What are the key differences between Drupal 10 and Drupal 11?

As Drupal continues to improve, the upcoming release of Drupal 11 brings many exciting updates compared to Drupal 10. While Drupal 10 made a big impact, Drupal 11 aims to build on that success with faster performance, better security, modernized tools for front-end developers, and an easier upgrade process. In this article, we will explore the key differences between Drupal 10 and Drupal 11.
Key Differences Between Drupal 10 and Drupal 11
1. PHP Requirements
Drupal 10 supports PHP 8.1 or higher.
Drupal 11 is expected to require PHP 8.2 or later. This alignment with the latest PHP versions will offer improved performance, security, and compatibility with modern PHP features.
Key Difference: Drupal 11 will use the newest version of PHP, which means better speed and security.
2. Symfony Upgrade
- Drupal 10 currently runs on Symfony 6.2.
- Drupal 11 is likely to adopt Symfony 6.3 or higher.
Key Difference: The update to Symfony 6.3 will improve Drupal’s performance and give developers more useful tools.
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3. Twig Template
- Drupal 10 uses Twig 3.x
- Drupal 11 will upgrade to Twig 4.x.
Key Difference: With Twig 4.x, Drupal 11 will provide better security, performance, and tools for theme development.
4. Front-end Improvements
- Drupal 10: Focused on improving user experience with the Olivero theme.
- Drupal 11: Will continue improving the front end, with modern tools and support for JavaScript frameworks.
Key Difference: Drupal 11 will make it even easier for developers to build modern, dynamic websites.
5. CKEditor 5
- Drupal 10: Introduced CKEditor 5 as the main text editor.
- Drupal 11: Will improve CKEditor 5 with more features and better integration.
Key Difference: CKEditor 5 in Drupal 11 will be easier to use and more powerful for content creators.
6. Improved APIs
- Drupal 10: Introduced support for headless or decoupled websites with APIs like GraphQL.
- Drupal 11: will make these APIs better and easier to use.
Key Difference: Drupal 11 will improve tools for building headless websites, making it easier to connect Drupal with other systems.
7. Compatibility with Modules and Themes
- Drupal 10: Many modules and themes from Drupal 9 worked in Drupal 10, but some needed updates.
- Drupal 11: This will make it easier to upgrade from Drupal 10, with better compatibility for existing modules and themes.
Key Difference: The upgrade from Drupal 10 to 11 will be smoother, with fewer issues for developers.
8. Security Enhancements
- Drupal 10: Introduced some experimental features like automated updates.
- Drupal 11: Will fully support automated updates and improve overall security.
Key Difference: Drupal 11 will offer stronger security features and make it easier to keep your site safe with automatic updates.
9. Performance Improvements
- Drupal 10: Improved performance with caching and database optimizations
Drupal 11: Expected to be even faster, with more efficient code and caching strategies.
Key Difference: Drupal 11 will provide better performance out-of-the-box, especially for busy websites with high traffic.
10. Content Authoring Experience
- Drupal 10: Introduced Claro, a new admin theme, and better layout tools for content creators.
- Drupal 11: Will make these tools even more user-friendly, with better media management and easier workflows.
Key Difference: Drupal 11 will continue to focus on making the content creation process smoother and more intuitive.
11. New Features
- Drupal 10: Introduced new features like Project Browser and experimental automatic updates.
- Drupal 11: Will improve these features and introduce new ones to make site-building easier and more flexible.
Key Difference: Drupal 11 will expand on Drupal 10’s innovations, making them more stable and accessible.
12. Upgrade Path
- Drupal 10: Provided tools to help you upgrade from Drupal 9.
- Drupal 11: This will make the upgrade process from Drupal 10 even smoother.
Key Difference: Upgrading to Drupal 11 will be more straightforward, with better tools and fewer issues.
Conclusion
Drupal 11 will bring many improvements over Drupal 10, from faster performance and better security to more user-friendly tools for content creation and easier upgrades. These updates will make Drupal an even more powerful platform for building websites and web applications, making it easier for both developers and content creators to do their jobs. If you’re using Drupal 10, you can look forward to a smoother and more efficient experience when Drupal 11 is released!