The dust from DrupalCon Atlanta 2025 has barely settled, and already the excitement for the next major event is building. DrupalCon Europe, set for Vienna from October 14-17, 2025, has officially opened very early bird ticket sales. Only 50 tickets are available at a special discounted rate, making this a rare opportunity to secure your spot early.
DrupalCons aren't just conferences - they are the heart of the Drupal community. They are where ideas turn into initiatives, where contributors find their next project, and where long-time professionals and new faces come together to push Drupal forward. Every major leap in Drupal's history can trace roots back to conversations, sprints, and collaborations born at DrupalCons.
The Vienna edition promises four packed days of technical sessions across seven tracks, contribution sprints, inspiring keynotes including the Driesnote, and community events like the International Splash Awards and Trivia Night. Registration also includes access to recorded sessions, catering, social events, and a digital tote bag.
Events like DrupalCon are critical to the future of open-source ecosystems. Code is built in repositories, but trust, cooperation, and shared vision are built in rooms like these. If you believe in the future of Drupal, there's no better place to be.
Don't miss your chance to be part of something bigger - grab your early ticket before they're gone.
Now, let's dive into the most important stories from last week.
DISCOVER 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 and Facebook. You can also join us on Drupal Slack at #thedroptimes.
Thank you,
Sincerely
Thomas Alias K
Sub-editor, The DropTimes.
After years of planning and countless conversations, I'm thrilled to announce that the IXP Initiative has officially graduated to become a program that companies can use right now! This transition represents a significant milestone in our journey to open more doors for new talent within the Drupal ecosystem.
The Problem We're Solving
If you've been following my work, you know I've been passionate about addressing a fundamental challenge in the Drupal ecosystem: the difficulty new developers face in gaining that critical first professional experience. It's the classic catch-22 – you need experience to get hired, but you need to be hired to gain experience.
This challenge ties directly to what I've been writing about recently – rebuilding Drupal's ecosystem pyramid. For years, I've been working to strengthen both the Latin American community and other regions that represent the middle and bottom of this pyramid. The narrowing base of our ecosystem pyramid poses a serious threat to Drupal's sustainability.
I saw this firsthand when my son Santiago completed Mike Anello's Drupal training program. Despite his new skills, he struggled to find opportunities because companies were looking for developers with workplace experience. This sparked my idea about how we should motivate companies to hire new people, introducing the concept of "inexperienced" developers and then aligning with Mike Anello, who had been thinking along similar lines.
From Concept to Community Initiative to Program
What began as conversations with Mike and subsequent discussions with Drupal professionals worldwide has evolved into a structured program. I first started raising this issue at DrupalCon Pittsburgh, but it was in Lille where we officially established the initiative. Working with Tim Lehnen (CTO of the Drupal Association), Raul Jimenez, and Borja Vicente, my wife Ana Laura and I were at the table when the initiative page on drupal.org was created.
The IXP Program creates structured pathways for companies to hire and mentor developers who have Drupal knowledge but lack professional experience. In return for providing paid work and mentorship, these companies receive substantial contribution credits through Drupal's contribution recognition system.
It's worth noting that while we've started with developers, the IXP program can expand to include site builders as well. With Drupal CMS on the horizon, agencies might want to consider adding introductory-level site builder positions to prepare for the new market that Drupal CMS will bring.
What the Program Offers NowWhat began as conversations at DrupalCon Pittsburgh and formalized at DrupalCon Lille in 2023 has now evolved into a functional program with:
Companies that successfully complete an IXP engagement will receive 250 contribution credits (with a limit of four per year). To put this in perspective, bronze level Drupal Certified Partners need 150 credits, silver requires 500, and gold requires 1,000. That means just one successful IXP engagement puts a company well on their way to bronze certification!
The First Pioneers: Growing Beyond Our Initial PartnersWe're excited to announce that our first wave of participating companies has grown beyond just Seed EM and Bluefly. Digital Projex from Uruguay and Digital Polygon from the US have also stepped up to become early adopters of the program. Their diverse perspectives – spanning Latin America and the US – demonstrate how this program can work across different regions and business models.
These pioneering companies understand that investing in new developers isn't just about immediate project needs – it's about sustaining the entire Drupal ecosystem for the long term.
How It WorksFor those interested in participating, here's what you need to know:
For Companies:This program directly addresses multiple challenges we face:
We need your help to make this program a success! Here's how you can contribute:
Find more information about the initiative at drupal.org/ixp.
