From Drupal 7 to Drupal 8 to Drupal 9 ...

Drupal 9 is expected to be released in the middle of 2020 (June 3, 2020). For operators of Drupal 8 sites, this brings with it the excitement of whether the leap to the next major version will really be so smooth. On the other hand, it noticeably increases the need for action for operators of Drupal 7 sites - a migration of Drupal 7 projects must be tackled slowly but surely.

One of the most important innovations since version 8 is that there will no longer be any hard cuts in future Drupal major upgrades. This in turn means that the step from Drupal 8 to the next major version Drupal 9 and other upcoming versions should be as smooth as the regular minor updates with the appropriate preparations.

Drupal release cycle is adapted to Symfony

The framework used by Drupal Symfony will also be upgraded to a newer version during the upgrade. In general, the Drupal release cycle has been aligned with that of Symfony, as Drupal is dependent on Symfony.

What will become of Drupal 7?

With the release of Drupal 9, support for Drupal 7 will actually end. However, it is now the case that the developer and agency capacities worldwide would not be sufficient to update all installations of Drupal 7 still in operation - because this step from Drupal 7 to Drupal 8 is - for the last time - a very big one and involves a lot of effort. The Drupal community has therefore agreed on a long-term support program: The end-of-life for Drupal 7 will be extended until that of Drupal 8. Both versions, 7 and 8, will be supported until November 2021.

Still on Drupal 7? Time to act!

In principle, we believe it is advisable to start migrating a project to Drupal 8 even before Drupal 9 is released. Only if the website is to undergo an extensive rebuild anyway and is being rebuilt from scratch is migration to Drupal 9 preferable.

Do you need support with the migration of Drupal or an upgrade from Drupal 7 to version 8 or 9? Get in touch with us: