Drupal Starshot Initiative is an ambitious project aimed at simplifying the creation of digital projects, making Drupal more accessible—especially to non-developers—with an intuitive interface and a low-code process. Historically focused on the framework model that made it successful, Drupal is turning a new page by now combining a dual approach: framework and product.
Drupal Starshot Initiative
Since its creation, Drupal has become one of the most popular open source CMS platforms. Powerful, flexible, and scalable, it enables the creation of rich digital experiences for all types of sites. Despite its undeniable strengths, it is criticized for its steep learning curve, which can be an obstacle to new users.
Drupal Starshot Initiative, an ambitious project launched in 2024, aims to address this issue. By tackling the challenge of entry barriers, the Starshot project seeks to create a ready-to-use version of Drupal, a very intuitive and user-friendly low-code solution that will accelerate site building and make Drupal more accessible.
Increase Drupal adoption with a low-code approach, empowering contributors
The goal is to extend the capabilities of Drupal Core in order to increase the adoption of Drupal, strengthen its position as a leading CMS, and further promote the open source model.
The project is inspired by low-code/no-code trends, which allow users to create and manage websites without having to write a single line of code. This approach encourages contributor autonomy, making Drupal competitive with mainstream platforms like WordPress or Wix.
Target small and medium-sized businesses and mid-sized projects
Drupal hopes to diversify its audience and consolidate its position as a leading CMS. Two strategic directions have been identified:
- Empower content creators and businesses so they can create and manage websites without relying on developers, expensive resources they may not necessarily have access to.
- Expand Drupal's presence in the mid-market segment by targeting projects between 25,000 and 100,000 euros.
The bet on a winning combo: towards a Framework/Product model
Historically, Drupal has oscillated between two models: development framework and product (distribution).
A framework offers maximum flexibility to developers but remains complex for non-technical users. With Starshot, Drupal is returning to a product-oriented approach, aiming to democratize access to Drupal while preserving the power and flexibility that built its reputation.
Drupal Starshot (product model) and Drupal Core (framework model) will thus have distinct but complementary strategies. Drupal Starshot will focus on empowering businesses and expanding Drupal’s presence in the mid-market, while Drupal Core will continue to meet the needs of developers and more technical users. Together, these two strategies will form a comprehensive vision for Drupal as a product.
Drupal Starshot stands out for its modular operation and simplified approach
While Starshot is built on Drupal core, it mainly relies on the following strategic elements:
- Recipes: Recipes are designed to simplify Drupal configuration by offering predefined sets of features tailored to specific needs (such as blog sites, news, e-commerce, etc.). Unlike traditional installation profiles and distributions, "Recipes" are more flexible: they can be added, removed, or combined after a project has started.
- Project Browser: Today, finding and installing Drupal modules involves several complex steps, often outside of the Drupal site itself and requiring technical skills such as using Composer. The Project Browser allows users to search for, filter, and install modules directly from the Drupal interface, providing a more intuitive and accessible experience for non-developers.
- Automatic Update: aims to simplify and secure the update process for Drupal sites by enabling automatic updates. Currently, manually updating a Drupal site can be complex and expensive, and any delays in applying security updates expose the site to risks. This initiative mainly targets small and medium site owners looking for a simple solution to maintain the security and performance of their sites without requiring advanced technical skills.
Integration of recipes into our bluedrop.fr installation profile
Unlike installation profiles, Recipes can be applied at any point in a site's lifecycle, including after its initial deployment. We have already begun transforming our custom installation profile to immediately integrate 2 Recipes. These recipes address content architecture and the contribution experience offered to site administrators, our clients. This flexibility will be particularly useful for meeting the evolving needs of projects, such as when taking over an existing site.
Ongoing training and anticipating Starshot
To prepare for the arrival of Starshot, our team is getting ready! We continuously monitor technological advances and are preparing to use Drupal innovations to meet our clients' evolving needs. A dedicated project team is currently testing Starshot and reporting on the maturity of its developments. We believe we will be ready very quickly, to the benefit of our clients' projects.
Let's talk about your Drupal project!
Known for its power and flexibility, Drupal is now taking a major step to broaden its core audience. This ambitious project is a testament to the dynamism of Drupal and its community, which is always eager to respond to new user expectations—today’s users are looking for autonomy and simplicity. With the launch of Drupal Starshot scheduled before the end of 2024 (since renamed Drupal CMS), stay tuned, we’ll keep you updated!
| As longstanding advocates of open source and Drupal pioneers in the French-speaking community, we have been supporting you for 25 years with the creation, redesign, and maintenance of your Drupal projects. Don’t hesitate to contact us to discuss your projects! |