Looking ForwardThis is just the beginning. With our pioneering partners leading the way, we're creating a model that can be replicated across regions and companies of all sizes. As we learn from these initial implementations, we'll continue refining the program to better serve both new developers and the organizations that support them.
I want to especially thank Sarah Lorensen for her outstanding work on UX and theming for the IXP site, which is ready to receive registrations and begin engagements right now.
I've always believed that Drupal's strength lies in our community's ability to identify challenges and build solutions together. The IXP Program represents another step toward a more inclusive and sustainable ecosystem where talent can flourish regardless of experience level or geographic location.
What experiences have you had with bringing new developers into your organization? What challenges did you face, and what strategies worked well? I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below!
About Building the Bridge: How Drupal CMS and IXP Could Empower Digital Agencies Author Carlos Ospina Abstract The IXP Fellowship has officially evolved from an initiative to a functional program, creating structured pathways for companies to hire and mentor inexperienced Drupal developers. Companies completing engagements receive 250 contribution credits per hire, strengthening the Drupal ecosystem's sustainability. Seed EM, Bluefly, Digital Projex, and Digital Polygon are the first participating organizations. The program addresses the catch-22 of needing experience to get hired while broadening Drupal's talent base. Registration is now open at drupal-ixp.site. Tags Drupal Planet drupal drupal community IXP Program Drupal Future Rating Select ratingGive IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now! 1/5Give IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now! 2/5Give IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now! 3/5Give IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now! 4/5Give IXP Graduates from Initiative to Program: Companies Can Start Using It Now! 5/5Cancel rating No votes yet Leave this field blank Add new comment
A slightly quieter week than I would have liked, but you can't get everything done all the time. That said, I worked on two pretty large issues - Font Awesome Icons in LocalGov Base and config setting for JS mobile breakpoint.
Announcing four new Drupal core leaders and a strategy update in the works! With the excitement surrounding Drupal CMS, many in the community are asking: what’s happening with Drupal core? We’re thrilled to share some great updates.
With the excitement surrounding Drupal CMS, many in the community are asking: what’s happening with Drupal core? We’re thrilled to share some great updates.
Updated Drupal core strategy in the worksThe Drupal core team has been hard at work developing an updated strategy to guide the future of core. While the Drupal core strategy document is still a work in progress, we’re excited about the direction it's taking — and we want your input! Community feedback is not only welcome, it's essential. Now is a great time to help shape the next chapter of Drupal core.
Introducing the Drupal Core Leadership TeamAs part of these discussions, we’ve taken a fresh look at how we refer to the people stewarding core. The term "Core committers" focused on the end of the process some of us do, and we recognized that it doesn’t capture the full scope of leadership across the team — especially those whose impact isn’t reflected in code commits.
To better represent the diverse responsibilities and collaborative nature of this work, we’re introducing a new name: the Drupal Core Leadership Team.
Expanding team facilitatorsGriffyn Heels (griffynh) based in Australia and working with PreviousNext, has been doing an outstanding job facilitating meetings in the Bug Smash and Experience Builder initiatives. We reached out if he would be interested to help us in the core leadership team too. We are glad that he accepted, so Griffyn joins the team as a non-committer member, as a provisional Team Facilitator.
Two Drupal 7 committers join the modern Drupal crewAs Drupal 7 reached its end of life earlier this year, we want to take a moment to celebrate the incredible work of the core committers who kept it going strong for so long. Rather than stepping back, two of them accepted our invitation to continue — now as part of the modern Drupal core team.
Please join us in welcoming Juraj Nemec (poker10) from ActivIT in Slovakia and Drew Webber (mcdruid) from Acquia in the UK. Both are joining as General Committers, a new role that focuses on contribution and collaboration without specific leadership responsibilities. We’re excited to have their deep experience and steady hands on board.
Strengthening frontend leadership with a focus on componentsWith Drupal core’s renewed emphasis on frontend components and display building, we’re reinforcing our leadership in this area. Pierre Dureau (pdureau), owner of Beyris in France, has been contributing thoughtful, high-quality work in this space with UI Suite for years. His attention to detail and focus on flexible solutions are exactly what the team needed.
We’re excited to welcome Pierre as a provisional Frontend Framework Manager, bringing more focus and faster momentum to frontend improvements in core.
One of the most surprising moments at Drupal Dev Days Leuven? Getting a phone call from Drupal. Yes, really.
Marcus Johansson gave me a spontaneous demo of a Twilio-powered AI agent built for Drupal, which triggered a phone call right from within the Drupal interface. It was unexpected, fun, and a perfect example of the kind of creative energy in the room.
