---
title: "Drupal"
type: entity
tags: [cms, php, enterprise, open-source]
last_updated: 2026-05-01
---

## Overview

Drupal is an open-source enterprise CMS/CMF written in PHP, known for its flexibility and scalability. Primary use cases: enterprise platforms, complex content models, government/digital transformation projects, multilingual sites.

## Aliases
- Drupal CMS
- Drupal CMF

## Key Characteristics

- **Complex content modeling**: Paragraphs, entity references, media library, field API, display modes
- **Layout Builder**: Per-node layouts, layout templates, custom section and component types
- **Configuration in code**: `drush cim/cex` (config import/export) — all config in YAML files
- **Custom modules**: PHP attributes (Drupal 10+), hook system, routing YAML, service container
- **Twig templating**: Template layer with preprocess hooks for data transformation
- **Composer workflow**: `composer require`, patches, version pinning, `drush pm:security`
- **Multilingual**: TMGMT translation module, language negotiation built-in

## Drupal Coding Patterns

### Custom Module Structure

```
my_module/
├── my_module.info.yml
├── my_module.module
├── my_module.routing.yml
├── my_module.services.yml
├── my_module.permissions.yml
├── my_module.links.menu.yml
└── src/
    ├── Controller/
    ├── Form/
    ├── Plugin/Block/
    └── EventSubscriber/
```

### Custom Block Plugin (Drupal 10+ PHP Attributes)

```php
#[Block(
  id: 'my_custom_block',
  admin_label: new TranslatableMarkup('My Custom Block'),
)]
class MyBlock extends BlockBase {
  public function build(): array {
    return [
      '#theme' => 'my_custom_block',
      '#attached' => ['library' => ['my_module/my-block']],
      '#cache' => ['max-age' => 3600],
    ];
  }
}
```

### Hook Implementation

```php
function my_module_node_access(EntityInterface $node, $op, AccountInterface $account) {
  if ($node->bundle() === 'case_study' && $op === 'view') {
    return $account->hasPermission('view case studies')
      ? AccessResult::allowed()->cachePerPermissions()
      : AccessResult::forbidden()->cachePerPermissions();
  }
  return AccessResult::neutral();
}
```

## Connections

- [[CMSDeveloper]] uses Drupal as a primary CMS platform
- [[ContentModel-first]] applies to Drupal content modeling before theme code
- [[CodeOverConfiguration]] — Drupal config exported to YAML, not UI
- [[LayoutBuilder]] is a Drupal-specific flexible content building system
- [[TwigTemplating]] is Drupal's template engine

## Sources
- [[engineering-cms-developer]]