Drupal Development Trends for 2024

"I never think of the future. It comes soon enough." - Albert Einstein
The year 2024 has already started, and we must know what is happening in Drupal development trends. Whether you're a site owner, module developer, or community forum member, being aware of 2024 Drupal development trends will always be good for you. Thus, strap up, make your coffee, and get ready for the thrilling voyage toward the Drupal world!

Why is Drupal a leading CMS choice in 2024?

So, colleagues, before we dive into the Drupal development landscape and look at the top 10 development trends, let's understand what makes Drupal so good. Drupal is your choice if you are looking for extra functions, customization, and unique functionality that go beyond just the core. Here are some other reasons:

Superior customizability and flexibility

One of the key features you'll love is the ease of customization. Drupal can flawlessly manage all types of content and even the most complicated web systems. It can cope with both simple blogs and large enterprise systems.

Strong security features

In the fast-paced and always hackable digital sphere, securing information should be a top priority when choosing a CMS platform. At this point, Drupal's built-in security features ensure it is a solid choice for handling sensitive information. 
The security team at Drupal actively fights problems by quickly releasing regular updates and patches if there is a vulnerability. This has made Drupal highly trusted in the business world, where government agencies and financial institutions heavily invest in information security.
 

Scalability and performance

Scalability becomes paramount as your business grows over time or experiences surges in traffic volume or data usage on your website. Drupal shines in this aspect as it can efficiently handle increased traffic without sacrificing performance.

Unparalleled community support

With its ever-growing platform, the enthusiastic community surrounding Drupal continues to provide invaluable support to users worldwide via forums, documentation, and events. The fact that the community provides many modules makes it possible for users to access various tools necessary for constructing high-quality websites.

As you can see, Drupal provides a lot of customization, flexibility, and strong security measures and is a scalable solution suitable for enterprises that require large-scale operations. In addition, the active online community provides excellent chances for learning and collaboration. This is exactly what sets it apart from the others.

Drupal Trends for 2024

Trend #1: Drupal maintenance is more accessible and fully automated

At DrupalCon Lille 2023, Dries Buytaert shared a fairy tale about the Drupal Village, where one villager wished for less manual work. He also understood that it was essential to offer an exceptional experience. In 2024, Drupal 10.3 plans to introduce Automatic Updates, simplifying security fixes and minor updates. Additional features like module and theme updates may require extra modules. Dries also mentioned the new release model and automatic code fixes like Drupal Rector.

Trend #2: Installing modules and themes through the UI

In 2024, we can see a notable trend: making it easier to extend websites with new modules. Project Browser is configured to change the process by allowing users to search for and install modules and themes directly through the Drupal admin dashboard. This feature will probably be added to Drupal Core through Drupal 10.3 in the summer.
For those eager to try it, a supported module called Project Browser exists. Additionally, there are many opportunities to contribute, as all modules must be included in the project browser along with a summary, logo, and other information.
 

Trend #3: Widespread use of AI technology

AI and ML are changing entire industries, including Drupal development. In 2024 and beyond, Drupal developers will use this technology to create more innovative, personalized websites. AI-powered chatbots, automated content tagging, and predictive analytics are examples of how AI and ML will enhance Drupal websites.

Trend #4: CKEditor 5, just for another perspective

Next year, more Drupal websites will integrate CKEditor 5, the more advanced WYSIWYG editor, now included with Drupal Core. CKEditor 4 retired on February 1, 2024, after operating since 2012.
While commercial support for additional security in CKEditor 4 will not be possible under the open-source program, the Extended Support Model agreement provides commercial support until December 2026. A CKEditor 4 LTS module supports those who cannot upgrade immediately.

Trend #5: Layout Builder takes the leading position

In 2024, most editorial teams will use Layout Builder, a tool that allows quickly creating page layouts. On the technical side, things are already making it easier for editors to use. This year's catalog of available blocks will be much simpler, making it easier for editors to work with.
Layout Builder's ecosystem is becoming more diverse, and the addition of new modules continues to expand. This includes setting up content structures and building blocks for different languages, adding licenses, creating libraries, and much more.

Trend #6: Another new theme: Gin!

Of course, Claro is still considered by many the best default administration theme for Drupal, but another one is creating a huge buzz among Drupal users. Designed by Sascha Eggenberger (who is also behind Claro and Drupal Design System), Gin is a trendy control panel theme gaining popularity.
According to Claro, Gin also features a new UI layout and a Darkmode option. It includes some features of interest, such as a Published state toggle and Preview and Save buttons. The makers of Gin go beyond limits and spark the trend in 2024 with their ideas, becoming the ultimate choice of website themes.

Trend #7: Drupal 7 end-of-life. Finally?

The extended end-of-life cycle of Drupal 7 will officially come to an end on January 5, 2025, which will be the last day of security support. From this point on, Drupal 7 will not be receiving security updates. Nevertheless, it won't be a problem: the Drupal Association and the Drupal Security Team still provide resources and tools and even help move your Drupal 7 sites to other platforms.

Trend #8: Using Headless and Decoupled Architecture

Headless Drupal is a new way of building websites in which the presentation layer (front-end design) is separated from the logic layer (back-end content management). It is now trending for Drupal websites, as it brings several benefits:
Developers can use any front-end framework or technology they desire, thus making the user interfaces innovative and aesthetically pleasing.
Improved user experience: Headless Drupal leads to faster loading times and seamless performance, producing an enjoyable user experience.
The fact that content updates can be made independently of the front-end design increases the efficiency of website management. 
The Headless Drupal with APIs front and center facilitates the integration with other systems and apps, boosting interoperability.

Trend #9: Progressive Web Applications (PWAs)

Drupal supports the development of PWAs (Progressive Web Apps), which include website offline functionality and mobile app features.
3 Benefits of using PWA:
PWAs offer a richer experience than regular venues, leading to increased engagement and higher retention.
No need to explain anything here: offline allows users to access content without having to connect to the Internet, making it accessible and accessible.
Compared to building native mobile apps, PWA development requires less time and effort. This reduces costs for businesses and manufacturers.

Trend #10: Using the Project Browser

Drupal has introduced the Project Browser project to make finding modules easier. Thus, it allows developers to examine standard modules for specific projects, for example, blogs or e-commerce. The listings specify compatibility with specific versions of Drupal and distributions like Drupal Commerce.
The burden on the developer to identify which modules work best together is removed by the Project Browser tool. They can easily find the most appropriate module for their use case there. This initiative aims to make the selection of modules more user-friendly and foster their development simultaneously. 

Final Thoughts

To sum up, we have prepared several tips for you:

1. Ensure Drupal Core is current to have new features and upgrades available. 
2. Add more functional functionalities with contributed modules and update them regularly. 
3. Keep up to date with the latest trends in Drupal development for 2024.
4. Customize your website's look and functionality to meet your needs and, by all means, optimize the user experience to ensure visitors remain interested. 
5. Following these steps, your website will be fully ready for the future. 

And last, remember that the Drupal developers can advise you on how to make your website better and implement any of the trends you want.