That moment reminded me why I love Drupal. People were building, sharing, and exploring what Drupal can do next. The energy was contagious.
From MCP (Model Context Protocol) modules to AI-powered search, I saw Drupal doing things I wouldn't have imagined two years ago. AI is no longer just an idea. It's already finding its way into Drupal in practical, thoughtful ways.
Doing a Q&A at Drupal Dev Days in Leuven. I loved the energy and great questions from the Drupal community. © Paul JohnsonOutside of doing a Q&A session, I spent much of my time at Drupal Dev Days working on the next phase of Drupal's AI strategy. We have an early lead in AI, but we need to build on it. We will be sharing more on that in the coming month.
In the meantime, huge thanks to the organizers of Drupal Dev Days for making this event happen, and to Paul Johnson for the fantastic photo. I love that it shows so many happy faces.
DrupalCon Atlanta 2025 brought the spirit of open source to life with vibrant energy, bold ideas, and community connections that stretched across the globe. The event made an unforgettable mark on the Drupal community — from the bustling exhibit hall to the heartfelt hallway conversations, from first-time contributors to long-time collaborators.
Held in the heart of downtown Atlanta, the conference welcomed attendees from around the world for four days of learning, collaboration, and celebration. It was a reminder of what makes Drupal so powerful: our people, our purpose, and our shared passion for creating a better web.
A Truly Global GatheringThis year’s conference drew participants from over 25 countries, reaffirming Drupal’s role as a global digital platform and community. The United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, and India topped the list, but the impact spanned continents.
Who Attends DrupalConDrupalCon Atlanta attracted a wide variety of professionals from across industries, reflecting the broad applicability and flexibility of the Drupal platform.
From higher education and government to digital agencies and healthcare, Drupal continues to power complex web experiences in some of the most demanding and innovative sectors.
This diversity not only fuels valuable cross-sector knowledge-sharing but also demonstrates Drupal’s critical role across public and private digital ecosystems.
Grassroots Power: Local Camps Take the StageMore than 30 local Drupal camps and meetups were represented at the conference — a testament to the grassroots power of the community. Attendees proudly wore camp stickers, staffed community booths, and gathered to discuss regional challenges and opportunities.
To support local groups, we launched a new ticket-sharing initiative: 1 complimentary ticket for every 5th sold through participating organizations. As a result, 31 Drupal Camps received free tickets, expanding access and rewarding the dedication of our grassroots leaders.
First-Time Attendees & Event StatsDrupalCon Atlanta welcomed 1,288 registered participants, with a 96% check-in rate — one of our strongest ever. Of those:
Hosting the event at the Hyatt Regency Atlanta provided an integrated, accessible experience for attendees. Sessions, social events, and accommodations were all under one roof, creating ease, comfort, and connection.
“Everything I needed was right there — it made attending so much easier.”
“It felt like the whole community was in one place. Loved that.”
Survey feedback from attendees, speakers, and sponsors is being carefully reviewed as we begin shaping DrupalCon Chicago 2026. You told us what worked — and what we can improve — and we’re listening.
Key themes that will shape future events include:
- Even more dynamic and diverse session formats
- Streamlined navigation and event layout
- Focus on wellness, accessibility, and inclusive experiences
- Continuing to strengthen the “hallway track” and contribution culture
The success of DrupalCon Atlanta 2025 would not have been possible without the dedication and vision of the North American Steering Committee. This volunteer-led group helped shape the event’s content, community outreach, and overall experience. Committee members collaborated across key areas—local engagement, DEIB, contribution advocacy, marketing, and speaker content—to ensure an inclusive and impactful conference.
We are deeply grateful for their time, leadership, and creativity:
Their efforts helped bring the Drupal community together in meaningful and memorable ways. Thank you for helping make DrupalCon Atlanta such a success!
The Power of Sponsor SupportDrupalCon Atlanta was made possible by the generous support of our sponsors, who invested not just in the event, but in the long-term health and success of the Drupal project.
Total Sponsorships: 97
Their support made this experience possible — from coffee breaks and contribution mentoring to summits and stage time. Thank you again to our DrupalCon Atlanta Sponsors!
Looking AheadDrupalCon Atlanta was more than a conference — it was a homecoming for some, a first step for others, and a milestone for us all. The connections forged, the ideas sparked, and the paths paved here will ripple out through projects and communities around the world.
We’re already looking ahead to the next stops on our journey
You can learn more about all upcoming events at https://events.drupal.org/
Until then — thank you to everyone who joined us in Atlanta. Let’s carry this momentum forward, together.
