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Enhancements in Migrating from Drupal 7 to the Latest Version

Migrating from Drupal 7 to the latest version, such as Drupal 9 or Drupal 10, is a critical step for organizations seeking to take advantage of modern web development technologies, enhanced security, and performance improvements. This migration process has become more efficient and streamlined due to a series of enhancements and tools introduced in recent versions. Below is a detailed overview of the key enhancements, strategies, and code examples to help you successfully migrate your website from Drupal 7 to the latest version of Drupal.

Key Enhancements in Drupal Migration

  1. Migrate Module and API: The Migrate module, introduced in Drupal 8 and carried forward into Drupal 9/10, simplifies the process of migrating content from Drupal 7 to newer versions. The module allows for automated content, users, taxonomies, and configuration migration, reducing the need for manual interventions.
  2. Automated Migration Process: Drupal’s migration system is more robust in the latest versions. Tools like Drush (a command-line tool) and the Migrate Plus module provide a more automated and flexible migration path. With these tools, you can map your old Drupal 7 data structures to the new ones in Drupal 9/10 with minimal manual effort.
  3. Deprecation Handling: Drupal 7 has been officially deprecated, meaning some of its modules and custom code will no longer be supported in future versions. During migration, it's important to replace deprecated or unsupported modules with their modern counterparts or to rewrite custom modules to be compatible with Drupal 9/10 APIs.
  4. Content and Configuration Migration: Content migration is handled through the Migrate API, but configuration management has also become an important part of the migration process. Configuration from Drupal 7 must be manually converted to Drupal 9/10’s YAML-based configuration system.
  5. Custom Themes and Modules: Custom themes and modules from Drupal 7 will need to be updated to align with the latest Drupal standards. The theme layer and templating system have undergone significant changes, including the move from PHPTemplate to Twig, which means you will need to refactor theme files for compatibility with the new system.
  6. Composer-Based Dependency Management: Composer is now a central part of Drupal 9/10, managing module, theme, and core updates. Composer simplifies the management of dependencies, ensuring that your website is always up-to-date and consistent across environments. The move to Composer is essential for modern Drupal development, replacing the old Drupal 7 approach of managing modules manually.

Step-by-Step Migration Process

  1. Backup Your Drupal 7 Site: Before beginning any migration, it’s essential to create a full backup of your Drupal 7 website, including the database and files. This ensures that you can recover your site if anything goes wrong during the migration process.
  2. Install a Fresh Drupal 9/10 Site: Set up a fresh installation of Drupal 9 or 10. Ensure that the environment (PHP version, database, and server configuration) meets the requirements of the latest Drupal version.

  3. Enable the Migrate Module: In Drupal 9/10, the Migrate module is a core module, but you’ll also need to install and enable additional modules like Migrate Plus and Migrate Tools to provide enhanced functionality for the migration process.

    composer require drupal/migrate_plus drupal/migrate_tools
drush en migrate_plus migrate_tools -y

  4. Configure Migration: Migrations in Drupal are configured through YAML files. You’ll need to map the old Drupal 7 fields to their corresponding fields in Drupal 9/10. You can use the migrate_drupal modules to help map your Drupal 7 data structures to Drupal 9/10.

    Here’s an example of a migration YAML file for migrating nodes from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9:

    id: migrate_drupal7_node_article
label: 'Drupal 7 Node Articles Migration'
source:
  plugin: migrate_drupal7
  key: migrate_drupal7
  table: node
  constants:
    type: article
destination:
  plugin: entity:node
process:
  title: title
  body: body/value
  field_tags: field_tags
dependencies:
  - migrate_drupal7_term

  5. Run the Migration: After configuring the migration, you can execute it using Drush or the Migrate UI. Here’s an example of how to run the migration using Drush:

    drush migrate-import migrate_drupal7_node_article
  6. Review and Fix Issues: After migration, thoroughly review the content and layout on the Drupal 9/10 site. It’s likely that some adjustments will need to be made, especially for custom fields, content types, and themes. You may also need to update links, images, and other assets that were manually integrated into the Drupal 7 site.

Code Composer Integration and Example

Composer is essential for managing Drupal dependencies in Drupal 9/10. Here's an example of how you can use Composer to manage a Drupal site’s dependencies, including modules and themes, during the migration process:

  1. Install Drupal via Composer:

    composer create-project drupal/recommended-project my_site_name

  2. Add Contributed Modules: For a typical Drupal migration, you may need to install additional modules like Migrate Plus and Migrate Tools:

    composer require drupal/migrate_plus drupal/migrate_tools

  3. Updating Drupal Core and Modules: Keeping the site up-to-date is critical for security and stability. You can use Composer to update Drupal core and modules:

    composer update drupal/core --with-dependencies

  4. Managing PHP Dependencies: As part of the migration process, you may need to update your PHP dependencies (e.g., PHPUnit for testing, Guzzle for HTTP requests). Composer helps manage these dependencies effectively.

    composer require phpunit/phpunit:^9.5

Final Considerations

  • Testing & Quality Assurance: It’s important to thoroughly test the migrated site. Ensure that all features, including content, custom functionalities, and performance, are fully operational.
  • Performance Optimization: Drupal 9/10 comes with built-in tools to optimize performance. Make sure caching mechanisms, content delivery networks (CDNs), and performance settings are properly configured.
  • Security: Ensure that you apply all security patches and keep the Drupal installation up to date. Drupal 9/10 offer enhanced security features that help protect your site from common vulnerabilities.

Conclusion

Migrating from Drupal 7 to the latest version (Drupal 9/10) may seem like a daunting task, but with the right tools, enhanced migration workflows, and Composer integration, the process has become much more manageable. By following best practices, using automated migration tools, and properly refactoring custom code, your website can seamlessly transition to the modern, feature-rich environment that Drupal 9/10 offers, ensuring that it stays secure, performant, and maintainable for years to come.

Tags
Drupal 11
Drupal