Drupal 9 Release Date
After 5 years since the arrival of Drupal 8, Drupal 9 was released on June 3, 2020. The advent of the new version of the platform has provided users with newer versions of multiple features, which we will further address in the paragraphs below.
Main Features
For more than 20 years, Drupal has powered a myriad of websites and applications in multiple industries. With the Drupal 9 upgrade, the content management system has reached new standards through a plethora of powerful tools able to fuel modern web development projects. Here are some of the most important features that Drupal 9 developers have added to the platform.
Enhanced Performance and Security
Drupal 9 has introduced numerous performance and security enhancements, leveraging PHP 7.3 and higher, Symfony 4.4, and Twig 2. These updates to coding standards have enhanced security practices to ensure a faster, safer, and more reliable experience for both Drupal 9 developers and end-users. The result for Drupal has been one of the lowest vulnerability rates among content management platforms.
Easy Upgrades
Simplifying the process has facilitated a smooth transition to Drupal 9 across numerous platforms. This approach has enabled website owners to upgrade Drupal 8 to Drupal 9 with minimal downtime, ensuring they stay on top of the latest trends in web development.
Streamlined User Interface
Drupal 9’s user-friendly administrative interface offered a modern design and improved accessibility. The inclusion of modules like Layout Builder and Media Library have further enhanced content management capabilities. These improvements have proven particularly important for school websites, allowing teachers to easily update their content without extensive technical knowledge.
Mobile-First Approach
The mobile-first approach embraced by Drupal 9 has ensured accessibility and optimized user experience across all devices. Thanks to the platform’s responsive design, websites have been able to adapt to different screen sizes without negatively affecting visual quality. Because more than 50% of online shopping is now online, this improvement has proven particularly beneficial for e-commerce websites.
Enhanced Multilingual Support
Drupal 9 features include built-in support for over 100 languages, making the management of multilingual websites more accessible. This has facilitated content, interface, and configuration translations, ensuring websites cater to a global audience effectively.
Extensive Module Ecosystem
One of the main additions to Drupal 9 was an extensive ecosystem of contributed modules, which has enabled developers to add functionality and customize websites rapidly. At the same time, backward compatibility with Drupal 8 modules has ensured seamless integration of existing solutions with the latest features. Drupal 9 module development has been essential for finance and governmental institutions, which require specialized modules due to their high security requirements.
Strong Community Support
Community support has always been one of Drupal’s biggest assets, providing invaluable help and resources for all users. Whether for Drupal 9 theming, development, or troubleshooting, the community is always ready to assist, fostering collaboration and innovation. This has made Drupal 9 particularly popular among NGOs and other kinds of non-profit organizations, whose very nature requires cost-effective solutions and volunteer work.
API-First Architecture
Drupal 9's API-first architecture supported the delivery of content across multiple channels and devices with ease. Built-in support for JSON:API, RESTful web services, and GraphQL has facilitated the creation of headless or decoupled applications. This feature has proven to be especially important for media and entertainment industries, where the same content needs to be delivered across multiple platforms.
Environment-friendly and Sustainable Practices
By promoting sustainable web development practices, Drupal 9 has reduced energy consumption and carbon emissions while still prioritizing performance optimizations and streamlined codebases. Its open-source nature has encouraged code reuse and sharing, contributing to a greener digital future.
Drupal 9 End of Life
Drupal has gone through several evolutions over the last two decades that have redefined the content management system framework. One such notable part of this journey has been the launch of Drupal 9 in June 2020, opening a new chapter in digital experiences. Since then, Drupal 9 has been an integral part of many websites across the globe. Nonetheless, with the new release of Drupal 10, Drupal 9 has reached its end of life.
November 1, 2023 has officially marked Drupal 9 EOL. The system no longer receives support and updates from the Drupal community. The decision to move on to Drupal 9 end of life is due to the fact that it’s based on Symfony 4, which has also reached its end of life. This implies that websites that continue to run on Drupal 9 in the post-EOL phase will be exposed to several problems. These include the lack of secure updates, issues with compatibility, and a lack of community support.
To maintain website stability and security, website owners will need to plan for a transition to Drupal 10. This will allow them to build up the latest open-source digital experience features, along with the removal of deprecated codes. The Drupal 9 migration process to Drupal 10 is designed to be seamless and straightforward, thanks to built-in upgrade tools and extensive community support.
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Frequently Asked Questions about Drupal 9
When is Drupal 9 end of life?
With Drupal 10 being launched in December 2023, Drupal 9 end of life was scheduled for November 1, 2023.
What is Drupal 9?
Drupal 9 is one of the most innovative versions of Drupal CMS. Find out more about its performance improvements, advanced security measures, and enhanced features by reading our article.
When was Drupal 9 released?
Drupal 9 was released in June 2020, replacing Drupal 8 after its 5 years long journey.
How to apply a Patch in Drupal 9?
Applying a Patch in Drupal 9 typically involves the use of the Composer. First, add the patch to your project's composer.json file. Then, run Composer commands like “require”, “install”, or “update” to apply the patch along with the module installation or update process.
How to create a custom block in Drupal 9?
Creating a custom block in Drupal 9 includes a few steps that go from defining a new block to caching. You can find every detail on drupal.org.
How to update the PHP version in Drupal 9?
Drupal 9 mainly supports PHP 7.3, to update your current version you need to first of all access your hosting control panel or server settings. The rest of the steps include locating configuration options, choosing the PHP that matches your needs, and ensuring smooth functioning through tests before going live.