Following the recent announcement made in the Driesnote at DrupalCon Atlanta, we are glad to share with you that we are kicking off the research process for the Marketplace. And, as per usual, we need your help!
As we are starting to work actively on framing the idea of the Marketplace, we want to hear the thoughts of our partners. Hence, this Monday we sent out a survey to DCPs and contributing partners in order to gather their thoughts on the matter.
Meanwhile we are also looking for individual contributors. So if you feel courageous and excited about this new initiative, please, check out our “Join the Marketplace Volunteer Team!” form and become a part of the crew - we are thrilled to have you on board!
Hello fellow Drupalers,
In case you missed the news, the 2025 Global Drupal Developer Survey is out!
The Global Drupal Developer Survey helps Drupal contributors, service providers, tool developers, and the Drupal Association understand the unique experiences of Drupal developers all over the world.
The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete. Every question is optional. The results are shared publicly under a creative commons licence after the survey closes (except for any personal data collected).
This year the survey closes at 23:59 April 20 UTC ad the results will be available in May.
So please, take a moment of your time and fill it in - we are truly looking forward to hear your thoughts!
Gander’s ability to simulate real-world traffic and performance conditions is already helping developers identify bottlenecks and fine-tune site performance — without the overhead of manual testing. Check out our latest Tag1 Team Talk to learn more!
michaelemeyers Wed, 04/16/2025 - 06:34It's been almost 5 years since Apple introduced its ARM64-based Macs, and the world has loved them. But they threw a complete monkey wrench into the software works, which had expected the Intel/AMD64 architecture for many, many years. (Read more: ARM64! Apple Silicon! M-Series! DDEV! What does it all mean?)
Almost all systems that distributed binary artifacts had extensive troubles. That included compiled binaries, Docker images, libraries, etc. In some cases the problem was just the fundamental assumptions in the software.
Apple released Rosetta 2 with the initial Apple Silicon macs, and it was great for simple situations, but it was initially quite unpredictable for Docker-based applications. You may know that I resisted any use of Rosetta for some years because of initial experiences of unpredictability. However, everything has gotten better around Rosetta over the years, but more than that, almost everything is available as a native app or native Docker image these days (and that has always included all DDEV apps and Docker images, from the very beginning).
But it doesn't include everything. Microsoft continues to publish AMD64-only binaries and Docker images, and Oracle is just as guilty. Surely they'll come around.
In the meantime, here are some techniques to get niche AMD64-only applications going with DDEV. I recommend these techniques only if you have no good alternative, because native performance and reliability are much higher.
There are still a few Docker images that have not been properly updated to multi-platform builds, including typo3solr and mssql/server.
With these, if you have a docker-compose.*.yaml file that names an image which is only available as AMD64, you can just add to it this line:
platform: linux/amd64And if you're using a Docker provider like Orbstack or Docker Desktop that has robust Rosetta support (and you have Rosetta enabled) then it will "just work". It will have reduced performance, but it may work just fine for your application.
I recently added this setup to the ddev-sqlsrv DDEV add-on, which previously was limited to Intel users only. Adding these lines to the service's docker-compose.sqlsrv.yaml made the add-on work fine on Apple Silicon:
# On macOS Apple Silicon, this only works with Rosetta enabled image: ${MSSQL_DOCKER_IMAGE:-mcr.microsoft.com/mssql/server:2022-CU18-ubuntu-22.04} platform: linux/amd64 Adding AMD64-only Software to the DDEV Web ContainerSometimes the problem is adding software that is Intel-specific to the DDEV web container. For example, the classic npm packages node-sass and puppeteer had this problem for years. (Now both seem to build somewhat successfully on ARM64 and they also have clear "no-longer-maintained" notices sending you to other packages.)
However, as I recently experience with Oracle client-side ddev-oci8 DDEV add-on, you can make the DDEV web container run as linux/amd64 in the same exact way, and then if you need to npm-install some odd package that is Intel-only, you can do it. Add a .ddev/docker-compose.amd64.yaml like this:
services: web: # Force the DDEV web image to run as `linux/amd64` on Apple Silicon with Rosetta platform: linux/amd64 Run Your Entire Docker System as AMD64As well as those techniques work, it seems unlikely that you'd want to run everything as AMD64, but DDEV on Intel... on Apple Silicon tells you how!
Wrapping Up: Try to Use Native Software When You CanI don't recommend using either of these techniques if you have the option of updating to native software or images, but they're pretty nice if you can't!
Do you have specific examples of Intel-focused software or images that you've had trouble with? I'd love to hear about it, and hear your solutions. I'd love to update this article with more specific examples.
