: rapid prototyping, community, Acquia
10

11. Building Blocks
credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kmtucker/3355551036
11

12. Weaknesses
• The Drupal Way learning curve
• Documentation
• “Drupal lacks an intuitive, easy
administration user interface”
• Updates / backwards compatability
• Migration
12

13. When not to Use
• Site focused around blogging
13

14. 14

15. When not to Use
• Site focused around blogging
• Dedicated e-commerce
15

16. 16

17. When not to Use
• Site focused around blogging
• Dedicated e-commerce
• Application with a singular focus
and/or very high traffic
17

18. 18

19. Drupal makes less
sense the more
focused the app
19

20. 20

21. Drupal’s Great For
• Brochureware / content
management / multi-media
21

22. 22

23. Drupal’s Great For
• Brochureware
• Social network / community
23

24. 24

25. Drupal’s Great For
• Brochureware
• Social network / community
• Member management
25

26. 26

27. Drupal’s Great For
• Brochureware
• Social network / community
• Member management
• Publishing
27

28. 28

29. Drupal’s Great For
• Brochureware
• Social network / community
• Member management
• Publishing
• Structured content
29

30. 30

31. Drupal makes
more sense the
more features you
combine
31

32. 32

33. Sites that bring it all together
33

34. Questions?
Lev Tsypin
levelos.com
drupal.org/user/54135
.com/loubabe
34