Introduction

You probably have been hearing this phrase before– Drupal 7 end-of-life. Maybe you just joined your organization as a new content writer or marketer lead. You just learned that the core digital system responsible for engagement with your audience is about to stop receiving all security support. If you have been working with Drupal for many years and you are happy with it, you might like to continue working with it because of its flexibility and powerful editorial tools. Regardless of your circumstances, if you are still on Drupal 7 it’s time to seriously consider migrating to most recent version - Drupal 10.

What is Drupal?

Drupal is a modern open-source Content Management System or CMS. It's a system that allows non-technical users to efficiently use a website platform without having to write any code.

In the current digital landscape, CMSs like Drupal are the go-to tools for organizations to manage their marketing efforts online. Businesses of all sizes prefer Drupal as their CMS for several reasons: it’s cost-effective, highly secure, and it has a dynamic community of developers and consultants.

What does Drupal 7 End-of-life mean?

The term “End-of-life" doesn't mean your CMS will suddenly stop working. It only means it will stop receiving security and performance updates as well as any new features rolled out in future releases. If an organization were to choose to stay on Drupal 7 after January 5, 2025, they should be made aware of the risk. Staying with this CMS increases potential exposure to cyber-attacks that would compromise any website.

What are the benefits of upgrading to Drupal 10?

It has been well known that the early versions of Drupal have been historically difficult to upgrade. Every time new release would come out it felt like a complete rebuild. Luckily, Drupal core contributors have been able to simplify previously complicated upgrading process from one version to another. Starting with Drupal 8, the transition has become much easier, making it a great investment for years to come.

Drupal team has improved many aspects of its core system like caching, security, configuration management, SEO performance. While the concepts stayed the same the admin interface for Drupal 10 has improved a lot and became more flexible and user friendly.

If you are planning to continue using Drupal in the future, the best logical decision is to upgrade your system to Drupal 10 (current version).

How long will it take to migrate from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10?

Migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10 can be a complex project. The duration can vary depending on complexity and size of your application. It is important to first conduct a sophisticated audit of the current site to ensure a successful transition.

For smaller projects that don’t use a lot of custom modules and integrations it may take as long as couple of weeks. While bigger websites with extensive customization may require several months of planning, preparation, and execution. The amount of content can also dictate the duration of the upgrade. Websites with substantial amount of content, users, files and other entities will typically take much longer for careful planning and execution.

A good amount of time should be also spent on comprehensive testing and quality assurance of updated functionality, performance and security.

Conclusion

If you're considering migrating your website from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10 and need assistance, we're here to help. Our team of skilled Drupal developers has extensive experience in Drupal migrations and can provide expert guidance and support at every step of the process. Whether you have questions about planning your migration strategy, need assistance with data migration and content cleanup, or require ongoing support and maintenance for your Drupal 10 website, we're here to assist you.

Get in touch with us today to schedule a consultation and take the first step towards a seamless migration to Drupal 10. Let us help you unlock the full potential of the latest version of Drupal for your website.