With Drupal 7 reaching end-of-life, it is crucial to migrate to a recent version of Drupal that benefits from the latest security updates and improvements. Drupal 7 is scheduled to reach end-of-life in January 2025, making this transition essential right now. As you may have guessed from the title, here we will mainly discuss migration to version 10.

Why migrate from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10?

What does the end of life of Drupal 7 mean?

Drupal 7 will reach end of life in January 2025, which means it will no longer receive security updates or technical support. This will make your site vulnerable to cyberattacks and security breaches.

Advantages of Drupal 10

Migrating to Drupal 10 offers many advantages:

• Improved security : Drupal 10 benefits from the latest security updates.
• Optimized performance : Faster loading times and better responsiveness.
• Modern features: : NNew features and modules for better content management and increased user engagement.

Migration steps

Evaluate your current site

Analyze the structure, content, and features of your Drupal 7 site. Figure out what needs to be migrated and what can be improved or removed.

Plan the migration

Define a detailed plan for the migration, including the necessary resources and deadlines. Be sure to allow time for testing and adjustments.

Module verification

Ensure that the modules used are compatible with Drupal 10 or find alternatives. Some Drupal 7 modules may not have direct equivalents in Drupal 10.

Creating the Drupal 10 site

Install Drupal 10 and configure the necessary modules. Take this opportunity to modernize the design and architecture of your site.

Data migration

Transfer content and data from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10. Use migration tools to facilitate this process and minimize the risk of data loss.

Testing and validation

Test the new site to ensure that everything is working properly. Check performance, security, and user experience.

Going live

Launch the Drupal 10 site and monitor performance to quickly resolve any issues.

Challenges and solutions

Migration can present challenges such as module compatibility, the complexity of the data to be migrated, and the adjustments required for the new design. Working with migration experts can help overcome these obstacles.

Intermediate versions

Drupal 8 and Drupal 9

Before migrating directly to Drupal 10, it is often recommended to go through Drupal 8 or Drupal 9. These intermediate versions introduce significant architectural changes and improvements that facilitate the transition to Drupal 10. Drupal 8 introduced a new architecture based on Symfony, while Drupal 9 mainly removed obsolete features from Drupal 8, making the migration to Drupal 10 smoother.

Alternative method: Site reconstruction

Another migration method is to completely rebuild the site on Drupal 10. This approach has several advantages:

• Performance optimization: Rebuilding allows you to completely rethink and modernize the design and architecture of the site, incorporating the latest web trends and technologies.
• performance modernization : By starting from scratch, you can optimize every aspect of the site for maximum performance, without being limited by old structures.
• Data cleanup : This method provides an opportunity to clean up and organize data, eliminating obsolete or redundant content.
• Increased flexibility : Rebuilding makes it easier to integrate new features and adapt to the current and future needs of the business.

Conclusion

Migrating from Drupal 7 to Drupal 10 is an opportunity to modernize your website, improve its security and performance, and benefit from the latest innovations from the Drupal community. By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth transition and take full advantage of the benefits offered by Drupal 10.