Drupal

A few years ago, creating a website or web page was a process that turned out to be complex and quite laborious, and it also required knowledge of different technologies, mainly HTML , JavaScript and CSS , as well as a lot of content. With the passage of time this situation changed and CMS were created , a software tool that allows you to easily create , administer and manage a website . An example of a CMS is known by the name of Drupal, a free software written in PHP that currently has a large community of users.

Drupal Features

The main features of Drupal are the following:

• It is a free platform that does not have a license to use.
• It has an open code that is also modular and multipurpose.
• It is very easy to configure as it develops.
• It is customizable through its automated templates and different types of themes.
• Provide you with a good level of security ID user management.
• It is scalable which means it has the ability to handle regular traffic spikes or high visitor volumes.
• It is modular since it works through modules that have been added depending on the needs.

Source

The origin of Drupal was given thanks to a Belgian student named Dries Buytaert . In 2000, together with Hans Snijder , he decided to set up a wireless network that would allow them to share internet connections with 8 more students from the University of Antwerp . After the network was set up, they had to work on an internal website as a type of news panel which made it possible for other students to share news or events. Then, when they graduated from University, they decided to publish the website online so they could keep in touch and that’s when they named itDorp .

Evolution

After they published the website, the audience began to increase and the participants of the initial group decided to start uploading content that generates interest, mainly related to new technologies , content management , surveys and more. After the great success they had achieved, Dries decided in 2001 to convert the software I have an open source and at that time it acquired its current name. This made it possible for other users to use and extend the platform, gradually turning it into an impressive community that was mainly dedicated to web development.

Then they developed the logo which is known by the name of Druplicon , which was a blue drop that also had a slightly curved nose and a slightly evil smile . Drupal has managed to go a long way since it was published and currently there are several versions that have been created over time in which you can always appreciate the great consolidation that this company has had, positioning itself as one of the main management systems of contents .

What is it for

Drupal is a CMS that basically serves to create pages or websites but at the same time makes it possible for them to be edited and expanded by adding or changing the content, whether it be texts, videos or images.

How Drupal works

Drupal works as a totally dynamic system which does not store the contents in files that are static but rather stores all the contents in a database which can then be edited using a web environment. The system is endowed with a PAC pattern in which all agents have their own independent faces as well as control and abstraction . All processes follow and maintain a proper hierarchical order through processing layers which are represented by modules

What can be done in Drupal

Drupal is a platform that serves to create different types of websites as it provides significant flexibility and adaptability so that the client can freely design a page. It also allows creating structures for content, enjoying stable and secure services where optimal , fast and effective results can be obtained .

Why use it

There are many reasons why users prefer to use Drupal today. First, it is the ideal means by which businesses and companies can be streamlined , in addition, Drupal supports the most famous sites in the world which makes it capable of handling high traffic peaks. It is one of the best means in business as it has a great capacity for integration and enables the modeling of data through an endless number of applications and services.

It is also a content manager that is already optimized for SEO , which means a great advantage for companies and institutions. It also allows an adequate digital integration of multimedia platforms and is the most accessible of all CMS, complying with established standards and providing security , transparency and efficiency at the same time .

Installation

To install to Drupal, you need to fulfill some prerequisites which include having a hosting with Windows or Linux that meet the minimum requirements for Drupal 7, having a database MySQL , MariaDB or SQLite without being an FTP client . The best way is to download the latest version on its official page , then the user must go to the tab that says Download & Extend> Drupal Core to proceed with the download by clicking on the corresponding link. Then you must proceed to upload Drupal to personal hosting .

After all the files have been uploaded, the domain that has been associated with the hosting must be accessed with the browser and in this way the installation will appear directly . Here you must select the installation profile and the basic distribution , either minimal or standard. The language pack will then be downloaded and then the requirements will be verified . You must also indicate the credentials of the database and later you can begin to configure the site.

Plugins

A plugin can be defined as a module and it can be of various types. They are the means by which the functionality of the page can be expanded and in Drupal, there are a total of 38,898 free modules. There are three main types:

• Core : these modules are provided by the company when the software is installed and therefore do not need to be downloaded independently.
• Contributed : shared modules are used in the Drupal community and are under a public license.
• Custom : in this case, it refers to custom modules which are created by a site developer.

Some examples are:

• Pathauto
• FileField
• Administration menu
• ImageField
• ImageAPI
• ImageCache

Widgets

Widgets in Drupal represent the main functionality of the entire browser, providing a type of tool that the user can use to navigate , view , create and select the specific content they are looking for. With widgets, administrators are allowed to edit all content and configure settings online . Work in a simple way and are the best way to choose the key parts of a page to be displayed in immediately in which you can upload images, present slides and share information.

Vulnerabilities

Despite the fact that Drupal is one of the safest page builders around the internet, it can also be affected by some vulnerabilities. Denial of service problems , security restriction bypass and unauthorized access are some of the problems that can occur. For this reason, it is recommended to always keep the system updated and it is worth mentioning that the site is constantly releasing updates to prevent such problems from happening.

What web pages use Drupal

Drupal is such a secure site that it is used by millions of companies around the world, and not only by commercial companies but web pages such as NASA and Tesla , opt for this service. Twitter , The White House , weather . com and The Economist are other examples of web pages that use Drupal.

Advantages of Drupal

Among its main advantages are the following:

• It has its content optimized for SEO and includes a series of tools that improve the optimization of keywords, page titles, content reports and management tools.
• Its modules make it possible to build so to correct the URLs and metatags , protecting and nurturing the same time the appearance of the positioning in search engines .
• It is easy to integrate with other types of platforms such as media, for example Facebook, PayPal and Twitter.
• It is a multi-lingual site and you will only need to define the language during the installation process.
• It is effective to be able to create landings or different content pages.
• Its flexibility in terms of graphic design is impressive and allows the user to make graphic edits without having to leave the editor.
• Finally, it has a great integration capacity since it does not need to make use of extensions or modules to be able to create the websites

Disadvantages

Among its main disadvantages are the following:

• It may be that in order to install it , the user needs to have some extra knowledge.
• It is quite modern so if the client is not familiar with this type of platform they will have a bit of trouble adapting.
• It does not have a large number of plugins .
• It has a lesser extent than other sites and therefore the community of users and the community support and assistance is reduced .

Importance

Drupal turns out to be a type of technology to develop CMS that is important because it is extremely secure and in fact, it is the third most used on the internet. It is important to mention that to achieve the great security that this site offers it is important to keep updates up to date , make backup copies and solve any possible problems that may arise.