Join us THURSDAY, January 15 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 document!
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.
Information on joining the meeting can be found in our collaborative Google document.
Today we are talking about Recording Podcasts, The tech used, and How Drupal Can help with guest Stephen Cross. We'll also cover Chosen as our module of the week.
For show notes visit: https://www.talkingDrupal.com/535
TopicsStephen Cross - stephencross
HostsNic Laflin - nLighteneddevelopment.com nicxvan John Picozzi - epam.com johnpicozzi Andy Giles - dripyard.com andyg5000
MOTW CorrespondentMartin Anderson-Clutz - mandclu.com mandclu
Twenty years ago, I argued passionately that breaking backward compatibility was one of Drupal's core values:
The only viable long-term strategy is to focus exclusively on getting the technology right. The only way to stay competitive is to have the best product. [...] If you start dragging baggage along, your product will, eventually, be replaced by something that offers the same functionality but without the baggage.
I warned that preserving backward compatibility would be the beginning of the end:
I fear that this will be the end of Drupal as we have come to know it. Probably not immediately, maybe not even for several years, but eventually Drupal will be surpassed by technology that can respond more quickly to change.
Twenty years later, I have to admit I was wrong.
So what changed?
In 2006, Drupal had almost no automated tests. We couldn't commit to backward compatibility because we had no way to know when we broke it. Two years later in 2008, we embraced test-driven development.
Drupal's test code now exceeds production code by more than two to one. Source: Drupal Core Metrics.By 2016, we had built up significant test coverage, and with that foundation we adopted semantic versioning and committed to backward compatibility. Semantic versioning gave us a deprecation policy. We can mark old code for removal and clear it out every two years with each major release. The baggage I feared never really accumulated.
Today, according to the Drupal Core Metrics dashboard, Drupal Core has more than twice as much test code as production code. I didn't fully appreciate how much that would change things. You can't promise backward compatibility at Drupal's scale without extensive automated testing.
Our upgrades are now the smoothest in the project's history. And best of all, Drupal didn't end. It's still a top choice for organizations that need flexibility, security, and scale.
I recently came across an interview with Richard Hipp, SQLite's creator. SQLite has 90 million lines of tests for 150,000 lines of production code. That is a whopping 600-to-1 ratio. Hipp calls it "aviation-grade testing" and says it's what lets a team of three maintain billions of installations.
I suspect our test coverage will continue to grow over time. But Drupal can't match SQLite's ratio, and it doesn't need to. What matters is that we built the habits and discipline that work for us.
In 2006, I thought backward compatibility would be the end of Drupal. In 2026, I think it might be what keeps us here for another twenty years.
Thank you to everyone who wrote those tests.
It does make me wonder: what are we wrong about now? What should we be investing in today that will slowly reshape how we work and become an obvious advantage twenty years from now? And who is already saying it while the rest of us aren't listening?
AI is moving quickly into the Drupal ecosystem, but the conversation around it has often been fragmented and uneven in quality. Drupal AI TV, launched by the Drupal AI Initiative, responds to this by focusing less on promotion and more on consolidation. Its core value lies in curation: selecting existing, publicly available sessions and placing them in a single, structured space where professionals can assess current thinking and practice around AI in Drupal without wading through unrelated material.
The range of content is notable for its balance. Alongside technical demonstrations, there is clear attention to ethical questions, organisational readiness, and the realities of integrating AI into existing systems. This signals a pragmatic stance toward AI adoption, one that recognises both its potential and its constraints. By including case studies and workflow-focused sessions, Drupal AI TV grounds abstract AI discussions in the day-to-day decisions faced by developers, content teams, and digital strategists.
As the platform grows, its usefulness will depend on how well it maintains this curatorial discipline. Regular updates are important, but relevance and depth matter more than volume. If Drupal AI TV continues to prioritise informed, experience-based perspectives, it can become a steady reference point for teams evaluating when and how AI meaningfully fits into their Drupal projects, rather than another channel that adds to the noise.
With that, let's move the spotlight to the important stories from the past week.
DISCOVER DRUPAL
We acknowledge that there are more stories to share. However, due to selection constraints, we must pause further exploration for now. To get timely updates, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Bluesky, and Facebook. You can also join us on Drupal Slack at #thedroptimes.
Thank you.
Alka Elizabeth
Sub-editor
The DropTimes
Sometimes the way that we’ve structured a site’s content originally is no longer ideal after several years. Here I’ll share an example of using a Drupal migration to restructure content. This example transforms an entity reference field to a paragraph field that wraps the entity reference.