I'd love to hear your experience. Join us in Discord or open an issue or send an email if you have success (or failure 😀).
Thanks for your support and engagement with DDEV!
Dear Readers,
Open-source communities depend on more than just code. They rely on discussion, disagreement, and collaboration to shape projects' progress. In Drupal, dialogue is the anatomy of every decision. When the stakes are high or the path isn’t apparent, the process often begins with people asking questions, sharing use cases, and voicing concerns. DrupalCon Atlanta is in the books, but one update by Dries Buytaert is just getting started. During the Driesnote, Dries officially announced the launch of the Drupal Marketplace Initiative. Think of it as shelf space for the community’s best work, not just a place to download themes but a real way to explore, test, and launch starter sites confidently.
Marketplace Initiative is a clear example of an approach through dialogues. It's a proposal with practical goals but also a test of how Drupal makes decisions as a community. The core idea is to build a public marketplace for Drupal site templates, giving users easier ways to get started while making real examples of Drupal's capabilities more visible. The proposal includes both free and commercial templates. That last part has sparked debate, not because it's technically difficult, but because it touches on long-standing questions about values, equity, and direction.
Rather than settle those questions behind closed doors, the initiative is designed to gather input from across the Drupal ecosystem. It’s about how decisions get made in a project that serves many users with different needs. Whether you're excited about the potential or cautious about the trade-offs, this is the right time to speak up, and what comes next will be shaped by the people who show up now.
Right now, there are multiple ways to get involved. The working group has opened a Slack channel #drupal-cms-marketplace where you can jump into discussions, share ideas, and react to ongoing prompts. They’ve also released the first in a series of community surveys, starting with one focused on contributors, agencies, and Drupal Certified Partners. There are live community sessions planned too, open to anyone who wants to help shape how this all unfolds.
Dries didn’t take a side but made the case for a conversation. Many organizations already pay for templates off-platform through agencies or contractors. Bringing that activity into the open could create better options, reward contributors, and strengthen the ecosystem. But it also raises questions about fairness, values, and long-term sustainability. Those questions are now on the table; everyone is invited to weigh in.
This is how decisions happen in Drupal: not with final announcements but with open discussions that invite more people into the room. Dialogue remains the structure we build on. With that, let's move on to the important stories from last week.
INTERVIEWDISCOVER 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 and Facebook. You can also join us on Drupal Slack at #thedroptimes.
Thank you,
Sincerely
Alka Elizabeth
Sub-editor, The DropTimes.
Welcome to the last article in the series. Today, we’ll wrap up by covering how to debug migrations, performance considerations, and the importance of checking your site for broken links before launch. We’ll also briefly discuss migrating into Drupal CMS and using AI to assist with the migration process.
mauricio Tue, 04/15/2025 - 06:24Drupal 11.2 alpha phase begins May 7
In preparation for the minor release, Drupal 11.2.x will enter the alpha phase the week of May 7, 2025. Core developers should plan to complete changes that are only allowed in minor releases prior to the alpha release.
The 11.2.0-alpha1 deadline for most core patches is May 7, 2025.
The 10.6.x release branch of core will be created for the next maintenance minor release.
Developers and site owners can begin testing the alpha after its release.
The 11.2.x release branch of core will be created before the alpha is tagged. Future feature and API additions will continue to be targeted against the main development branch, 11.x.
After 11.2.x is branched but before 11.2.0-alpha1 is tagged, alpha experimental modules will be removed from the 11.2.x codebase. Their development will continue in 11.x only.
Following the release of Drupal 11.2 and 10.5, only security issues will be fixed in Drupal 11.1 and 10.4. Additionally, Drupal 11.0 and 10.3 will become end-of-life (EOL).
During the alpha phase, core issues will be committed according to the following policy:
Roughly two weeks after the alpha release, the first beta release will be created. All the restrictions of the alpha release apply to beta releases as well. The release of the first beta is a firm deadline for all feature and API additions. Once the beta commit freeze begins, issues in the Reviewed & Tested by the Community (RTBC) queue will be committed to the next minor release only.
The release candidate phase will begin the week of June 2.
Security support of Drupal 10 and 11 Drupal 10.3.x and 11.0.x Security releases will be provided until June 18, 2025. Drupal 10.4.x and 11.1.x Security releases will be provided until December 10, 2025.See the Drupal core release process overview, the Drupal core release schedule, allowed changes during the Drupal 10 and 11 release cycles, and Drupal 10 and 11 backwards compatibility and internal API policy for more information.