Migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9: A Technical Guide

 

Migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9: A Technical Guide

Drupal, known for its robustness and flexibility, has evolved significantly with the release of Drupal 9, offering improved performance, security enhancements, and modernized features. If you’re currently running a site on Drupal 7, it’s crucial to plan and execute a smooth migration to Drupal 9 to leverage these benefits and ensure ongoing support. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the steps and considerations for a successful migration.

Why Migrate to Drupal 9?

Drupal 7, while a stalwart of the CMS world, is nearing its end-of-life (EOL) with official support ending in November 2022. Migrating to Drupal 9 ensures:

  • Long-term support: Drupal 9 is the future-proof version of Drupal, with scheduled support until Drupal 10’s release.
  • Enhanced security: Benefit from the latest security patches and updates.
  • Performance improvements: Take advantage of improved performance optimizations and modern PHP support.
  • New features: Access to new features and functionality introduced in Drupal 8 and enhanced in Drupal 9.

Steps for Migration

1. Assessment and Planning

  • Content Inventory: Take stock of your current site’s content types, fields, and data structures.
  • Module Audit: Identify modules in use and their Drupal 9 compatibility status. Prepare to replace deprecated modules with Drupal 9 equivalents or alternatives.
  • Theme Evaluation: Assess your current theme’s compatibility with Drupal 9. Determine if a new theme or updates are necessary.

2. Prepare Your Drupal 7 Site

  • Update to Latest Drupal 7 Version: Ensure your Drupal 7 site is running the latest version.
  • Clean Up: Remove unused modules, themes, and content to streamline the migration process.

3. Upgrade to Drupal 8

  • Direct Upgrade: Use the Drupal 9 readiness tool and the Upgrade Status module to evaluate your site’s readiness for Drupal 9.
  • Migration Process: Migrate your Drupal 7 site to Drupal 8 using the core migration modules or contributed modules if needed.

4. Transition to Drupal 9

  • Check Compatibility: Verify that all modules, themes, and custom code are compatible with Drupal 9.
  • Code Updates: Update deprecated code and APIs as per Drupal 9 standards.
  • Data Migration: Use the migration tools in Drupal 9 to migrate content, users, and configurations from Drupal 8.

5. Post-Migration Tasks

  • Testing: Perform thorough testing to ensure all functionality and data have migrated correctly.
  • Performance Optimization: Fine-tune your Drupal 9 site for optimal performance.
  • Security Review: Implement necessary security measures and configurations.

Conclusion

Migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 9 is a significant but rewarding endeavor that ensures your site remains secure, performant, and equipped with the latest features Drupal has to offer. By following these steps and best practices, you can navigate the migration process effectively and enjoy the benefits of Drupal 9’s modern architecture.

Ready to migrate? Contact our Drupal experts today to discuss your migration strategy and ensure a seamless transition to Drupal 9!