AI is no longer on the horizon — it’s fully here, and reshaping nearly every corner of the digital world. It’s no longer news that with the right approach, AI tools can quietly and tirelessly simplify and streamline much of the work across various areas. Search Engine Optimization, with its many routine and repetitive tasks, is no exception.
Join Johanna and Jess as they dive deep into their experiences and insights working with Drupal in the nonprofit sector. Learn about their early careers, the evolution of Drupal's development, the significance of community in nonprofit tech, and the origins and importance of the Nonprofit Summit at DrupalCon. Discover how their community initiatives foster collaboration and support among nonprofit technologists, and get a glimpse into the upcoming summit details. Perfect for anyone interested in Drupal, open-source technology, and nonprofit organizational challenges.
For show notes visit: https://www.talkingDrupal.com/cafe012
Johanna BatesJohanna Bates (they/them, hanpersand on drupal.org) is co-founder and co-principal of DevCollaborative, a company that builds accessible and sustainable Drupal and WordPress sites exclusively for nonprofit organizations.
Johanna began their formal tech career at WGBH in Boston in 2000 as a front-end developer. They have been building Drupal sites since 2004, and have been co-moderating NTEN's Nonprofit Drupal Community and its monthly chats for over a decade.
Johanna was involved in early Nonprofit Summits at NYCcamp starting back in 20-teens 2015, and helped bring the Nonprofit Summit to DrupalCon North America in 2017.
Jess SnyderJess Snyder (jesss on drupal.org and Drupal Slack) is Director of Web Systems for WETA, the flagship public media station for Washington, DC, and has over 20 years of experience in website development.
Jess is an organizer for NTEN's Drupal Community of Practice as well as Drupal GovCon. She also co-chaired the triumphant return of the Nonprofit Summit to DrupalCon Portland 2024 and its sequel at DrupalCon Atlanta 2025.
When not Drupaling, Jess sits on the Board of Directors for the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences.
TopicsJohanna Bates - hanpersand Jess Snyder - jesss
I built a dashboard that tracks Drupal Core's code quality over time, across major releases from Drupal 7 through Drupal 11. It measures lines of code, cyclomatic complexity, maintainability index, anti-patterns, and API surface area. Think of it as a health report for Drupal's codebase.
The dashboard updates automatically and is available at https://dbuytaert.github.io/drupal-core-metrics/.
The charts tell a clear story of steady, hard-won progress. A story to be proud of and worth sharing. Code quality is dramatically better than it was in Drupal 7: lower complexity, easier to maintain, fewer anti-patterns, and dramatically better test coverage. Drupal now has nearly twice as much test code as production code!
Drupal Core's API surface has modernized too. As Drupal shifted from procedural to object-oriented patterns, global procedural functions gave way to classes implementing interface methods, services, plugins, and events.
By tracking these metrics publicly, I hope to inform decisions about both code quality and developer experience. When we refactor complex code, we can measure the impact. We can set goals and track progress.
All charts use static code analysis. Static analysis measures the code as written, not what it feels like to work with it or to learn Drupal as a new developer. As a next step, I'd love to measure developer experience more directly. Dynamic analysis might help, for example by tracking call stack depth, or how many files and APIs you have to touch to make a simple change.
The dashboard is open source, and contributions are welcome at https://github.com/dbuytaert/drupal-core-metrics.
Special thanks to catch for multiple rounds of feedback. As the most active Core Committer over the past 12 months, his input was invaluable.
What’s the fastest way to understand Drupal AI and bring it into your DNA? Build things!
If you want to turn curiosity into capability, join us for “Play to Impact”, a two-day Drupal AI hackathon in Brussels on 27–28 January 2026. Hosted by the Drupal Community of Practice @ European Commission and EUIBAs, the event brings makers together to prototype practical solutions that help teams do more with less—without compromising trust, governance, or human judgment.
What you’ll work onAcross two distinct challenges, you’ll work hands-on with the Drupal AI ecosystem, including:
Drupal AI is moving quickly, and this is a chance to be part of that—not by watching, but by building alongside the people leading it.
Two days working together in person creates something different: you'll learn faster, make connections that last, and leave with something real you've made.
The European Commission is hosting because they believe this matters. We do too.
Who should attendThis is intentionally cross-functional. You’ll fit right in if you’re in:
You will be joined by many key members of the AI Initiative such as Freely Give’s AI experts, Marcus Johansson, the AI Initiative’s official tech lead and the head of innovation Jamie Abrahams.
How it worksParticipants get access to a structured program that transitions into onsite collaboration at the European Commission premises in Brussels and culminates in team pitches to an expert jury.
Top teams receive recognition and visibility across the Drupal community—amplifying both their contributions and their career profile.
Join usMore information and registration details.
If you’re new to Drupal AI, the all new Drupal AI TV is a good on-ramp.
