Are you comfortable with your Drupal website, but intimidated by an upgrade?
Many businesses are enjoying the benefits of the Drupal platform, but are still on versions 6 or 7. While a Drupal upgrade could appear to be an unnecessary hassle, delaying your move to Drupal 10 could be hurting your business for several reasons.
Drupal 6 and 7 Support is Ending
First of all, official support for Drupal 6 has ended and support for Drupal 7 is ending in January 2025. That may seem far in the future. However, when you include annual budget, approval, and procurement cycles, plus a typical migration project timeline, you should be planning your Drupal 10 migration project today.
Waiting for Drupal 11 Could Cost You Resources
There were some major technology changes in Drupal 8. Thus, a Drupal upgrade to 10 from older versions like Drupal 6 or 7, will require a significant effort. You can learn more about the issues of upgrading from older versions. On the other hand, the upgrade from Drupal 10 to 11 will be relatively easy due to the similarity of code architecture.
You might be tempted to wait for the release of version 11 and skip 10. However, remember that you also need to consider the development of community modules for version 11 – if you try to skip 10 and wait for version 11, you could get caught between the end of support for 7 and full compatibility of your needs in version 11 community modules.
In the long run, a Drupal upgrade to 10.1 now will give your team more time to focus on content and strategy when it comes time to upgrade to Drupal 11. Avoid the time crunch of a complete site overhaul.
Recognize the Benefits of Drupal 10 Immediately
Upgrading to Drupal 10 now will provide immediate benefits to your team. Many features that previously required customization have been included in version 10 core functionality. In addition to performance and security improvements, Drupal 10 includes a better experience for front-end users, an improved experience for admin users, and easier development. Don’t let the fear of a Drupal upgrade project hold you back from recognizing the benefits version 10.1 now.
Get Your Drupal Upgrade Started With a Free Assessment
Not sure where to start? Atlantic BT can help you with a free preliminary migration assessment to help you scope your Drupal upgrade project. Contact us today to learn more.
