Modules are bundles of primarily PHP code that extend Drupal in order to add new features or alter existing functionality.
Entities are the fundamental building blocks that make up any Drupal site. Having a good understanding of the Entity system is an important part of ensuring the data model of your Drupal site is set up properly.
Patches are used to describe modifications made to one or more code files, and can be used to share those changes.
In order to run a Drupal site, the web server you are using must meet minimum technical requirements.
Deployment Workflows
TopicTools and workflows for deploying code and configuration changes from one environment to another with Drupal-specific considerations.
The process for keeping Drupal core and contributed modules and themes up to date with the latest security and minor version releases.
Learn about Drupal’s configuration system and how to manage configuration with both the administrative user interface and command-line tools.
Comments
TopicComments are a content entity type that allows users to leave commentary associated with a specific piece of content.
Contributing to Drupal
TopicAs an open source project, Drupal depends on community contributions in many forms including documentation, code, translation, speaking, organizing events, mentoring others, and even donating money.
Menus
TopicA site’s main navigation elements, whether they be in the header, footer, or sidebar, are composed of links built using Drupal's menu system. Drupal allows site administrators to build menus while also allowing module developers to add and alter menus in code.
Layouts
TopicA layout can describe how various components are arranged on various levels—from an entire page from the header to the footer, to just the “middle” where the dynamic content goes, to individual components. It can apply to templates for managed content or one-off designs for landing pages.
Development environments provide a sandbox where you can work on your application without affecting the live site.
Back up Your Drupal Site
TopicA reliable backup will allow you to restore your site if something goes wrong.
Drush
TopicDrush is a command line interface that enables you to interact with your Drupal site without clicking around the graphical user interface (GUI).
Blocks
TopicA block is a reusable widget that is placed inside regions (layout containers) of your theme. Blocks can be used by site administrators on the Block layout admin page or provided by a module using the Plugin API.
Installing Drupal using the instructions in this tutorial will give you a working Drupal site that can be used for learning, or real-world project development.
Before you can work on a Drupal site locally (on your computer), you'll need to set up a local development environment. This includes all the system requirements like PHP and a web server, that Drupal needs in order to run. Our favorite way to accomplish this is using DDEV.
In this tutorial we'll learn:
- How to install and configure DDEV for use with a Drupal project.
- How to use DDEV's integrated Composer to download Drupal and Drush.
- How to install Drupal inside DDEV so you can access the site and start doing development.
By the end of this tutorial, you should be able to set up a local development environment for learning Drupal or working on a new Drupal project.