Bring your ideas—and let’s build impact together.
"DrupalCon Chicago 2026, happening March 23–26 at the Hilton Chicago offers incredible value for web professionals and enthusiasts alike with professional training options, sector-focused summits, deep dive sessions and workshops, a full hands-on Drupal in a Day introduction seminar and contribution opportunities."
Look. I know you’ve seen that everywhere at this point, but hear me out. It’s been over a decade since DrupalCon North America has seen the interior of the continent (since 2014 in Austin, to be specific). Every year either the Techies on the West coast fly 6 hours east or the Govvies on the East coast fly 6 hours west. What if we all just met in the middle?
Enter… Chicago.
ImageImage Source: Photo by Neal Kharawala on Unsplash
We’ve got one of the most connected airports on the continent, and a smaller one too if you want. Both airports are connected to downtown with $2.50 public transit rides. Take the train if riding the rails suits you. Parking downtown isn’t even that bad.
We have 20 Michelin Star restaurants. We have over 200 neighborhoods, each with their own unique character (if you can take your eyes off of our skyscrapers… we invented those too, you know).
Ok, fine, we know what ya’ll really want… how about a city with its own design system and municipal typeface?
But enough about me. I asked some other Drupal folks what one thing they recommended you check out during your time here at DrupalCon. You’ll literally be staying “in the Loop” and there’s no better home base for exploring the city. Here’s what they had to say:
The Chicago Cultural Center is an often-overlooked gem right in downtown Chicago, and it’s free! Inside contains incredible architecture, insanely detailed stained glass domes, and a nice Chicago gift shop. ~ Avi Schwab (froboy) (oops, yea that’s me again)
DrupalCons are the time of large group dinners and there is no better place than The Purple Pig, north of the Hilton on Michigan Ave. I have fond memories of the last DrupalCon Chicago participating in the "bite-bite-pass" rule and trying so many amazing dishes.
P.S. Don't let anyone trick you into drinking Malört, the local legendary spirt. Choose so boldly, or not at all, and that's ok. ~ Kevin Thull (kthull)
Try a Chicago hot dog and Italian beef. Deep dish is good too… You’d be surprised how many times I heard the traditional food in the USA was just burgers and fries and yet every city has their own thing, but you don't know when you landed and have 5 days to get everything else done. ~ Bernardo Martinez (bernardm28)
[In the Pilsen neighborhood,] the food was amazing, the art, the murals, and the people were SOOO nice. ~ My Wife ~ Eric Wheeler (sikofitt)
The Chicago History Museum is great and not too far from the venue. For an iconic Chicago dog place, visit Wiener Circle. (Editor’s note: but … be prepared.) ~ Doug Dobrzynski (dobrzyns)
Gaze in wonder at both big pointy teeth and tiny pointy teeth at the Field Museum! Get tacos from one of the trucks on Monroe St. outside the Art Institute. Or take the CTA Pink Line to 18th St. for tacos at Taqueria El Mezquite or the more upscale (but still casual) 5 Rabanitos.
Also near the Pink Line is the National Museum of Mexican Art, which has a great collection. There are also too many kinds of pizza to count. ~ Brian Smith (brianbrarian)
Get "on a Boat" for an Architecture Tour. Visit Chinatown. Take a walk in a park (Grant Park & Millenium Park are closeby, but we have 8,800 acres of them). Catch a show (HAMILTON!!!) at the CIBC Theater or one of many stand-up venues. ~ Norah Medlin (tekNorah)
Image Source: Avi Schwab
That’s… a lot. I’ve been here for 25 years and I still haven’t hit all of those. You’ll have a couple of days (and theoretically conference things to go to as well).
Speaking of the conference, it’s looking to be a busy one. (Almost as busy as the last time DrupalCon was here and Dries created the Drupal 8 branch on stage.)
If you’re looking to find your people or just reconnect, you can choose from one of seven industry summits on Monday. If you’re not sure where to start, you can sign up for professional training instead. Tuesday and Wednesday will bring a boatload of sessions (still to-be-announced) along with our two keynote speakers — both of whom will give us some insight into what the future will hold, for Drupal and for humanity. Thursday is Contribution Day, where everyone has a chance to give back to the project (it’s not just code!). Or if you’re new to Drupal and looking for more guidance, our free, hands-on, Drupal in a Day program could be right for you.
ImageImage Source: MidCamp Flickr, licensed as CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
Finally, we understand that travel might not be in the cards for you right now. 2025 was a lot. It may not be the right time for you to join us in Chicago. That’s ok.
If you’re not able to join us, consider supporting Drupal and Open Source by becoming a Ripple Maker for as little as $1, or subscribe to the many Drupal Newsletters (they’re free).
I hope to see you there,
Avi Schwab
DrupalCon Chicago Steering Committee
This post was written by humans.
Uploading files should be as seamless and intuitive as possible, especially if you’re managing a large and bustling Drupal website. Sometimes, third-party upload tools are a great choice because they bring special capabilities to the table, boosting editorial efficiency. One of them is the Uppy tool, a free and open-source JavaScript-based file uploader.
As we begin 2026 with Volume 4, Issue 1 of Editor’s Pick, our weekly newsletter, we return with a fresh dispatch of Drupal news, community highlights, and contributor updates.
With each edition, we continue to focus on amplifying contributions and sharing developments that shape the Drupal ecosystem. This year also presents an opportunity to reflect, not only on where Drupal is today, but also on how far it has come.
Drupal turns 25 this month. The official anniversary, on January 15, marks a quarter-century since the initial release of Drupal 1.0. Over that time, the project has grown through community-led development and steady innovation. Whether you’ve contributed code, organised events, maintained modules, or built with Drupal, this anniversary belongs to you, too.
To mark the occasion, the global community is coordinating celebrations throughout the week of January 8 to 15. These will include online events, local meetups, and stories shared by users and contributors alike. The format is intentionally flexible, allowing participation across time zones and regions. Community members in Vienna and Ottawa, among others, are already preparing localised gatherings.
We encourage you to take part in whatever way works for you — sharing a post, attending a meetup, or simply reflecting on your time with Drupal. For those looking to stay updated or contribute ideas, the #celebratedrupal channel on Drupal Slack is the central hub. We'll continue to follow and report on these efforts as the week unfolds.
DISCOVER DRUPALDISCOVER DRUPALWe acknowledge that there are more stories to share. However, due to selection constraints, we must pause further exploration for now. To get timely updates, follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Bluesky, and Facebook. You can also join us on Drupal Slack at #thedroptimes.
Thank you.
Kazima Abbas
Sub-editor
The DropTimes
As I sit here in 2026 getting ready to head back to work tomorrow (Monday), I thought I’d take a moment to reflect on the year that was 2025. It was a busy year—and one that somehow went by incredibly fast. Between the increasing use of AI and the rapid innovation happening across the Drupal ecosystem, there was a lot to experience, contribute to, and learn from. Looking back, 2025 felt like a year when many long-term ideas became real, usable tools for the community.
A common request I see when theming Search API forms is to swap out the normal submit element with a magnifying glass icon. Performing this action isn't difficult, but it does require adding a couple of operations to add a suggestion so a custom template can be used.
When I set up a view to perform a search against a Search API index I normally create an exposed filter for the text content. Views shows this as a block that can be embedded into the site. The block, however, comes with a input element to act as the search button, and it isn't possible to inject SVG icons into input elements.
By changing the input element to a button we can then inject a small SVG of a magnifying glass or similar to act as the search button.
Swapping out this input element takes a couple of steps, and I although I have done this technique a few times I still need to dig into old code to figure out how I did it. So, I thought I would document it so I didn't have to go looking for the solution again.
In this article I will look at how we can use a combination of form alters and suggestion hooks to change the Search API form submit input to a button so that an SVG can be embedded inside.
Altering The Search FormThe first step (and perhaps the trickiest) is to alter the search form to add a couple of attributes to the search submit element.
If we add a theme suggestion alter hook for the input element, the element itself has no knowledge of the context that surrounds it. This makes it tricky to know that we are altering the correct element or even to inject a suggestion that would be unique for the search form.
The form alter hook, therefore, is used to inject an attribute into the form element so that we can read this in the suggestions hook. This gives is a bit of data we can identify and use in the suggestions hook.
The short answer: Yes.
Drupal works well for eCommerce. The Drupal Commerce module is not a light add-on. You aren’t slapping some basic shopping cart functionality onto your website and calling it a day. Drupal Commerce is a comprehensive framework suitable for all sorts of applications. It processes billions in annual sales and many businesses trust it to power mission-critical eCommerce applications.
The long answer: It depends. Specifically, it depends on your business, on your budget, on your long-term plans, and maybe even your personality. Drupal could power any eCommerce website, and do it well. But is it the best choice for your particular situation?
What makes Drupal good for eCommerce?Let’s assume the table stakes for a functioning eCommerce store. Shopping cart, products, variations, order management, shipping integrations, payment gateway connections, and all the stuff you’ll see advertised on every SaaS commerce platform. Out of the box, Drupal Commerce provides all of this functionality and implements it in a stable, secure way.
But since Drupal Commerce is built on top of Drupal, you get so much more.
Read more
